Come and get the winners!

Here's the list of some of the books that won the 2007 American Library Association awards for the best Children's and YA lit of the year. Winners were just announced yesterday. The descriptions are from Brodart Book Company's 1st Pick website. We either have the title already or will by next week.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

AMERICAN BORN CHINESE
by: Yang, Gene Illustrator: Pien, Lark
First Second Books / St Martins Press Inc , 09/2006

When his family moves to a new neighborhood, Jin Wang suddenly finds that he's the only Chinese-American student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on him constantly, then he falls in love with an all- American girl... Born to rule over all the monkeys in the world, the Monkey King is adored by his subjects, master of the arts of kung-fu, and he is the most powerful monkey on earth. But he wants to be hailed as a god... Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he's ruining his cousin Danny's life. Danny's a popular basketball player, but every year Chin-Kee comes to visit, and every year Danny has to transfer to a new school to escape the shame. This year, though, things quickly go from bad to worse... These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable. For ages 12 and up. Col. ill. 240pp. BRODART CO., c2006.

Printz Honors:

SURRENDER
by: Hartnett, Sonya
Candlewick Press / Random House Inc , 03/2006

Gabriel looks back over his brief 20 years that have been wasted by humiliation and frustration. An unforgiving small town and his distant, unsupportive parents ensure that he is never going to forget the horrific mistake he made when he was young. His two friends, Surrender, his dog, and Finnigan, a shadowy doppelganger, are a comfort during trying times. When arson attacks grip the town, Gabriel realizes how unpredictable and dangerous Finnigan is and tries to get rid of him. (Jr. high & up) 256pp 0763627682. BRODART CO., c2006.

ASTONISHING LIFE OF OCTAVIAN NOTHING : THE TRAITOR TO THE NATION, VOL. 1 THE POX PARTY
by: Anderson, M. T.
Candlewick Press / Random House Inc , 10/2006

Various diaries, letters, and other manuscripts chronicle the experiences of Octavian, a young African American, from birth to age 16, as he is brought up as part of a science experiment in the years leading up to and during the Revolutionary War. This novel, which reimagines the past as an eerie place that has a startling resonance, is the first of two parts. (Jr. high & up) (African American) 368pp HB 9/1/06. 0763624020. BRODART CO., c2006.

ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES
by: Green, John
Ep Dutton / Penguin Group , 09/2006

Colin Singleton is not lucky in love. Partial to girls named Katherine, he has been dumped 19 times. The washed-up child prodigy has $10,000 in his pocket, a passion for anagrams, and an overweight best friend who's obsessed with Judge Judy. Now Colin's on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which will predict the future of all relationships, transform him from a fading prodigy into a true genius, and finally win him the girl. (Jr. high & up) 227pp B&W ill. BL 8/1/06; BP 9/1/06; BC 10/1/06; HB 9/1/06; KK 8/15/06; KL 9/1/06; SJ 9/1/06. 10-Digit ISBN: 0525476881 13-Digit ISBN: 9780525476887. (FIC) BRODART CO., c2006.

BOOK THIEF
by: Zusak, Marcus
Knopf / Random House Inc , 03/2006

Death itself narrates this deeply affecting tale of young book lover Liesel, her loving foster parents, and the Jew hiding in their basement. They struggle, with their small, poor community, to endure the double-edged dangers of Nazi Germany. Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited. CG. 552pg. PUBLISHER ANNOTATION, c2006.

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:

HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY
by: Patron, Susan Illustrator: Phelan, Matt
Jackson Richard / Simon & Schuster Inc , 11/2006

Fearing that her legal guardian plans to abandon her to an orphanage, aspiring scientist Lucky Trimble decides to run away. She has her survival-kit backpack, her trusty dog HMS Beagle, and a careful plan to make sure no one in the town of Hard Pan, Calif., will be able to find her. Running away, however, turns out to be more complicated than Lucky ever expected. B&W ill. 144pp (Ages 7-10) FIC 1416901949. BRODART CO., c2006.

Newbery Honors:

RULES
by: Lord, Cynthia
Scholastic Inc / Harper Collins , 04/2006

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, Catherine, 12, longs for a normal existence, but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic. She begins to surprise everyone when she changes her thinking and wonders what normal really is. (Middle school & jr. high) 200pp BL 2/15/06; KK 3/1/06; SJ 4/1/06. 0439443822. BRODART CO., c2006.

HATTIE BIG SKY
by: Larson, Kirby
Delacorte / Doubleday & Company, Inc. , 10/2006

Tired of being shuttled between relatives, Hattie Brooks, 16, travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself after inheriting her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana. She encounters frost, drought, blizzards, and many other hardships. She gets through them by sharing her adventures, through letters and articles, with her friend Charlie, who is fighting in a war in France. 'FIRST NOVEL.' (See inside back cover for author profile.) (Jr. high & up) 289pp BL 9/1/06; KK 9/1/06; KL 9/1/06. ISBN 10-Digit: 0385733135; ISBN 13-Digit: 9780385733137. Dewey: (FIC). BRODART CO., c2007.

PENNY FROM HEAVEN
by: Holm, Jennifer L.
Random House Inc , 07/2006

In 1953, Penny, 11, dreams of summer fun swimming, butter pecan ice cream, and baseball. It's not that easy of a life for Penny. Her mother tells her she can't go swimming because she is afraid she will catch polio, her uncle is living in a car, and her Nonny cries when someone mentions her father's name. Penny soon gains new insights into herself and her family, while also learning a secret about her father's death. (Middle school & jr. high) 288pp BL 4/15/06. 037583687X. BRODART CO., c2006.

Coretta Scott King Award recognizing African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults that demonstrate sensitivity to "the true worth and value of all beings."

Coretta Scott King Award-Text:

COPPER SUN
by: Draper, Sharon M.
Atheneum Publishers / Simon & Schuster Inc , 01/2006

Amari's life is destroyed when slave traders massacre her family and ship her to the Carolinas, where she is given to a young man as a 'birthday present.' Despite back-breaking plantation work and daily degradation, Amari begins to learn English and makes friends with a white indentured servant named Polly. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, Amari and Polly decide to work together to find the thing they both want most: freedom. (Jr. high & up) (African American) 320pp 0689821816 BRODART CO., c2006.

King Honors-Text:

ROAD TO PARIS
by: Grimes, Nikki
Putnam Publishing / Penguin Group , 10/2006

Inconsolable at being separated from her older brother, eight-year-old Paris is apprehensive about her new foster family. She can't ignore her feelings of not fitting in since she is a black girl in a predominantly white town. Just as she learns to trust them, she faces a life-changing decision. (Middle school & jr. high) (African American) 112pp 0399245375. BRODART CO., c2006.

Both the Coretta Scott King Award-Illustration and Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

MOSES : WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM
by: Weatherford, Carole Boston Illustrator: Nelson, Kadir
Jump At The Sun / Hachette Book Group Usa , 09/2006

With only her faith in God to guide her, Harriet Tubman escaped her life of slavery with hounds at her heels. Carole Boston Weatherford describes the heroine's first journey to the North, which led her to make 19 subsequent trips with the Underground Railroad to help others. Her story is a testament to her relentless pursuit of freedom and the resilience of the human spirit. (African American) Col. ill. 48pp (Ages 3-8) 0786851759. E BRODART CO., c2006.

King Honors-Illustration:

JAZZ
by: Myers, Walter Dean Illustrator: Myers, Christopher
Holiday House , 09/2006

From bebop to New Orleans, ragtime to boogie, this collection of energetic poems and exhilarating paintings celebrates different styles of jazz and explores the history of this unique American art form. Includes a glossary and a time line of important events. Col. ill. 48pp (Ages 3-8) 0823415457. *PW 8/7/06 E BRODART CO., c2006.

POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE : LANGSTON HUGHES
by: Hughes, Langston & Roessel, David E. Illustrator: Andrews, Benny
Sterling Publishing Company , 04/2006

This book offers a classic selection of Hughes's poetry, highlighting its ageless themes and wide appeal. In-depth biographical information introduces the reader to the poet, and explanatory notes accompanying the poems are non-obtrusive. The art captures the mood and rhythm of each selection, and subtle touches of detail in the pictures invite a second look. HMS. 48pg. PUBLISHER ANNOTATION, c2006.

John Steptoe Award-New Talent:

STANDING AGAINST THE WIND
by: Jones, Traci L.
Farrar Straus & Giroux Inc / St Martins Press Inc , 09/2006

As she tries to escape her poor Chicago neighborhood by winning a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, shy and studious eighth- grader Patrice discovers that she has more options in life than she previously realized. Another eighth grader, Monty, who also lives in the building, notices that Patrice strives to do her best, and asks her to tutor his little brother. Patrice begins to feel something stronger than friendship growing with Monty, but that isn't going to stop her from trying to get a free ticket out of the projects. 'FIRST NOVEL.' (See inside back cover for author profile.) (Jr. high & up) 192pp BL 7/1/06. 0374371741. BRODART CO., c2006.

Hey, your opinion is worth something!

There's a new site called TeenReadNC and they want to know what you think. The main page starts off like this:

"The book is dead! Long live the Web!
Hey, not so fast!
We may see more people with their nose

in a laptop these days, but there are plenty

of us who still enjoy having our nose in a

good handheld, too. Handheld book, that is."

Besides a huge list of links to the best titles, there's a TeenRead Forum asking you for recommendations, namely for books your teachers at school should read. Though I would dearly love posts from you here on this blog, if you want to join in the action at TeenRead, go there and post your 2 cents. (You could do both.)

Digital Literature

There's a whole world of books out on the Internet that are totally electronic. The writers/artists use Flashplayer and other animation software to produce their stories. I just found out about this series, about a girl named Alice--Inanimate Alice. Here's what the producer says about it:

"'Inanimate Alice' tells the story of Alice, growing up in the early years of the 21st century. Written and directed by writer Kate Pullinger and digital artist babel, this series of multimedia, interactive episodes uses a combination of text, sound, images, and games as Alice takes us on a journey through her life from the age of eight through to her twenties. Alice becomes a games animator; not just any animator, but a creator of characters for the most successful games company in the world.

"And one character stands out: Brad, Alice's only true friend in life. The ten episodes of 'Inanimate Alice' become increasingly interactive and game-like, reflecting Alice's own developing skills as a game designer and animator. 'Inanimate Alice' is a study of human/computer relations in a world where having friends means never having to meet them."

Want to check out Alice's adventures? Go to: http://www.inanimatealice.com/

I also found this digital poetry collection you might find fun: http://www.animalamina.com/

"Animalamina is a collection of digital poetry for children that uses interaction, animation and optional sounds and music to uncover each poem through movement around an A to Z of interconnected scenes."

What is it about banned books?

A lot of you have been asking me about the "Banned Books" display in the Smith LMC and in the hall display cases. I hope you've taken me up on my challenge to read a few on the "challenged" list and determine why someone would want to keep someone else from reading them. I found out about a blog dedicated to thinking about intellectual freedom. (That's what you have when you get to read whatever you need to.) It's at http://asifnews.blogspot.com/. My colleague, Ms. Powell, the library media specialist at Culbreth, has a blog about books and other things she's been reading (which you'd probably like to check out), and I learned about AsIf! from her. Her blog's address is: http://culbrethlibrary.blogspot.com/

Pirates! by Celia Rees

The full title is Pirates! The true and remarkable adventures of Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington, Female Pirates.

“I stood with Minerva as our first fight came, pistols primed and slung about me, my cutlass honed and as sharp as a razor, my axe hanging heavy from my belt. I could not keep my legs from shaking…” Nancy Kington grew up in Bristol, England, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, owner of a sugar plantation in Jamaica. Life as she knows it completely changes when he dies.

She is shipped to the Caribbean to the plantation she has inherited. Here she witnesses cruelty and the inhumanity of slavery. Her father kept slaves taken from Africa and had been a slave trader. And she has been promised in marriage according to her father’s will to Bartholome, a black-hearted slave master. She is kept powerless to do anything about the horror she sees around her or to escape her fate.

Minerva Sharpe is a house slave at Fountainhead Plantation. Her lonely new mistress is kind to her and befriends her. Their bond and their fates are more closely tied than either of them know. Nancy’s arrival starts a series of events that take Minerva away from the only life she has ever known and into a fight for her life and freedom. For when one must murder the plantation overseer who attacks the other, the two girls must flee.

There’s nothing for it but to “go on the account,” that is, to join a crew of pirates and ship out. They do not know that they will “instill fear in the ordinary crew and passengers [of ships they attacked, that they will], board with reckless boldness, and if the prize offered resistance, it was kill or be killed." They do not know that Bartholme will follow them across the globe for vengeance.

“My knuckles were white from gripping the rail, but Minerva had a stillness about her, her features as calm and expressionless as if they had been carved from ironwood…It was not resignation, more a refusal to show any reaction to whatever fate was about to enfold her. I was green and sick with nervousness. She put her hand on mine to steady me, whispering through the cannon's roar. 'We will watch out for each other. We will not be afraid.'We leapt the gap between the ships together, ready to fight and die for each other.”

For info about pirates and more about this and other Celia Rees books, go to http://www.celiarees.co.uk/

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

So what does happen after you die? In this book, people and their pets go to Elsewhere, which seems a lot like Earth: You live in a city, drive cars, go to work, visit with friends. But from the day you arrive in Elsewhere, you start aging backwards until you are a baby again and sent back to Earth. In the meantime you meet others who have died, whether stranger, relative, or friend from the past. You'll meet Lizzie, who died at the age of fifteen in a car accident. At first she cannot imagine that she is dead and not dreaming. She meets her grandma who she never met in life. She finds she can speak canine, and so is helpful to newly arrived pets. You'll follow her on her journey from disbelief, to adjustment, to fulfillment, to love, and back to starting life over again.

Skellig by David Almond

This book was donated to our LMC in memory of our dear student, Marianna Goodwin, who died this past summer. It was one of her favorite books. I hadn't read it before, but I do like David Almond's other books, and I'm so glad I did. In the story is a family whose baby is in intensive care, needing heart surgery. Michael, the baby's brother, and Mina, his friend from next door, are your age. They discover and help an extraordinary winged being who may be bringing the love and strength the baby sister needs to survive. I kept thinking about Marianna, so delicate, so full of life. For those of you who loved her or just knew her, this book might have special meaning for you.

Here's the spot to find out about Smith LMC's newest books

I've been commenting on books featured in CHHS's Media Center Book Blog, but maybe it's time to focus on books @ your LMC, especially new books coming into our collection. So I'll be telling you about my latest favorite books. I have a lot of new favorites. ( - ; Please comment if you've also read any of the titles or want to introduce new ones (and maybe persuade me to order them for the LMC). I'll start with a couple I just read over the weekend.