Title: Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress
Author: Maria Padin
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN: 978-0-375-84675-5
*Star Review in PW*
The Plot:
Brett McCarthy is a fairly normal eighth-grader. She's on the soccer team (and the basketball team) with two close friends and 'the intruder'. Life is going along fine until the prank. A fouled phone prank turns Brett's comfortable life upside down. Suddenly everyone at school hates her (at least SHE thinks so), she's got a permanent lunch date with the principal, and somethings up with her Nonna that no one wants to explain to her. Brett works her way through losing a close friendship, finding new friends, and her Nonna's sickness as well as 8th grade.
Thoughts - including some spoilers!
This book wasn't bad....and when a commentary starts like that you know it's never good! Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress was a decent book. While there were a great many young YA/girl book cliches here, there was also some warm and funny characters which many readers will connect with. One of the cliche elements was a best friend that is growing away from the main character. This often happens in books, because it happens in real life! What I hate is that the friend who chooses the cheerleaders/popular crowd/etc is usually written as a mean, hateful, or snobby character and a lousy friend. Padian takes the cliche and adds something to it. Brett is the one who is not the best friend, but then what 8th grade girl is? Even at the end of the book, the girls are still not friends, but they do reconnect and Diane stands up for her choices. I liked that, just wish that Diane was more of a real character in the beginning of the book.
Another cliche is the sick mother/grandmother/close relative of choice. In this, Padian didn't do so well in my opinion. I loved Nonna as a character. She was great and interesting and fun. I liked her birthday party and the lighthouse, but as soon as doctor visits were mentioned I knew she was doomed. Worse, I didn't see Brett dealing with it. It was like, I'm going to ignore it and just deal day to day then poof, Nonna's accepted she's dying and so I'll accept it too. The parents seemed to do more grieving and dealing with the issue than Brett did.
I applaud the author for resisting the cliche of having the girl realise that her geeky long time male friend is really cute and the perfect boyfriend. Even though I loved Michael and rejoiced when he stood up and told Brett how much her casual teasing about being a nerd, geek, or Einstein bothered him, I would have booed if they had coupled off in the end. I thought it was great when Brett stood up for not only him but all of the gifted students and it was equally great when he came to her rescue at the climax, but it was nice to see a time when a boy and a girl can be friends with out thinking they are 'in love'.
So in the end, this is a book I will give my tween readers who want a taste of those teen book. Where the drama here is phone pranks and the most violence that happens is a punch in the nose. It's a bit melodramatic for me, but I know many who will adore it.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Mock Printz: Good Enough
Title: Good Enough
Author: Paula Yoo
Publisher: HarperTeen: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060790851
*Currently BBYA 2009 Nominated Title*
Plot:
High school senior and talented violinist Patti Yoon works hard to achieve her goals and make her parents proud as a P.K.D (Perfect Korean Daughter). Someone who doesn’t settle for second place. A polite and modest existence as non-boat-rocker is something they can subtly brag about at church with all the other competing parents. But the pressure builds and boilers over when Patti makes assistant concertmaster for the All-State Orchestra thanks to some tricky Mendelssohn and distracting Cute Trumpet Guy. Then Patti doesn’t reach the desired 2300 SAT score which causes her parents to panic that her HARVARDYALEPRINCETON career could end before it’s even begun. Between SAT prep tests, violin practice, AP classes, jamming with/crushing on new kid Ben Wheeler (a.k.a Cute Trumpet Guy), dealing with the racist remarks of peers and adults, Youth Group high jinx, teenage subterfuge, parental expectations---Patti takes a stand on her future. One that will make Patti happy without sacrificing who she is and what she loves, like her music.
Thoughts:
*spoilers*
Apart from Patti being a relatable protagonist{ a teen feeling the pressure of expectations (outside and her own) and risking her heart}-- Patti is a great narrator with a wonderful sense of humor. Ben’s brief but influential appearance in her life has normally obedient Patti taking some risks and reconsidering her priorities and her reasoning. He’s not perfect. They’re not meant to be. But for a while, they’re in sync and he’s a great friend, if not love, for her. The Youth Group cohorts are an amusing, believable combination of competition and support. As Patti changes, she realizes new things about her friends and her peers (even those she doesn’t like). She finds some commonality but thankfully the book conclusion isn't so trite that Patti ends up friends with everyone. Patti’s parents weren’t portrayed as evil incarnate. They pressured and expected (not exactly unique to fictional parents) but they also stuck by Patti and let her ultimately decide, having her best interests at heart. Good Enough is all about expanding possibilities and stepping outside the box and it’s almost always a good time to see how a character handles change and rebellion.
The foot notes, the Korean recipes with Spam, Patti’s lists and “real-life” SAT questions are fun additions. It’s not a tough book to get through. Finished it in a day. Because, like everyone else, I cared about Patti’s future and the book isn’t written to lag (a plus for the reluctant). The ending has a neatly tied resolution in some ways but not in others. A happy medium with a hopeful ending...um..beginning.
Author: Paula Yoo
Publisher: HarperTeen: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780060790851
*Currently BBYA 2009 Nominated Title*
Plot:
High school senior and talented violinist Patti Yoon works hard to achieve her goals and make her parents proud as a P.K.D (Perfect Korean Daughter). Someone who doesn’t settle for second place. A polite and modest existence as non-boat-rocker is something they can subtly brag about at church with all the other competing parents. But the pressure builds and boilers over when Patti makes assistant concertmaster for the All-State Orchestra thanks to some tricky Mendelssohn and distracting Cute Trumpet Guy. Then Patti doesn’t reach the desired 2300 SAT score which causes her parents to panic that her HARVARDYALEPRINCETON career could end before it’s even begun. Between SAT prep tests, violin practice, AP classes, jamming with/crushing on new kid Ben Wheeler (a.k.a Cute Trumpet Guy), dealing with the racist remarks of peers and adults, Youth Group high jinx, teenage subterfuge, parental expectations---Patti takes a stand on her future. One that will make Patti happy without sacrificing who she is and what she loves, like her music.
Thoughts:
*spoilers*
Apart from Patti being a relatable protagonist{ a teen feeling the pressure of expectations (outside and her own) and risking her heart}-- Patti is a great narrator with a wonderful sense of humor. Ben’s brief but influential appearance in her life has normally obedient Patti taking some risks and reconsidering her priorities and her reasoning. He’s not perfect. They’re not meant to be. But for a while, they’re in sync and he’s a great friend, if not love, for her. The Youth Group cohorts are an amusing, believable combination of competition and support. As Patti changes, she realizes new things about her friends and her peers (even those she doesn’t like). She finds some commonality but thankfully the book conclusion isn't so trite that Patti ends up friends with everyone. Patti’s parents weren’t portrayed as evil incarnate. They pressured and expected (not exactly unique to fictional parents) but they also stuck by Patti and let her ultimately decide, having her best interests at heart. Good Enough is all about expanding possibilities and stepping outside the box and it’s almost always a good time to see how a character handles change and rebellion.
The foot notes, the Korean recipes with Spam, Patti’s lists and “real-life” SAT questions are fun additions. It’s not a tough book to get through. Finished it in a day. Because, like everyone else, I cared about Patti’s future and the book isn’t written to lag (a plus for the reluctant). The ending has a neatly tied resolution in some ways but not in others. A happy medium with a hopeful ending...um..beginning.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Mock Printz 2009: You Know Where to Find Me
Author: Cohn, Rachel
Title: You Know Where to Find Me
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN:978-0-689-8759-6
Starred Reviews: Publishers' Weekly
The story of a teenager coping with the suicide of her cousin/sister is grueling, difficult and yet uplifting by the end. Miles, the fat, rebellious, outsider is the one left behind in this pair of girls raised as sisters. Her mourning process is profound and her deep isolation is revealed in a subtle, sophisticated way. Her climb out and surfacing back to life makes for a fine, realistic book, well worth reading. The adults show up very well as do the teens but there is nothing romantic or sentimental here, just down to earth, honest sadness.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library.
Title: You Know Where to Find Me
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
ISBN:978-0-689-8759-6
Starred Reviews: Publishers' Weekly
The story of a teenager coping with the suicide of her cousin/sister is grueling, difficult and yet uplifting by the end. Miles, the fat, rebellious, outsider is the one left behind in this pair of girls raised as sisters. Her mourning process is profound and her deep isolation is revealed in a subtle, sophisticated way. Her climb out and surfacing back to life makes for a fine, realistic book, well worth reading. The adults show up very well as do the teens but there is nothing romantic or sentimental here, just down to earth, honest sadness.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Mock Printz: After Tupac and D Foster
Title: After Tupac and D Foster
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN: 9780399246548
Starred Review: PW
Plot: Set in Queens in the mid 90’s, After Tupac and D Foster is the story of three girls--“Three the Hard Way”. It’s a moment in time when the nameless narrator and her childhood best friend, Neeka, meet D Foster. A mysterious, slightly older girl, whose latest foster mother lets her “roam” so long as D meets curfew. A freedom the narrator and Neeka have never known under the watchful eyes of their mothers, restricted by the geography of the block they live on. The girls bond over their mutual love of Tupac Shakur and his music. D especially, feels a connection to him. Over a two year period D becomes a fixture on the block and in the girls’ lives just as Tupac is a fixture in the media and therefore their radar.
Thoughts: Reading this, D seems to sort of personify that subtle beginning of adolescent rebellion, at least for those of us who were younger teens still listening to our parents. What most readers could probably relate to is best friends feeling the trial of sharing each other with a new friend and the narrator’s pang of jealousy over JayJones’ interest in D. Or the feeling of being overwhelmed by responsibilities like Neeka helping care for her siblings. Each girl’s got something to make her stand out. Neeka’s got that strong voice, even if it borrows her mother’s words. The narrator is defined by her college-bound, bookish intelligence, which she proudly flaunts by dropping those vocab words. D could be relegated to ‘unforthcoming beautiful girl with a past who stirs things up’ but there’s depth to her and maturity. Even when she’s as gone as Tupac is to Neeka and the narrator…you get the feeling she’ll be alright. So the ending has that bitter-sweetness of gaining and losing a friend. I think everyone’s got a lost friend they wonder about when they hear a certain song or visit a certain place. As good as the book is-- I don’t know if it's got a wide audience with present day teens. If they will find it as easy to relate to, in the same way the girls did to Tupac. Time wise, I can remember being in my early teens in those mid 90’s. Cassettes, walkmans, bootlegs. But I didn’t actively listen to Tupac outside of what was on the radio and some of music mentioned was lost on me. Unless readers are already familiar with Tupac, I think that touchstone probably won’t work as well for them as it does for the narrator.
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN: 9780399246548
Starred Review: PW
Plot: Set in Queens in the mid 90’s, After Tupac and D Foster is the story of three girls--“Three the Hard Way”. It’s a moment in time when the nameless narrator and her childhood best friend, Neeka, meet D Foster. A mysterious, slightly older girl, whose latest foster mother lets her “roam” so long as D meets curfew. A freedom the narrator and Neeka have never known under the watchful eyes of their mothers, restricted by the geography of the block they live on. The girls bond over their mutual love of Tupac Shakur and his music. D especially, feels a connection to him. Over a two year period D becomes a fixture on the block and in the girls’ lives just as Tupac is a fixture in the media and therefore their radar.
Thoughts: Reading this, D seems to sort of personify that subtle beginning of adolescent rebellion, at least for those of us who were younger teens still listening to our parents. What most readers could probably relate to is best friends feeling the trial of sharing each other with a new friend and the narrator’s pang of jealousy over JayJones’ interest in D. Or the feeling of being overwhelmed by responsibilities like Neeka helping care for her siblings. Each girl’s got something to make her stand out. Neeka’s got that strong voice, even if it borrows her mother’s words. The narrator is defined by her college-bound, bookish intelligence, which she proudly flaunts by dropping those vocab words. D could be relegated to ‘unforthcoming beautiful girl with a past who stirs things up’ but there’s depth to her and maturity. Even when she’s as gone as Tupac is to Neeka and the narrator…you get the feeling she’ll be alright. So the ending has that bitter-sweetness of gaining and losing a friend. I think everyone’s got a lost friend they wonder about when they hear a certain song or visit a certain place. As good as the book is-- I don’t know if it's got a wide audience with present day teens. If they will find it as easy to relate to, in the same way the girls did to Tupac. Time wise, I can remember being in my early teens in those mid 90’s. Cassettes, walkmans, bootlegs. But I didn’t actively listen to Tupac outside of what was on the radio and some of music mentioned was lost on me. Unless readers are already familiar with Tupac, I think that touchstone probably won’t work as well for them as it does for the narrator.
Mock Printz: Sweethearts
Title: Sweethearts
Athor: Sarah Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown.
ISBN: 978-0-316-01455-7
Starred Review: PW and Booklist
Plot: Jenna used to be the over weight and unpopular girl in school. She had just one friend, Cameron, a boy who had a troubled home life. When Cameron disappears in third grade, kids at school tell Jennifer that he died. Her single mother allows her to believe this and soon after thier life changes. Jennifer works hard to lose weight and get healthy, her mom marries and they move to a better part of town which means a new school for Jennifer. Jennifer changes her name to Jenna and makes a life as one of the popular girls (or at least one with friends). Now 17, Jenna is confronted with the truth when Cameron returns.
My thoughts: I never thought I'd be one of those people whining “But what about the happily ever after ending!?”, but I am on this book. I thought Zarr did a great job of dribbling out the details of Jenna's 9th birthday and it created an erie feeling at the start of the book that worked well. I liked the subtle hints of Ethan's possessive/controling personality before Cameron even entered the picture and I loved the fact that the blonde bombshell of a friend was the one who showed herself to be more insightful and true friend to Jenna. I disliked the fact that we didn't see Jenna actually tell her friends about her past. Maybe not all of it, but I would have liked to see her confide in at least one of them. Cameron leaving broke my heart and I hated that the mom was right and they they would probably feel like that had unfinished business until the day they died. In the end, I wanted her to make that trip across country and see him. I wanted her to find a way that worked for them to be together, but life isn't that easy or simple. Overall a good book, much better than I anticipated, but still not great. If I were the reviewer, I doubt I would have starred it.
Athor: Sarah Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown.
ISBN: 978-0-316-01455-7
Starred Review: PW and Booklist
Plot: Jenna used to be the over weight and unpopular girl in school. She had just one friend, Cameron, a boy who had a troubled home life. When Cameron disappears in third grade, kids at school tell Jennifer that he died. Her single mother allows her to believe this and soon after thier life changes. Jennifer works hard to lose weight and get healthy, her mom marries and they move to a better part of town which means a new school for Jennifer. Jennifer changes her name to Jenna and makes a life as one of the popular girls (or at least one with friends). Now 17, Jenna is confronted with the truth when Cameron returns.
My thoughts: I never thought I'd be one of those people whining “But what about the happily ever after ending!?”, but I am on this book. I thought Zarr did a great job of dribbling out the details of Jenna's 9th birthday and it created an erie feeling at the start of the book that worked well. I liked the subtle hints of Ethan's possessive/controling personality before Cameron even entered the picture and I loved the fact that the blonde bombshell of a friend was the one who showed herself to be more insightful and true friend to Jenna. I disliked the fact that we didn't see Jenna actually tell her friends about her past. Maybe not all of it, but I would have liked to see her confide in at least one of them. Cameron leaving broke my heart and I hated that the mom was right and they they would probably feel like that had unfinished business until the day they died. In the end, I wanted her to make that trip across country and see him. I wanted her to find a way that worked for them to be together, but life isn't that easy or simple. Overall a good book, much better than I anticipated, but still not great. If I were the reviewer, I doubt I would have starred it.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Mock Printz: Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne
Title: Absolute Brightness
Author: James Lecesne
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780061256271
Starred review in: Kliatt, PW
Copied from my blog:
The plot: In Neptune, New Jersey, Phoebe Hertle's quiet, literary, relatively normal life is shaken up by the arrival of her flamboyant cousin Leonard. Leonard is anything but normal and for some time, Phoebe can't stand to be around him. Leonard's comfort in himself, however, inspires the women of the town of Neptune to be their more stylish selves. Phoebe gets used to Leonard's colorful ways until the day he disappears. Weeks later his body is found in a nearby lake, and Neptune's biggest murder mystery unfolds.
Why the book didn't work: It's too long. I know that sounds like a stupid reason for the book's failures, but that's the short of it. There are so many plotlines that get tangled and ultimately forgotten that the story as a whole is unsatisfying at the end. The language is monotonous and stilted and Phoebe seems so dispassionate, so distanced from herself and the situations around her that the reader has a difficult time caring about her or anyone else in her life. The author is trying to squeeze in too many lessons about tolerance and yes, it is possible to feel squeezed in a 400+ page book. Better editing and pacing, and snipping of a few plotlines, could have improved this book a lot.
Sometimes it's the small details that are the most bothersome, so to me this was the most badly memorable moment of the book.
Page 210: When someone saw Dad pumping gas into Chrissie's Honda Civic down at the Mobil station on Division Street, Mom held to the idea that her husband was just being a Good Samaritan.
Because everyone who lives here knows...you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey. (And no, Phoebe's dad does not work at a gas station.)
The other thing I found odd were the blurbs on the back of the book from Eve Ensler, Michael Cunningham, Armistead Maupin, and Duncan Sheik. All brilliant minds in their own right, yes, but none of them are known for writing books/plays/movies aimed at a YA audience. I wonder why these particular people were asked to blurb the book.
--
Clearly, I disagree with PW. But who else has read this. Any thoughts?
Author: James Lecesne
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 9780061256271
Starred review in: Kliatt, PW
Copied from my blog:
The plot: In Neptune, New Jersey, Phoebe Hertle's quiet, literary, relatively normal life is shaken up by the arrival of her flamboyant cousin Leonard. Leonard is anything but normal and for some time, Phoebe can't stand to be around him. Leonard's comfort in himself, however, inspires the women of the town of Neptune to be their more stylish selves. Phoebe gets used to Leonard's colorful ways until the day he disappears. Weeks later his body is found in a nearby lake, and Neptune's biggest murder mystery unfolds.
Why the book didn't work: It's too long. I know that sounds like a stupid reason for the book's failures, but that's the short of it. There are so many plotlines that get tangled and ultimately forgotten that the story as a whole is unsatisfying at the end. The language is monotonous and stilted and Phoebe seems so dispassionate, so distanced from herself and the situations around her that the reader has a difficult time caring about her or anyone else in her life. The author is trying to squeeze in too many lessons about tolerance and yes, it is possible to feel squeezed in a 400+ page book. Better editing and pacing, and snipping of a few plotlines, could have improved this book a lot.
Sometimes it's the small details that are the most bothersome, so to me this was the most badly memorable moment of the book.
Page 210: When someone saw Dad pumping gas into Chrissie's Honda Civic down at the Mobil station on Division Street, Mom held to the idea that her husband was just being a Good Samaritan.
Because everyone who lives here knows...you can't pump your own gas in New Jersey. (And no, Phoebe's dad does not work at a gas station.)
The other thing I found odd were the blurbs on the back of the book from Eve Ensler, Michael Cunningham, Armistead Maupin, and Duncan Sheik. All brilliant minds in their own right, yes, but none of them are known for writing books/plays/movies aimed at a YA audience. I wonder why these particular people were asked to blurb the book.
--
Clearly, I disagree with PW. But who else has read this. Any thoughts?
Friday, March 07, 2008
Mock Printz: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Author: Mary Pearson
Publisher: Holt
ISBN: 978-0805076684
Starred review in: PW
Copied from my blog:
Mary Pearson is a terrific writer, so I was very excited when I opened a package from Holt and saw an advance of her new book, The Adoration of Jenna Fox. If you've read her previous YA novel, A Room on Lorelei Street, expect something very different. Jenna Fox is just as good in terms of quality, but it's got a much different tone
Because this book won't be out until April 2008, now is a good time to stop reading if you don't want to be even remotely spoiled.
The plot: A long time from now in a state far far away (California), seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox awakens from a year-long coma. What she can't figure out is why she has a phenomenal grasp of everyone's history except her own. She knows the entire text of Walden but doesn't remember that she always called her grandmother Nana, not Lily. Her mother is reluctant to let her go to school or drive, and she never sees her father anymore; he still lives in Boston. When she is allowed to go to school, it's to a local charter where all of her classmates have something wrong with them. When she tries to log onto the Net to find out the details of the car accident that took a year of her life, her access to the information is denied. There's a hidden key in her mother's mattress to a closet, and that closet contains a secret Jenna is desperately trying to crack. Eventually, her mother and father do tell her the truth about her missing year. Or at least, they tell her most of the truth. The rest...she remembers.
Why you'll love it: There's always lots of talk about the theme of identity in YA lit, and here Pearson has taken it to its furthest extreme. Jenna has to figure out who she is with no memory of who she used to be. She's surrounded by people who tell her half-truths and she gets the feeling she's an inconvenience to them. Pearson has built an amazing futuristic world where science may be quite different from what we know now but the basic human condition, that we want to know ourselves and be loved by others, has stayed very much the same. The line on the front cover asks "How far would you go to save someone you loved?" I think the real question here is, "How far would you go to save yourself?" (Of course, the question of how far you'd go to save the one you love is one that drives the book, but I think the other one is far more overreaching.) This is a creepy, creepy book along some of the same the lines of David Lubar's True Talents and Nancy Werlin's Double Helix. It also reminded me of Airhead by Meg Cabot, which I'll review at a later date.
Review by: Carlie, BCCLS
Author: Mary Pearson
Publisher: Holt
ISBN: 978-0805076684
Starred review in: PW
Copied from my blog:
Mary Pearson is a terrific writer, so I was very excited when I opened a package from Holt and saw an advance of her new book, The Adoration of Jenna Fox. If you've read her previous YA novel, A Room on Lorelei Street, expect something very different. Jenna Fox is just as good in terms of quality, but it's got a much different tone
Because this book won't be out until April 2008, now is a good time to stop reading if you don't want to be even remotely spoiled.
The plot: A long time from now in a state far far away (California), seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox awakens from a year-long coma. What she can't figure out is why she has a phenomenal grasp of everyone's history except her own. She knows the entire text of Walden but doesn't remember that she always called her grandmother Nana, not Lily. Her mother is reluctant to let her go to school or drive, and she never sees her father anymore; he still lives in Boston. When she is allowed to go to school, it's to a local charter where all of her classmates have something wrong with them. When she tries to log onto the Net to find out the details of the car accident that took a year of her life, her access to the information is denied. There's a hidden key in her mother's mattress to a closet, and that closet contains a secret Jenna is desperately trying to crack. Eventually, her mother and father do tell her the truth about her missing year. Or at least, they tell her most of the truth. The rest...she remembers.
Why you'll love it: There's always lots of talk about the theme of identity in YA lit, and here Pearson has taken it to its furthest extreme. Jenna has to figure out who she is with no memory of who she used to be. She's surrounded by people who tell her half-truths and she gets the feeling she's an inconvenience to them. Pearson has built an amazing futuristic world where science may be quite different from what we know now but the basic human condition, that we want to know ourselves and be loved by others, has stayed very much the same. The line on the front cover asks "How far would you go to save someone you loved?" I think the real question here is, "How far would you go to save yourself?" (Of course, the question of how far you'd go to save the one you love is one that drives the book, but I think the other one is far more overreaching.) This is a creepy, creepy book along some of the same the lines of David Lubar's True Talents and Nancy Werlin's Double Helix. It also reminded me of Airhead by Meg Cabot, which I'll review at a later date.
Review by: Carlie, BCCLS
Friday, January 04, 2008
Results of the 2008 Mock Awards
This year's Mock Awards were lots of fun, with provocative and informative discussions. Thanks to all those who attended. The winning and honor books were selected as follows:
Mock Caldecott:
Mock Caldecott:
Winner: The Wizard by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Brandon Dorman
Honors: When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach, illustrated by David
Small ; Casey Back at Bat by Dan Gutman, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou
Fancher ; I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry ; Knuffle Bunny Too: A
Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems.
Mock Newbery:
Winner: Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
Honors: Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis ; The Wednesday Wars by
Gary D. Schmidt
Mock Printz:
Winner: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Honors: Before I Die by Jenny Downham ; Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
Many thanks to those who made this program so successful. Keep an eye on this blog as we move into 2009!
Monday, December 03, 2007
Mock Printz shortlist
It's official!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Click by Linda Sue Park, et. al.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Click by Linda Sue Park, et. al.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Newbery Short list
Our short list ended up being 13 books, but at least three are very quick reads so don't let the number scare you away!
Revolution is not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller
Call me Hope by Gretchen Olson
The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker *Quick read*
Freak by Marcella Fleischman Pixley
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick *Quick read*
Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree by Lauren Tarshis
Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
Feathers by Jaqueline Woodson
Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer *Quick read*
Revolution is not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller
Call me Hope by Gretchen Olson
The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker *Quick read*
Freak by Marcella Fleischman Pixley
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Invention of Hugo Cabret Brian Selznick *Quick read*
Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree by Lauren Tarshis
Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
Feathers by Jaqueline Woodson
Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer *Quick read*
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Mock Newbery: Freak by Marcella Pixley
Title: Freak
Author Marcella Pixley
Review: Booklist September 15, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-374-32453-7
Twelve-year-old Miriam is considered a freak by the popular girls at her middle school. Eventually she explodes and fights back after doing so she learns that she and her tormenter have more in common than she thinks. It's unfortunate that a teacher who plays a small and rather weak part in the book has to point this out for her to take notice. This book is a good read and a powerful book, but it just skates on the surface of a really deep issue.
The plot is normal and predicable. Wierd girl, picked on, no adult notices...or if they do they don't do anything, she attempts to tell her parents, no help, explodes....comes into her own, and in the end some reconsiliation is made with the main bully.
Many girls will love it and I recommend it, but not something that rocked by world.
Author Marcella Pixley
Review: Booklist September 15, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-374-32453-7
Twelve-year-old Miriam is considered a freak by the popular girls at her middle school. Eventually she explodes and fights back after doing so she learns that she and her tormenter have more in common than she thinks. It's unfortunate that a teacher who plays a small and rather weak part in the book has to point this out for her to take notice. This book is a good read and a powerful book, but it just skates on the surface of a really deep issue.
The plot is normal and predicable. Wierd girl, picked on, no adult notices...or if they do they don't do anything, she attempts to tell her parents, no help, explodes....comes into her own, and in the end some reconsiliation is made with the main bully.
Many girls will love it and I recommend it, but not something that rocked by world.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Let's talk about the books!
All are welcome to join us on November 13, 14, and 15 to chat about the Mock Awards online. At these chats you can ask any questions you may have for the Youth Services Committee about the awards.
Chat with us...
...on November 13 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Caldecott discussion
...on November 14 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Newbery discussion
...on November 15 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Printz discussion
You do not have to work for a BCCLS library in order to participate in the chats. No matter where you're from, we're happy to have you. To join the chats, go to http://www.bccls.org/TeenTalkTuesdays and click the link to enter when you're ready to join. Chatting with us only requires a web browser (IE, Safari, and Firefox all work well with our chat program), no AIM or YM or Meebo or anything.
Hope to see you there!
Chat with us...
...on November 13 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Caldecott discussion
...on November 14 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Newbery discussion
...on November 15 at 11 a.m. EST: Mock Printz discussion
You do not have to work for a BCCLS library in order to participate in the chats. No matter where you're from, we're happy to have you. To join the chats, go to http://www.bccls.org/TeenTalkTuesdays and click the link to enter when you're ready to join. Chatting with us only requires a web browser (IE, Safari, and Firefox all work well with our chat program), no AIM or YM or Meebo or anything.
Hope to see you there!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Revolution is not a dinner party/ Yin Chang Compestine
Title: Revolution is not a dinner party / Ying Chang Compestine.
ISBN 9780805082074
Publisher New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2007.
Annotation Starting in 1972 when she is nine years old, Ling, the daughter of two doctors, struggles to make sense of the communists' Cultural Revolution, which empties stores of food, homes of appliances deemed "bourgeois," and people of laughter.
This historical fiction takes place during the Cultural Revolution in China, so recently it feels like current events, but so far away from our consciousness it seems rooted in fiction. The events were real and the story feels real as well. Naive, 9 year old Ling does not quite grasp all that is going on. Her love for her father is evident. Her grousing about her mother makes her more accessible as a character. I didn't expect to like this book, I thought it would be on my list as the politically correct choice. I was wrong, it was a well written story with power. I'm not sure what title to "bump off", but it's definitely going to end up on my top ten.
Beth Jonus
Closter Public Library
ISBN 9780805082074
Publisher New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2007.
Annotation Starting in 1972 when she is nine years old, Ling, the daughter of two doctors, struggles to make sense of the communists' Cultural Revolution, which empties stores of food, homes of appliances deemed "bourgeois," and people of laughter.
This historical fiction takes place during the Cultural Revolution in China, so recently it feels like current events, but so far away from our consciousness it seems rooted in fiction. The events were real and the story feels real as well. Naive, 9 year old Ling does not quite grasp all that is going on. Her love for her father is evident. Her grousing about her mother makes her more accessible as a character. I didn't expect to like this book, I thought it would be on my list as the politically correct choice. I was wrong, it was a well written story with power. I'm not sure what title to "bump off", but it's definitely going to end up on my top ten.
Beth Jonus
Closter Public Library
Mock Newbery: Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Title: Elijah of Buxton
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN-13: 978-0439023443
Starred review in: Booklist, Kirkus, PW
Review: I must confess that Curtis is one of my favorite authors and I am delighted to report that he does not disappoint. Elijah is the first free child born in the Canadian settlement, Buxton. At 11, he is all boy with a voice (in the vernacular) that rings true. Curtis does not shy away from portraying the brutality and prejudice of the time (1860) but it is tempered with the love and respect that the people of Buxton share. Elijah thinks with the naivete of a young boy backed by more than a little common sense and a keen eye for the world and people around him. This book will have you laughing and crying, joyous and outraged. The ending juxtaposes unimaginable horror with undeniable hope. Although Elijah is not a real person, Buxton is a real place and his story is the story of the people who lived there in freedom. This book is definitely in my top 10.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN-13: 978-0439023443
Starred review in: Booklist, Kirkus, PW
Review: I must confess that Curtis is one of my favorite authors and I am delighted to report that he does not disappoint. Elijah is the first free child born in the Canadian settlement, Buxton. At 11, he is all boy with a voice (in the vernacular) that rings true. Curtis does not shy away from portraying the brutality and prejudice of the time (1860) but it is tempered with the love and respect that the people of Buxton share. Elijah thinks with the naivete of a young boy backed by more than a little common sense and a keen eye for the world and people around him. This book will have you laughing and crying, joyous and outraged. The ending juxtaposes unimaginable horror with undeniable hope. Although Elijah is not a real person, Buxton is a real place and his story is the story of the people who lived there in freedom. This book is definitely in my top 10.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Mock Newbery: Someone Named Eva by Joan Wolf
Title: Someone Named Eva
Author: Joan Wolf
Publisher: Clarion
ISBN-13: 978-06188535798
Starred review in: PW
Review: Eleven-year-old Milada had a normal life in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. All this changes when she, and everyone in town, is brutally arrested by the Nazis. The blond-haired, blue-eyed girl is separated from her family and sent away with other "Aryan" looking girls. She is renamed Eva and forcibly taught German. Bit by bit, her old identity is replaced by a proper German one. Her fortune changes yet again when she is adopted into the family of a high-ranking Nazi official. Milada tries hard to remember her old life and fight for her identity, but it is not until the end of the war when she is reunited with her mother that she regains her Czech self. Milada's struggle to remain true to herself through the ups and downs of life is poignant - especially when you realize that her story really happened during World War II. The book does a nice job of shedding light on a subject that's not often explored.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Author: Joan Wolf
Publisher: Clarion
ISBN-13: 978-06188535798
Starred review in: PW
Review: Eleven-year-old Milada had a normal life in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. All this changes when she, and everyone in town, is brutally arrested by the Nazis. The blond-haired, blue-eyed girl is separated from her family and sent away with other "Aryan" looking girls. She is renamed Eva and forcibly taught German. Bit by bit, her old identity is replaced by a proper German one. Her fortune changes yet again when she is adopted into the family of a high-ranking Nazi official. Milada tries hard to remember her old life and fight for her identity, but it is not until the end of the war when she is reunited with her mother that she regains her Czech self. Milada's struggle to remain true to herself through the ups and downs of life is poignant - especially when you realize that her story really happened during World War II. The book does a nice job of shedding light on a subject that's not often explored.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Mock Newbery: Raleigh's Page by Alan Armstrong
Title: Raleigh's Page
Author: Alan Armstrong
Publisher: Random House
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-83319-9
Starred review in: Kirkus Sept 1, 2007
In the late 16th century, Twelve-year-old Andrew leaves school in England and must prove himself as a page to Sir Walter Raleigh before embarking for Virginia, where he helps to establish relations with the Indians. ** Notation in BCCLS Catalog reads as "Fifteen-year-old Andrew" - At the start of the book he is 12, but he is probably 15 by the time the book ends.
Raleigh's Page was a well researched and interesting historical fiction set in Elizbeth's London and the founding of the Virginia colony. I loved the section of the book set in London, but found the section set in the New world a bit distasteful. There was a bit of the cliche noble savage in some Indians, but not all. I found myself as disillusioned as the main character by the behavior of the Europeans.
The author fills the book with great details of daily life as well as 'new science' and 'new medicine'. Most of the time the reader will be able to identify the plants, medicine, or scientific tool being used and so it seems to almost be an inside joke between the author and the reader. He doesn't sugar-coat why the crew is willing to explore and he doesn't make a hero out of the captain, however he very nearly makes a villain out of him.
Review by Latricia Batchelor Markle - Tenafly Public Library
Author: Alan Armstrong
Publisher: Random House
ISBN-13: 978-0-375-83319-9
Starred review in: Kirkus Sept 1, 2007
In the late 16th century, Twelve-year-old Andrew leaves school in England and must prove himself as a page to Sir Walter Raleigh before embarking for Virginia, where he helps to establish relations with the Indians. ** Notation in BCCLS Catalog reads as "Fifteen-year-old Andrew" - At the start of the book he is 12, but he is probably 15 by the time the book ends.
Raleigh's Page was a well researched and interesting historical fiction set in Elizbeth's London and the founding of the Virginia colony. I loved the section of the book set in London, but found the section set in the New world a bit distasteful. There was a bit of the cliche noble savage in some Indians, but not all. I found myself as disillusioned as the main character by the behavior of the Europeans.
The author fills the book with great details of daily life as well as 'new science' and 'new medicine'. Most of the time the reader will be able to identify the plants, medicine, or scientific tool being used and so it seems to almost be an inside joke between the author and the reader. He doesn't sugar-coat why the crew is willing to explore and he doesn't make a hero out of the captain, however he very nearly makes a villain out of him.
Review by Latricia Batchelor Markle - Tenafly Public Library
Mock Printz: Click by Scholastic, et. al.
Title: Click
Author: Scholastic, et. al.
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN-13: 978-0-439-41138-7
Starred review in: VOYA
Review: As a huge fan of short stories I was delighted to see this offering of ten stories that center on a single person. George "Gee" Keane traveled the world and took photographs of the people and places that shaped what the world is today, from Muhammed Ali to Japanese soldiers who fought in WWII. Ten authors contributed stories about Gee and his legacy: David Almond (winner of one Printz Award and an honor), Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan (Printz honor), Gregory Maguire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park (Newbery Award winner) and Tim Wynne-Jones. The stories span decades and the styles range from fantastic and lyrical (David Almond's) to funny yet bittersweet (Roddy Doyle's). Often in an anthology some stories are weaker than others, but this is one of the few where every story is an outstanding, worthwhile, literary read. It's not for every teen, but to be fair, no book is. This is a great addition to the "literary" side of YA, something that can be discussed and remembered.
Review by: Carlie, BCCLS
Author: Scholastic, et. al.
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN-13: 978-0-439-41138-7
Starred review in: VOYA
Review: As a huge fan of short stories I was delighted to see this offering of ten stories that center on a single person. George "Gee" Keane traveled the world and took photographs of the people and places that shaped what the world is today, from Muhammed Ali to Japanese soldiers who fought in WWII. Ten authors contributed stories about Gee and his legacy: David Almond (winner of one Printz Award and an honor), Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan (Printz honor), Gregory Maguire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park (Newbery Award winner) and Tim Wynne-Jones. The stories span decades and the styles range from fantastic and lyrical (David Almond's) to funny yet bittersweet (Roddy Doyle's). Often in an anthology some stories are weaker than others, but this is one of the few where every story is an outstanding, worthwhile, literary read. It's not for every teen, but to be fair, no book is. This is a great addition to the "literary" side of YA, something that can be discussed and remembered.
Review by: Carlie, BCCLS
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Long list for the Mock Newbery
Below are the top picks lists from all of the Mock Newbery committee members.
Tarshis, Lauren -- Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
Schmidt, Gary D -- Wednesday Wars, The
Woodson, Jacqueline -- Feathers
Pennypacker, Sara -- The Talented Clementine
Wiles, Deborah -- The Aurora County All -stars
Taylor, Laini -- Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn -- Reaching for sun
Korman, Gordon -- Schooled
Armstrong, Alan -- Raleigh's Page
Salisbury, Graham -- Night of the Howling Dogs
Compestine, Ying Chang -- Revolution is not a dinner party
Not read as of this moment, but on my reading list.
Curtis, Christopher Paul -- Elijah of Buxton
Selznick, Brian -- The Adventures of Hugo Cabret
Clements, Andrew -- No Talking
Latricia Batchelor Markle
Tenafly Public Library
Curtis-Elijah of Buxton ***** (loved it!)
Pennypacker-Talented Clementine
Schmidt-Wednesday wars
Clements- No talking
Tarshis- Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree
Korman- Schooled
Miller- Miss Spitfire
Zimmer- Reaching for sun
Debby Kyritz, Youth Services Librarian Oradell Public Library
1) Reaching for Sun - Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
2) The Wednesday Wars - Gary D. Schmidt
3) Feathers - Jacquelin Woodson
4) Victory - Susan Cooper
5) Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam - Cynthia Kadohata
6) The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trent Lee Stewart
7) The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick
8) The Talented Clementine - Sara Pennypacker
9) How it Happened in Peach Hill - Marthe Jocelyn
10) Emma-Jean Lazaus Fell out of a Tree - Lauren Tarshis
Carol Hienz, Youth Services Librarian Franklin Lakes Public Library
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
2. Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree / Lauren Tarshis
3. Reaching for sun / by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
4. Feathers / Jacqueline Woodson
5. The Wednesday wars / Gary D. Schmidt
6. The talented Clementine / Sara Pennypacker
7. The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World / E.L. Konigsburg
8. Call Me Hope / Gretchen Olson
9. Freak by Marcella Pikley
10. Schooled by Gordon Korman
11. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Still to read: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban,
True Meaning of Smekday byAdam Rex,
Isabel and the Miracle Baby by Emily Pearce Smith,
Raliegh's Page by AlanW Armstrong,
These are not in order, right now I like the Wednesday wars, with reaching for sun and feathers tying for second
-- Beth Jonus
Closter Public Library
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret>
2. The Wednesday Wars>
3. Feathers>
4. Miss Spitfire>
5. How it happened in Peach Hill>
6. The Talented Clementine>
7. Emma Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree> >
The final three to be determined as quickly as possible.
Will read Faeries of Dreamdark next, the new Curtis when I get my hands on it, and Reaching for Sun to see if I concur with the other's decisions.
Joann - New Milford Public Library
The books which are duplicated on two or more of these lists are the likely suspects to make our short list! Start reading now and feel free to drop your two cents on the blog in comments!
Tarshis, Lauren -- Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
Schmidt, Gary D -- Wednesday Wars, The
Woodson, Jacqueline -- Feathers
Pennypacker, Sara -- The Talented Clementine
Wiles, Deborah -- The Aurora County All -stars
Taylor, Laini -- Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn -- Reaching for sun
Korman, Gordon -- Schooled
Armstrong, Alan -- Raleigh's Page
Salisbury, Graham -- Night of the Howling Dogs
Compestine, Ying Chang -- Revolution is not a dinner party
Not read as of this moment, but on my reading list.
Curtis, Christopher Paul -- Elijah of Buxton
Selznick, Brian -- The Adventures of Hugo Cabret
Clements, Andrew -- No Talking
Latricia Batchelor Markle
Tenafly Public Library
Curtis-Elijah of Buxton ***** (loved it!)
Pennypacker-Talented Clementine
Schmidt-Wednesday wars
Clements- No talking
Tarshis- Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree
Korman- Schooled
Miller- Miss Spitfire
Zimmer- Reaching for sun
Debby Kyritz, Youth Services Librarian Oradell Public Library
1) Reaching for Sun - Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
2) The Wednesday Wars - Gary D. Schmidt
3) Feathers - Jacquelin Woodson
4) Victory - Susan Cooper
5) Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam - Cynthia Kadohata
6) The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trent Lee Stewart
7) The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznick
8) The Talented Clementine - Sara Pennypacker
9) How it Happened in Peach Hill - Marthe Jocelyn
10) Emma-Jean Lazaus Fell out of a Tree - Lauren Tarshis
Carol Hienz, Youth Services Librarian Franklin Lakes Public Library
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
2. Emma-Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree / Lauren Tarshis
3. Reaching for sun / by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
4. Feathers / Jacqueline Woodson
5. The Wednesday wars / Gary D. Schmidt
6. The talented Clementine / Sara Pennypacker
7. The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World / E.L. Konigsburg
8. Call Me Hope / Gretchen Olson
9. Freak by Marcella Pikley
10. Schooled by Gordon Korman
11. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Still to read: A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban,
True Meaning of Smekday byAdam Rex,
Isabel and the Miracle Baby by Emily Pearce Smith,
Raliegh's Page by AlanW Armstrong,
These are not in order, right now I like the Wednesday wars, with reaching for sun and feathers tying for second
-- Beth Jonus
Closter Public Library
1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret>
2. The Wednesday Wars>
3. Feathers>
4. Miss Spitfire>
5. How it happened in Peach Hill>
6. The Talented Clementine>
7. Emma Jean Lazarus fell out of a tree> >
The final three to be determined as quickly as possible.
Will read Faeries of Dreamdark next, the new Curtis when I get my hands on it, and Reaching for Sun to see if I concur with the other's decisions.
Joann - New Milford Public Library
The books which are duplicated on two or more of these lists are the likely suspects to make our short list! Start reading now and feel free to drop your two cents on the blog in comments!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Mock Newbery: The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E.L. Konigsburg
Title: The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World
Author: E.L. Konigsburg
Publisher: Atheneum
ISBN-13: 978-1416949725
Starred review in: SLJ, Horn Book, PW
Review: Konigsburg weaves two sixth-grade boys, an eccentric opera singer, and a self-important art director with art history and the Holocaust. Amedeo Kaplan helps William Wilcox and his mom catalog the eccentric Mrs. Zender's house for her move (and downsizing) to an adult community. Along the way, the boys become friends and discover a Modigliani with a mysterious background. The plot bobs and zigzags before finally tying it all together. The language and themes are thought-provoking and include guilt, religious intolerance, homosexuality, friendship, heroism, and responsibility but the characters never really grabbed me.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Author: E.L. Konigsburg
Publisher: Atheneum
ISBN-13: 978-1416949725
Starred review in: SLJ, Horn Book, PW
Review: Konigsburg weaves two sixth-grade boys, an eccentric opera singer, and a self-important art director with art history and the Holocaust. Amedeo Kaplan helps William Wilcox and his mom catalog the eccentric Mrs. Zender's house for her move (and downsizing) to an adult community. Along the way, the boys become friends and discover a Modigliani with a mysterious background. The plot bobs and zigzags before finally tying it all together. The language and themes are thought-provoking and include guilt, religious intolerance, homosexuality, friendship, heroism, and responsibility but the characters never really grabbed me.
Review by: Debby K., Oradell
Mock Newbery: No Talking by Andrew Clements
Title: No Talking
Author: Andrew Clements:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN-13: 978-1416909835
Starred review in: SLJ, Booklist, Kirkus, PW
Review: Clements returns to the school setting with the story of a 5th grade that's so uncontrollable they have been dubbed "The Unshushables" by the faculty. After reading about Mahatma Gandhi and his nonviolent protest, Dave takes his principles to heart. This leads to a "quiet" competition between Dave and his nemesis, Lynsey. And now the entire fifth grade is involved, boys against girls. The book not only shows how the students handle the contest, but also the teachers and principal. I liked the book because everyone, kids and adults, have different reactions. The third person narrative gets "precious" in some places, but the book does work on many levels. The characters are sympathetic, the situation is interesting, there's a nice resolution and it's a great springboard for discussion.
Reviewed by: Debby K., Oradell
Author: Andrew Clements:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN-13: 978-1416909835
Starred review in: SLJ, Booklist, Kirkus, PW
Review: Clements returns to the school setting with the story of a 5th grade that's so uncontrollable they have been dubbed "The Unshushables" by the faculty. After reading about Mahatma Gandhi and his nonviolent protest, Dave takes his principles to heart. This leads to a "quiet" competition between Dave and his nemesis, Lynsey. And now the entire fifth grade is involved, boys against girls. The book not only shows how the students handle the contest, but also the teachers and principal. I liked the book because everyone, kids and adults, have different reactions. The third person narrative gets "precious" in some places, but the book does work on many levels. The characters are sympathetic, the situation is interesting, there's a nice resolution and it's a great springboard for discussion.
Reviewed by: Debby K., Oradell
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