Book Awards Assignment

There are so many book awards available to review, learn about, and use to find books to read.  I recently reviewed six different book awards: Newbery Medal, California Reader Medal, Caldecott Medal, Robert F. Sibert Award, Pura Belpre Award, and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Each of these awards has specific criteria for selection.  The one takeaway I have from this is research is that because each award has its own set of criteria, there are not a lot of duplicate winners, so you will see a variety of books represented.

Book Awards Assignment Link

Informational- Written Review

Barbed Wire Baseball

Marissa Moss

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Barbed-Wire-Baseball-Internment-Hardcover/dp/B00ZQC2B9U/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ZHQHRLG80P7F&keywords=barbed+wire+baseball&qid=1561433902&s=gateway&sprefix=barbed+wire+bas%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-2

Perseverance and hope are two characteristics that Japanese American Kenichi “Zeni” Zenimura embodies throughout the book titled Barbed Wire Baseball.  This true tale tells the story of Zeni’s life before and during World War II.

Zeni always wanted to become a baseball player, but because of his size, his parents and others said it would never happen.  Due to Zeni never letting go of his dream, he did become a successful baseball player that played with Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. 

His dream was short-lived because of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor.  At this time in America, most Japanese Americans were moved into internment camps.  Although Zeni was a successful athlete, he and his family were forced to move into an internment camp where he wasn’t willing to give up on his baseball dream. 

To find out how Zeni took this negative situation and made it a more positive experience for himself and others, you will need to check out the book from the library.

Awards and Distinctions
2018 California Young Medal Winner- Picture Books for Older Readers
2014 Asian/ Pacific American Award for Literature, Honor

Moss, Marissa. (2016). Barbed Wire Baseball. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Fantasy- Read Aloud

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/s?k=where+the+wild+things+are&i=stripbooks&crid=36HSH0GVOHQEV&sprefix=where+the+wi%2Cstripbooks%2C338&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_12

Boys and girls, have you ever been sent to your room as a punishment?  If you have been sent to your room, you will be able to think about how you handle it and compare it to the way Max handles it.  You will eat this book and love it!  Click on the link below to listen to the read-aloud.

Link to the Where the Wild Things Are  Read Aloud

Awards and Distinctions
1964 Caldecott Medal Winner

Sendak, Maurice. (1991). Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Historical Fiction Display

Historical Fiction Display

I worked with sixth grade ELA and History teacher, Jasmine Aguilera on this display.  Jasmine has been given the green light to teach from more novels than the Wonders guaranteed viable curriculum next year.  Because of this new turn of events and because we are an IB school, Jasmine wanted to teach a unit around the refugee and immigration crisis using the novel Refugee by Alan Gratz.

Historical Fiction

Wolf Hollow

Lauren Wolk

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Hollow-Lauren-Wolk/dp/1101994843/ref=sr_1_1?crid=225MKZEQS8JJS&keywords=wolf+hollow+by+lauren+wolk&qid=1560373435&s=gateway&sprefix=wolf+hollow%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1

"The year I turned twelve, I learned how to lie.  The year I turned twelve, I learned that what I said and what I did mattered."  

It is the autumn of 1943 when Annabelle turns twelve and her comfortable upbringing in rural Pennsylvania takes a turn for the worse.  School has started and the "incorrigible" Betty Glengarry moves into town to live with her grandparents.  Once Betty knows how comfortable Annabelle's family lives, she makes Annabelle's life miserable.  She threatens to beat Annabelle's brothers up, but because Annabelle is older and bigger than her two brothers, she decides to do what she can to keep Betty away from her brothers.  To keep Betty happy, she listens to her demands until one day, Annabelle stands up for herself.  After this act of bravery, Betty turns her negative attention to a quiet and strange World War I veteran named Toby.  Annabelle knows Toby and doesn't believe the accusations that are being made against him.  

You will be on the edge of your seat after every chapter, wondering what is going to happen next.  The protagonist's outlook on her situation is haunting as you witness her having to make decisions that go against her beliefs and the way she has been raised.

 Awards and Distinctions
2017 John Newbery Medal
2017 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards, Honor
2016 Junior Library Guild Selections, Middle Selections

Wolk, Lauren. (2016). Wolf Hollow. New York: Puffin Books.

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Counting By 7's

Holly Goldberg Sloan

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Counting-7s-Holly-Goldberg-Sloan-ebook/dp/B007FEF8E2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=239TSG5O7EKKK&keywords=counting+by+7%27s+book&qid=1560139635&s=gateway&sprefix=counting+by+%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1

You’ll laugh, cry, and rejoice as you read Counting by 7’s by Holly Goldberg Sloan.  Counting by 7’s is a tragic, but uplifting novel about a 7th-grade girl named Willow Chance.  Willow was adopted at birth by two adoring parents that encourage Willow to be who she wants to be.  Willow has a genius IQ and has a difficult time connecting with her peers.  She would prefer gardening in her backyard, counting by sevens or diagnosing medical conditions over socializing with the other seventh grade students.  She is living her best life until a fateful afternoon where her life is turned upside down.  While reading, you’ll be taken on a hero's journey to see how Willow adjusts to her new life and finds some normalcy.  Pick up a copy of Counting by 7’s to see how Willow tackles the adversity she now faces head-on with the help of a few new friends. 

Awards and Distinctions
Notable Children's Books. 1995- 2019, Commended, 2014
Junior Library Guild Selections, 2014, Audio Books Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Social Interactions & Relationship Selection, 2014

Sloan, Holly Goldberg. (2013).  Counting by 7's. New York: Scholastic, Inc.

Pinterest Poetry Board

Click here to be taken to my Pinterest Poetry Board. 

Poetry- Written Review and Read Aloud

The Crossover

Kwame Alexander

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Crossover-Kwame-Alexander-ebook/dp/B00E78IBAC/ref=sr_1_1 keywords=the+crossover&qid=1560139515&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Are you a sports fan?  Have you been following the NBA finals?  If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you'll find a slam dunk in this book.  Kwame Alexander masterfully creates a story in verse about twelve-year-old twin brothers, Josh and Jordan "JB" Bell who are awesome on the basketball court.  The brothers are inseparable along with their former basketball player father, Chuck Bell.  However, soon after school starts, JB gets a girlfriend and has little time for his brother and father.  This creates animosity within their family and Josh is not able to handle the fact that their relationship is changing.  Meanwhile, because of his terrible eating habits and heart problems that run in the family, the boys' father's health is in a dire situation.  Through tragedy and heartache, will Josh and JB be able to find a way to mend their broken relationship and go back to being best friends? You will not want to miss The Crossover.  Alexander's amazing word choice creates a rhythm that grabs the reader doesn't let go. 

Read Aloud from The Crossover

"Dribbling"- page 3

Awards and Distinctions

2015 John Newbery Medal Winner

2015 Coretta Scott King Award, Author Honor

Notable Children's Books, 1995-2019, Commended, 2015

Alexander, Kwame.  (2014). The Crossover. Boston: HMH for Young Readers.

Traditional Tale- Read Aloud

Strega Nona

By Tomie dePaola

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Strega-Nona-Tomie-dePaola/dp/0671666061/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=strega+nona&qid=1558927162&s=books&sr=1-2

Have you ever done something that you were told not to?  When Strega Nona, Calabria's local witch hires Big Anthony to help with her daily chores, she warns Big Anthony not to touch her magic past pot. Find out what happens when Big Anthony thinks that he can disobey Strega Nona's warning.  

Awards

1976 Caldecott Medal, Honor

dePaola, Tomie. (1975). Strega Nona. New York: Simon and Schuster for Young Readers. 

Picture Books- Read Aloud

The Bad Seed

by Jory John

Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Seed-Jory-John/dp/006246776X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+bad+seed&qid=1558925691&s=books&sr=1-1

Have you ever gone through something that made you turn from good to bad? If you have felt this way, then you'll want to read to see how The Bad Seed deals with this same thing.

Awards and Distinctions

Junior Library Guild, 2017, Read Aloud Selection

John, Jory. 2017. The Bad Seed. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 

Award-Winning Book- Written Review

Dreamers
Written and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales


Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Yuyi-Morales/dp/0823440559

We are all  Dreamers in our own way.  In her Pura Belpre award-winning book,  Dreamers, author and illustrator, Yuyi Morales beautifully writes and illustrates her own dreamer story.  The book begins with Yuyi and her son, Kelly as they leave their familiar surroundings to live in a new country.  In this new place, they do not understand the language and aren't understood by their new neighbors.  Soon, they find an unfamiliar place that leads them to feel a sense of belonging.  Dreamers is written in English with Spanish words sprinkled in to show the impact of their journey to their new home.  You will want to read Dreamers to see how Yuyi and her son overcome barriers to make them feel welcome in their new country.

Awards and Distinctions
Pura Belpre Award, Illustrator Winner, 2019
Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards- Honor, 2019
Notable Children's Books, Commended, 2019
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, Contemporary Concerns Selection, 2019

Morales, Yuyi. (2018).  Dreamers. New York: Neil Porter Books.