Angela @ Redmond's Recent Archive

The Sixty Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

Prepare to enter a magical, miniture place- the Thorne Rooms at the Chicago Art Institue. Ruthie feels like nothing interesting ever happens to her. She shares a cramped room with her older sister and all she wants is for something to happen. And when her 6th grade class takes a field trip to the Chicago Art Institure everything changes.

Ruthie and her best friend Jack find a miniture key that shrinks them to just five inches tall, the perfect size to go through the sixty-eight Thorne Rooms. Ruthie and Jack figure out how to sneak into the museum for an overnight trip that will change their lives forever as the magic allows them to visit the different times and places of the rooms. How does the magic work? Has anyone else experienced the Thorne Room like them?

Malone captures the desire to experience something magical, and more importantly that the people and relationships around us are more important than fancy things.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

To suggest other 2010 titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

This title will be published in April, 2010.

Mockingbird tells the story of 10 year old Caitlin. She is a smart, an amazing artist, she adores her big brother Devon - and she also has Asperger's. Since she is classified high functioning Caitlin sees Mrs. Brook once a day and considers herself entirely different from autistic William H., even if she does have the occasional Tantrum Rage Meltdown. 

But the small town she lives in is trying to cope with a recent shooting at the middle school that killed a teacher and two students. One of them was her beloved brother Devon.

Caitlin and her father are having a hard time Dealing With It. Devon was the one who worked with Caitlin, and helped her Figure Things Out. Once she hears about this thing called Closure she is on a quest to get, even if it means getting her father to help her finish Devon's Eagle Scout project against his will.

Beautifully written, Erskine captures how hard it is for Caitlin to relate to the people around her. Even more poignently, she shows the reader what an Asperger's person is thinking and how difficult it is for them to be in social situations. This is a must read for anyone who knows a child with Asperger's.  

Score: 5 out of 5

To suggest other 2010 titles to the committee, please email newberysuggestions@kcls.org.

The winner of the 2010 You Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS is : When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. The Honor Book is : Wild Things by Clay Carmichael. 211 votes were cast in our first public vote!

When You Reach Me is also the official 2010 ALA Newbery Medal award winner.

Many thanks to the YCTNN Committee, the KCLS Children's Librarians and the 5th Grade students of Grass Lake Elementary for reading with us and anyone else who participated.

At the December 17th children's meeting, the children's librarians had special guests. The 5th Grade Hi-Cap class of Angela Ramsey and Librarian Mimi Vosper from Grass Lake Elementary have been reading the "You Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS" titles, and the students came prepared to debate the pros and cons of each book. Having already written persuasive essays, they weren't shy about telling us which books they absolutely loved (The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had and When You Reach Me) and what they didn't (All The Broken Pieces and Return to Sender). It was fascinating listening to them describe what worked for them as readers and what didn't. And their opinions surprised and amused the adults in the room.

Voting is open online and in community libraries through January 17th for anyone who has read at least four of the eight titles.

Watch the awarding of the real Newbery live from Boston at (or the podcast later, if you don't want to get up early!)

Just a few quotes from these articulate students:

• This was the best. It was a mock election and a contest. It got me to read books that I wouldn't have read. (Sterling)
• The contest was really fun. I really liked stating my opinion about the books and eating lunch in the Boardroom! (Aaron)
• This contest was so much fun! It makes me feel much more excited about reading when we do something like this! (Alayna)
• Thanks to this Newbery event, I got to read one of the best books of all time - The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had. Thank you librarians! (Madison)
• The experience helped me to speak out more! (Dylan)
• Voting in the mock Newbery election has been a great experience for me.
I read good books and found out about new authors! (Hannah)

2010 ALA Youth Media Award announcements to take place on Jan. 18, 2010, 7:45 a.m. EST

Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books and media for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children's and young adult literature and media.

This year's ALA Youth Media Awards announcement will take place from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on Jan. 18, at 7:45 a.m.  Doors open at 7:30 a.m.

The American Library Association (ALA) will provide a free live webcast of its Youth Media Awards. The number of available connections for the Webcast is limited and the broadcast is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online visitors can view the live Webcast the morning of the announcements by going to http://alawebcast.unikron.com.  Those interested in following the action live should bookmark the URL. 

Follow the ALA Youth Media Awards live on Jan. 18, 2010

Anyone who reads four of the eight titles is eligible to vote for their favorite three books now through January 17th.

The official Newbery winner will be announced from the ALA Midwinter Conference on Monday, January 18th.

To vote online for the KCLS event, please go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K3M2TP2 or choose Vote Here on the Kids Page. Or you can cast a paper ballot at any of our branches.

Results from our voting will be announced on January 20^th.

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 

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.