Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS!

After a great meeting with lots of discussion the Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS Committee has narrowed the ballot down to eight amazing titles. We will be holding four discussion events around the county where we will also be giving away advanced readers copies of the many, many, many books we considered.

Redmond Library, Thursday, October 8 at 7pm
Bellevue Library, Saturday, October 10 at 11am
Carnation Library, Friday, October 16 at 2pm
Covington Library, Wednesday, November 18 at 7pm

Update: If you missed attending a discussion event, you can listen to the Covington discussion here.

Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS culminates on December 18, 2009 when we open the voting so King County can choose its own winner. You can vote online or in person at your local library. The official Newbery Award will be announced at the end of January. To be eligible to vote you need to read at least  four of the eight nominees. 

The Final Eight

All The Broken Pieces : a novel in verse / by Ann E. Burg

Read the original blog post and add your comments.

Hear Micheline presenting...

Also Known as Harper by Ann Haywood Leal 

Donny Bailey Seagraves' story of eleven year old Daniel Sartain, chronicles a family torn asunder. Daniel's family has been in pain for awhile--several years before, his father was the driver in the car accident that killed Daniel's grandparents. Since then his Uncle Clay and his father have been at odds, and his father has developed a drinking problem. Uncle Clay has slipped into the role of a loving surrogate father, but that all ends one November day, when the two of them go rabbit hunting. Purely by accident, Daniel's gun goes off, killing Clay. The remainder of the book is the story of hisstruggle through the grief process and the results for his family. Interwoven throughout all daniel's thoughts are comments (in conversation form) from his Uncle Clay. The book comes o a tense climax, when Daniel finds his gun (hidden away since the tragedy) and goes out into the woods to commit suicide. While there is a "happier" resolution, it is somewhat pat. The author, however, grapples successfully with several BIG issues: gun safety, alcoholism, grief, suicide, therapy, and dysfunctional families. Her writing maintains the tension well and she, for the most part, realistic in her portrayal of this family in crisis.

While this is a well-written, thoughtful book, it doesn't have that extra "something" to put it on my Newbery contender list.

Rating: 4 of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org .

 

Wishworks, Inc. by Stephanie S. Tolan

Tracktown Summer by Elizabeth Holmes

This is the summer that Jake meets Adrian and nothing will ever be the same. Jake is finally visiting his father after his parents separation and has conflicting emotions about being with his dad. Adrian has a secret about his own father that he is desperate to keep. As the summer continues, both boys discover what friendship is and that every family has their own problems.

The constant rumbling of the train going past sets the routine for their summer days and mirror the emotions of both boys. Holmes explores complex issus of separation, abandonment, mental illness, anger management and the importance of a true friend. The ending is neither trite or wrapped up neatly- just like real life.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

The Doom Machine by Mark Teague

Take a trip back to 1956 as Jack Creedle (of the notorious no-good Creedle's) and Isadora Shumway (daughter of a very logical female scientist) end up being Earth's only chance to stop the invasion of giant spider creatures. The Skreepish empire has already consumed its second planet and is eying Earth for their next home.

As Jack and Isadora cross the galaxy they find themselves hailed as the children in "the prophecy"  that will set the slave planets of Skeerpia free. By using Jack's natural talent for fixing engines and some logical thinking they just might save the universe and make it back home in time for dinner.

This is Teague's first novel for children and he crafts a fabulous tale of time and space, rights and wrongs, consumption and its devestating effects and he even throws in a bit of government subterfuge just for fun. The character development of Jack and Isadora allow them to gorw, and not grow as they are always the same and on Hellebeezia. The rational thinking of Isadora's mother contrasted against Uncle Bud's do-anything-to-stay-alive actions are a great juxtaposition of the ways people can respond to situations.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

Crows & Cards by Joseph Helgerson

Get ready to travel back to 1849 as 12 year old Zebulon heads off into the world to make something of himself. At least, that's what his parent are sending him off to do- much to Zeb's consternation. Zeb isn't sure about being apprenticed to his Uncle and learning to be a tanner (someone who tans animal hides to change them into leather using chemicals). 

Smoke by Mavis Jukes

It's been just Colton and his mom for a long time. His dad is a professional rodeo cowboy so Colton doesn't see him often. When his mom decides to move them from Idaho to California Colton isn't sure, but California turns out to be ok. Moving is easier with Smoke, his twenty pound main coon cat. His dad gave him Smoke when he was two and the cat is his connection to his dad. But when Smoke goes missing in California Colton is distraught.

Jukes writes a solid boy story. Part ghost stories, part learning how to be a man, but mostly just a story about family and friends. Boys can relate to Colton, he isn't a strong reader and needs extra help. He's not good at soccer but he's willing to learn. And the palatable suspense will keep readers anxious to discover what happened to Smoke.  

Scores: 3.5 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Abby Carson lives in Illinois and is in danger of flunking the 6th grade. In a desperate attempt not to be left behind she must get a strong B on everything for the rest of the year and do an extra credit English project. She ends up writing to a pen pal in Afghanistan and life is very different there. Sadeed has the best English so he is asked to "help" his younger sister write letters to Abby because the elders of the village find it improper for a boy to write to a girl. But as they write back and forth Abby and Sadeed make a connection, so much so that Sadeed dares to send her a secret letter so she knows it's really him she's talking to. But people on both sides of the world don't like an American writing to an Afghani and the letters must stop.

Clements is the master of the "school story", but he bests himself with this novel. The plot is current to political world events and by not tying the ending up with a neat clean bow the novel is far more believable. The hope is that we will learn to be understanding of other cultures and finally focus on our similarites instead of our differences.

Score: 4.5 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

Escape Under the Forever Sky by Eve Yohalem

Lucy is the daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia. She feels caged in with all the rules about what she can't do and where she can't go. How can she ever have fun when she's being followed by Marines? But when Lucy disobeys her mother and sneaks out to a cafe with a friend the unimaginable happens - she is kidnapped. Tied up and gagged Lucy is told to behave or she will die. After seeing the violence of the head kidnapper Lucy knows she must escape. But how will she survive with no food and water, and not even a pair of shoes on her feet?

Based on the true story of an Ethiopian girl who was was kidnapped and successfully escaped, Yohalem expands this tale to make the reader think. At one point Lucy tells her captors that the problems in Ethiopia don't have anything to do with her, but the author shows that we are all connected and the actions of one nation can most definitely affect another.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

The Locked Garden by Gloria Whelan

The year is 1900 and scientific advancement is everywhere. Verna and Carlie move to the grounds of a large asylum for the mentally ill where their father will help treat patients. He has new theories on how to make people better and spends hours holed up writing his book. 

Since their mother died, cranky Aunt Maude has lived with them and Verna would like her to go back to her own home. But she moves with them and is just as cold and devoid of fun as ever. When the girls and their father become attached to one of the patients Aunt Maude becomes so jealous that a battle of wills begins where there is no clear winner, only losers.

The historical note gives the reader a quick peak into the history of mental illness in the United States and its treatments over the years. While the facility in this story was based on one of the nicest asylums, many in this country were not. This would be a good discussion book for children who know someone with a mental illness or just to bring aweness to a topic not often discussed.

Score: 4 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

 

Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise

The first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series introduces us to a humourous cast of characters. All the names, and many of the situations, are a play on words. So Anita Sale's, the real estate agent, name could also be said I-Need-A-Sale. A cranky children's book writer (Ignatious B. Grumpy) who hasn't made a sale in 20 years rents a haunted Victorian mansion only to discover that by not reading the terms of his lease he is responsible for the care of 11 year old boy (Seymour Hope) and his cat (Shadow). Hilarity ensues as the ghost (Olive C. Spence), writer and boy forge new relationships with one another.

Told in the form of letters being sent back and forth and periodical newspaper articles, the illustrations scattered throughout complement the story nicely. The witty names and situations make this a fun read for adults as well as children.

Score: 3 out of 5

To suggest additional titles to the commitee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

The Day of the Pelican by Katerine Paterson

Guest post by Jennifer @ Kingsgate

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

This story set in 1978-79 New York City defies easy description. It's not just historical fiction, nor an "I need to find a new friend" tale. The story begins with a 6th grade girl's life changing when her formerly inseparable best friend begins to distance himself from her. She doesn't understand it, yet deals with it without stooping to self-damaging behavior or melodrama. It doesn't bring a lot of turmoil to her life at school either, but a new awareness starts to dawn on her that not all is as she assumes it to be; from noticing the shabbiness of her own apartment, or the crazy antics of the homeless guy on the street, to the treatment of a fellow student for a behavioral quirk or skin color, Miranda opens her eyes to a number of new ideas. Not all of them make sense to her, or the reader, at first...but it all comes together in the end in this powerful novel.

Score: 4.75 out of 5

To suggest other titles to the committe, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

Murder at Midnight by Avi

In this fantasy tale moved forward through the use of folktales, author Grace Lin has crafted

 the story of Minli, a young girl who lives in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, with her mother (Ma)& father (Ba). The world around her is dingy and difficult, full of struggle and disatisfaction. To her mother's annoyance, Minli's father spins fantastic tales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man in the Moon (who is a sort of Wizard of Oz-like, wish-granting character) to make their meager existence seem a little less harsh. These stories inspire Minli to go on a quest to ask the Old Man in the Moon to change her family's fortunes. On her way she befriends a dragon (who wants to be able to fly) and encounters all sorts of magical creatures and situations. The quest broadens to include her mother and father, who set out after her. All along the way, lessons are learned in that way of a good folk tale--not didactic hits on the head, but many "a-ha" moments that leave the reader nodding and saying "Of course!"

The author was inspired by traditional Chinese folktales and the narrative is spun sparely, yet effectively, creating an almost seamless flow between the personal situations and the fantastical explanations, arriving at a satisfying conclusion appropriate to the style of the story. As with all good folk literature, this story spans all ages and speaks a universal message.

Rating: 4.75 ot of 5

To suggest other titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org .

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