Title: The Woods Runner
Author: Gary Paulsen
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
ISBN: 9780385738842
In Woods Runner Gary Paulsen presents a side of the American Revolution that is not always discussed in juvenile literature. Instead of the glorified rebellion, the 13 year old Samuel is dealing with a dark war that is on his homefront. Samuel has learned to survive in the wilderness of the Pennsylvania colony, although his city parents are not as accustomed to the wild as he is. When Samuel hears about the rebellions in the Massachuesetts colony he rushes home to tell his parents, but finds their farm burnt and his parents gone.
Samuel narrates the story as he uses his survival instinct to track his parents. Chapters are broken up with brief descriptions of some of the more unknown historical details. Paulsen's newest was a quick read, fun, and never a dull moment. Descriptions were detailed and placed the reader in the Pennsylvania wilderness. Paulsen's pacing never slowed and the writing was superb. This is definately a great book to sell!
Showing posts with label Mock Newbery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mock Newbery. Show all posts
Monday, April 05, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
And the results are in! Winners of BCCLS Mock Awards!
Below are the results of the Mock Awards sponsored by the BCCLS Youth Services Committee and held on Friday, January 8, 2010:
Printz Award Winner:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Dorothy Heiligman
Printz Award Honors:
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Newbery Award Winner:
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Newbery Award Honors:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker
Caldecott Award Winner:
The Lion & the Mouse written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Caldecott Award Honors:
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields
Our thanks go to the Washington Township Library for hosting the event! And thank you to all of the attendees who came out in the snow and participated in our lively discussions!
Printz Award Winner:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Dorothy Heiligman
Printz Award Honors:
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fire by Kristin Cashore
Newbery Award Winner:
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Newbery Award Honors:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker
Caldecott Award Winner:
The Lion & the Mouse written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Caldecott Award Honors:
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields
Our thanks go to the Washington Township Library for hosting the event! And thank you to all of the attendees who came out in the snow and participated in our lively discussions!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Mock Newbery 2010: Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Title: Anything But Typical
Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781416963783
Starred review in: BL
In Anything but Typical, Jason Blake, like so many teens, finds his voice though creative writing and the support of an online writing community. The thing about Jason is that, outside of his online existence, it is exceedingly difficult for him to express himself as he is a teen with autism. Because he processes social interaction so differently from his peers, he faces rejection at school and a home life that, while loving, is fraught with misunderstanding. In his online haven, Storyboard, Jason feels better able to compose his thoughts and be himself. He eventually strikes up a friendship with a girl, Rebecca, who admires his writing. Both his enthusiasm over having a (girl)friend and his passion for creative writing are spoiled when he has the opportunity to attend a Storyboard convention in Rebecca’s hometown. Jason realizes he will have to interact with Rebecca face-to-face, which will bring his differences to the fore of their relationship. However, in the end, Jason manages to face his fears and grows more comfortable with himself and his place in the world.
To the majority of us, interpreting the facial expressions and intonations of others comes naturally. So naturally, in fact, that to break the process down, to even note that there is a process, is a foreign and difficult thing to do. Nevertheless, that is what Nora Raleigh Baskin needed to do in order to make this book function, and she does so through stellar character development. It was ambitious of Baskin to assume the voice of an autistic twelve year old, but she does it compassionately. Though Jason has difficulty communicating with others, within himself his is highly perceptive, and witty. Baskin makes sure these traits shine through in Jason’s internal thought processes and through excerpts from his stories. It is so easy to get caught up in looking at the world though Jason’s eyes, that before long, his differences become the new normal and one begins to wonder along with Jason, “Why are they acting that way?” Baskin masterfully illustrates how thin the line between “typical” and “atypical” really is. I do not recommend reading this offering in one sitting, as I did, because there is just too much to digest at once. Yet, I do highly recommend digesting it.
Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781416963783
Starred review in: BL
In Anything but Typical, Jason Blake, like so many teens, finds his voice though creative writing and the support of an online writing community. The thing about Jason is that, outside of his online existence, it is exceedingly difficult for him to express himself as he is a teen with autism. Because he processes social interaction so differently from his peers, he faces rejection at school and a home life that, while loving, is fraught with misunderstanding. In his online haven, Storyboard, Jason feels better able to compose his thoughts and be himself. He eventually strikes up a friendship with a girl, Rebecca, who admires his writing. Both his enthusiasm over having a (girl)friend and his passion for creative writing are spoiled when he has the opportunity to attend a Storyboard convention in Rebecca’s hometown. Jason realizes he will have to interact with Rebecca face-to-face, which will bring his differences to the fore of their relationship. However, in the end, Jason manages to face his fears and grows more comfortable with himself and his place in the world.
To the majority of us, interpreting the facial expressions and intonations of others comes naturally. So naturally, in fact, that to break the process down, to even note that there is a process, is a foreign and difficult thing to do. Nevertheless, that is what Nora Raleigh Baskin needed to do in order to make this book function, and she does so through stellar character development. It was ambitious of Baskin to assume the voice of an autistic twelve year old, but she does it compassionately. Though Jason has difficulty communicating with others, within himself his is highly perceptive, and witty. Baskin makes sure these traits shine through in Jason’s internal thought processes and through excerpts from his stories. It is so easy to get caught up in looking at the world though Jason’s eyes, that before long, his differences become the new normal and one begins to wonder along with Jason, “Why are they acting that way?” Baskin masterfully illustrates how thin the line between “typical” and “atypical” really is. I do not recommend reading this offering in one sitting, as I did, because there is just too much to digest at once. Yet, I do highly recommend digesting it.
Monday, January 12, 2009
We have winners!
I can't speak for anyone else, but I had a wonderful time at this year's Mock Awards. There was spirited discussion and I thought the focus on the criteria for each award really helped everyone talk about the books in terms of eligibility for the awards, not just "I liked it" or "I didn't like it."
Results!
MOCK CALDECOTT:
Winner: The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Honors: Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus ; Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley
MOCK NEWBERY
Winner: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Honors: Seer of Shadows by Avi ; Lincoln shot! : a president's life remembered by Barry Denenberg ; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
MOCK PRINTZ
Winner: Nation by Terry Pratchett
Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson ; Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link ; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Thanks to all who attended, and to the New Milford Public Library for hosting the program. We'll all be waiting anxiously on January 25.
Results!
MOCK CALDECOTT:
Winner: The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Honors: Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus ; Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley
MOCK NEWBERY
Winner: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Honors: Seer of Shadows by Avi ; Lincoln shot! : a president's life remembered by Barry Denenberg ; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
MOCK PRINTZ
Winner: Nation by Terry Pratchett
Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson ; Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link ; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Thanks to all who attended, and to the New Milford Public Library for hosting the program. We'll all be waiting anxiously on January 25.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Mock Printz (or Newbery): Savvy by Ingrid Law
Title: Savvy
Author: Ingrid Law
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780803733060
Review: PW
Plot: A savvy is a special gift that every member of Mibs (Mississippi) Beaumont's family gets on their 13th birthday. Everyone except Poppa, of course, because he married into the family. One of her brothers and control electricity and another can cause rain and wind to blow when he gets upset. This is why Mibs will be home schooled after her thirteenth birthday and Mibs is looking forward to it. She can't wait to have a great birthday with her perfect mother (her savvy is doing everything perfectly) and family, but a bad accident puts her beloved Poppa in the hospital the day before her birthday. Mibs is positive her savvy will be something that can help her Poppa. She believes so strongly that on her birthday she skips out of the party the preacher's wife organized for her and stows away on a bible seller's bus to get to her Poppa. One of her brother's and the preacher's children end up stowed away on the bus with her. In some fairly unbelievable plotting (but hey if you'll believe in savvys why not in weak adults), the kids convince the bus driver to keep them on the bus and not report back to either set of parents. It's a wild ride that covers almost two whole days because the driver can't miss any more appointments selling bibles, pink bibles. The ride includes: rescuing a waitress with a dead car, a confrontation with her nasty manager, seeing a passed out homeless man, a fake call home, an almost arrest by state troopers, and some secrets revealed...including Poppa does have a savvy of his very own.
Thoughts:
A really cute fantasy that is perfect for the tween age. The main character is part of a family where all the members (except Poppa) has a savvy (a special gift for doing something special) – it should be noted that while many would call these talents magic, the author makes a point of the grandfather expressing that the family does not consider them magic or particularly different from 'regular' people. At it's heart, this book is about a girl finding something special in herself and confronting the fact that her parents are real people and invincible or perfect. Some of the dialect in the book grated on me a bit and a boy named Fish (no mention that it was a nickname) made me twitch, but the story held my interest and the ending satisfied me. A balance of happy ever after and reality. Some of the plotting may have stretch believability to the limit, but that is a small complaint about a really good story.
Author: Ingrid Law
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780803733060
Review: PW
Plot: A savvy is a special gift that every member of Mibs (Mississippi) Beaumont's family gets on their 13th birthday. Everyone except Poppa, of course, because he married into the family. One of her brothers and control electricity and another can cause rain and wind to blow when he gets upset. This is why Mibs will be home schooled after her thirteenth birthday and Mibs is looking forward to it. She can't wait to have a great birthday with her perfect mother (her savvy is doing everything perfectly) and family, but a bad accident puts her beloved Poppa in the hospital the day before her birthday. Mibs is positive her savvy will be something that can help her Poppa. She believes so strongly that on her birthday she skips out of the party the preacher's wife organized for her and stows away on a bible seller's bus to get to her Poppa. One of her brother's and the preacher's children end up stowed away on the bus with her. In some fairly unbelievable plotting (but hey if you'll believe in savvys why not in weak adults), the kids convince the bus driver to keep them on the bus and not report back to either set of parents. It's a wild ride that covers almost two whole days because the driver can't miss any more appointments selling bibles, pink bibles. The ride includes: rescuing a waitress with a dead car, a confrontation with her nasty manager, seeing a passed out homeless man, a fake call home, an almost arrest by state troopers, and some secrets revealed...including Poppa does have a savvy of his very own.
Thoughts:
A really cute fantasy that is perfect for the tween age. The main character is part of a family where all the members (except Poppa) has a savvy (a special gift for doing something special) – it should be noted that while many would call these talents magic, the author makes a point of the grandfather expressing that the family does not consider them magic or particularly different from 'regular' people. At it's heart, this book is about a girl finding something special in herself and confronting the fact that her parents are real people and invincible or perfect. Some of the dialect in the book grated on me a bit and a boy named Fish (no mention that it was a nickname) made me twitch, but the story held my interest and the ending satisfied me. A balance of happy ever after and reality. Some of the plotting may have stretch believability to the limit, but that is a small complaint about a really good story.
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