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CMS Library Recommendations

Selected 2008 Literary Award-winning Titles

Newbery Award:
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! : voices from a medieval village by Laura Amy Schlitz
Interconnected monologues and dialogues bring 23 characters from a medieval English manor to life. Each character has a distinct personality and societal role. A combination of prose and verse form adds a nice variety of writing to create a finer understanding of England in 1255.

Newbery Honor:
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Holling Hoodhood, a seventh grader living in suburban Long Island, finds himself “stuck” with Mrs. Baker: a teacher who he is convinced hates him. Intertwining themes of adolescence, the tumultuous 1960's, and the timelessness of Shakespeare shape this moving story of a boy who learns to stretch beyond the limits imposed by family, his own fears, and the violent times of the 60's.

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson
This offers Frannie's first person narrative as she ponders the arrival of the “new boy” - who is the only white kid in her 6th grade class. Some of the boys harass the new boy, some of the kids call him “Jesus Boy,” Frannie's best friend thinks he may be the savior. Frannie's reactions introduce big issues: faith, class, prejudice, family, and friendship.

Coretta Scott King:
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Elijah Freeman, the first free black to have been born in Buxton (Canada), travels to Detroit to help his neighbor retrieve money stolen from him that he'd been saving to buy his family's freedom. Elijah recounts his experiences of the horrors of slavery and the dangers of the Underground Railroad from a child's perspective, with Christopher Paul Curtis' usual lyricism and grace.

Pura Belpre Award:
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano Margarita Engle.
The boyhood of the nineteenth-century Cuban slave who learned to write poetry in the midst of a world of brutality. The poems chronicle his experiences, beginning when he is six and his parents are set free, until his escape when he is nearly sixteen. The poetry is fast moving and vivid.

National Book Award
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (grade 8 and up) by Sherman Alexie
Arnold Spirit, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA, was born with water on the brain. He is often the target of bullies and he loves to draw (simple pencil cartoons add much to the story). When he transfers from the reservation school to the wealthy white school in Reardon, he expects the worst. Soon he finds himself making friends, starting on the basketball team, and finding himself on the court against his old classmates from the reservation. Issues of community, identity, tribe…and of a teen's determination to improve himself…are all addressed with humor and sensitivity.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (honor) by Brian Selznick
This groundbreaking novel combines cinematic elements of wordless, sequential pictures with more traditional text to create a magical mystery adventure accessible to readers of all levels. Crisscrossing characters, deft foreshadowing, and suspense engineer the complex plot, leaving the reader rooting for young, orphaned Hugo as he seeks to accomplish his mission.

Printz Award
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Jin Wang is a fairly typical kid who is alienated by his classmates. A Chinese-American boy growing up in Anywhere USA, his story stretches beyond the conventional childhood story. It is a fable filtered through some specific cultural icons, including the Monkey King and a racist stereotype named Chin Kee. The overriding theme of self-acceptance is delivered powerfully and beautifully in a simple and expressive graphic format.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (Printz Honor) by M.T. Anderson
Slavery, human rights, and racism are just a few of the issues raised in this challenging Revolution-era novel. Octavian is a black boy being raised and educated in a household of radical philosophers in Boston. As he grows older, he realizes that he is not only a captive within the household, but a part of an experiment, as well, to determine the intellectual capabilities of Africans. The experiment changes in scope when they host a pox party, where everyone is inoculated with the disease. Issues that resonate in this 18th century novel continue to resonate today.

Additional titles for grades 6-8
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Book 4 in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series.
Percy Jackson and his demigod friends are back in the fourth installment of Rick Riordan's exciting series. War is drawing near between the Olympians and Lord Kronos, and even Camp Half-Blood may not be secure. Percy's quest takes him to the underworld in his attempts to stop the invasion. Riordan's signature fast moving action and humor continues with Percy's latest adventures.

The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman
Francine is a 13-year old protagonist growing up in the late 1940's, early 1950's - the era of McCarthyism and the beginning of the Cold War. Her conflicts between wanting to “not get involved” and her friend Sophie - who is constantly questioning authority - cause Francine to examine her own values. Cushman captures both the era and the confusion of a young girl as she struggles to find her voice.

The 13 _ lives of Captain Bluebear: a Novel by Walter Moers
When a ship full of bad tempered Minipirates rescues the floating Bluebear from an ocean whirlpool, the young azure-colored bear sets off on his lives' journeys, all 13 _ of them. Strange and wondrous creatures and events, including sugar storms, hobgoblins, argumentative ocean waves and quirky professors, propel him onward, from one adventure to another. A rollicking tale, with illustrations by the author.

The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer
In this sequel to The Sea of Trolls 12-year old Jack descends into the out-of-time Land of the Silver Apples to look for his lost sisters. Many surprises await in that fantasy world - creatures that change appearances, hobgoblins, and soulless elves, to name a few. This is an epic adventure!

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
Time…or lack of it…forms the premise of this charming tale. Placed in western Ireland, 15-year old JJ Liddy sets out to grant his mother's wish of more time for her birthday, and finds that his quest takes him to a magical parallel world of eternal youth. Captivating characters, Irish folklore, and music fill out this mesmerizing novel.

Firehorse by Diane Wilson
Wilson's talent in capturing the thunderous excitement between horse and rider prevails in this historical fiction novel. When 15-year old Rachel moves to Boston, she has a hard time adjusting to city life and to expectations of ladylike behavior in 1872. Her dreams of becoming a veterinarian seem to become attainable when she helps one fire horse recover from severe burns. Convincing family dynamics from the era, relationships, and the local setting all add up to an enjoyable read.

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
The lives of Sumiko (12) and her family are forever changed after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The family is moved to an internment camp in the middle of the Arizona desert, where Sumiko struggles with despair until she meets a Mohave boy whose tribe struggles with a similar plight on their reservation. Fascinating characters and lyrical prose make this a compelling novel.

The Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth
Imagine living in India, engaged to be married and having your soon to be husband die all before the age of nine. Leela becomes a widow and is required to follow an old tradition known as “keeping corner”. She is not allowed to leave the house for one year. She is tutored privately and starts to question why girls and boys are treated differently, and how she can help make a change.

Hitler's Canary by Sarah Toksvig
Ten-year-old Bamse lives in Denmark with his family during the 1940 German invasion. The family struggles with the decision to either support the Resistance or to cooperate with the Germans in the hopes that they will survive. The family ultimately agrees to secretly hide and support the escape of many Danish Jews to Sweden during an actual historical event, which takes place in 1943. This is a suspenseful novel with may thrills and twists.

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko
Kirsten and Walker are entering the seventh grade at a private school. Kirsten is struggling with problems at home. Her parents aren't speaking with each other and her best friend has deserted her. As a consequence, she has gained 30 pounds. Walk is the new guy at school; a smart, good-looking African-American who feels like an outcast. Using their intelligence and resolve, the two form a friendship that helps them deal with the confusion and adversity they feel about their friends and families.

Young Adult Fiction (grade 8 and up)
New Boy by Julian Houston
First person narration by Rob Garrett, 16, draws the reader inside the civil rights movement. As the first black student in an elite boarding school in the late1950's, Rob feels like a stranger in the dorm and in the class. Blatant racism and differences within the African American community are depicted through stirring drama.

Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney
Dive into the mystery and see how a refugee family of four, from war torn Africa, adjusts to living with a family in America. See how four teenagers, who are now living together, get along, and what secrets are uncovered. Is the family from Africa really related, what about the mysterious fifth refugee that was on the plane, who is he and how are the uncut diamonds that are found all connected?

Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells
India Moody is 13, living in Virginia and growing up during the Civil War. She struggles with wanting to be independent with dreams of going to college vs. the traditional role of women during wartime. Stories are told from both the North and South points of view, traditional medical practice are described, as is a vivid description of war's devastation, yet the author leaves the reader feeling hopeful.

Tamar by Mal Peet
Winner of Britain's Carnegie Medal, this is a powerful novel of suspense and intrigue. Tamar(15) is given her name by her grandfather; after his death she tries to get to know him by perusing a box of WWII memorabilia that he left her. The tension mounts as she uncovers his story - and that of her namesake. The secret gradually unravels, leading to a stunning conclusion.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Due to a bad fall, Naomi has forgotten the last four years of her life. Coming slowly back to what was and will be, she gets glimpses of what she meant to other people, including her father, her absent mother, her best friend, Will and her boyfriend, Ace. Her interests change as she moves from being a yearbook editor and photographer, to an actress in the school play. Those changes, along with a new romance, present a new set of challenges.

Fire in the Hills by Donna Jo Napoli
Part survival story , part war story, this sequel to Stones in Water continues to follow the escape of 15-year-old Roberto as he struggles to make his way back to Venice. Three years before, he and his friends were kidnapped and taken by train to Eastern Europe, where they were put to work in a slave labor camp. He eventually makes his way to war torn Italy where he becomes involved with the Italian partisan's underground campaign to free Italy from the Nazis. A gripping story based on real events.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyle
Nine-year-old Bruno lives in Berlin. His father, who works for the German government, has now been assigned to a new post, far away from Berlin. The family must move, and Bruno must give up all of what is familiar to him. Worst of all, in leaving, he loses all of his friends. He becomes terribly lonely, until he meets the boy in the striped pajamas, who lives behind a fence very close to his new home. Their friendship becomes a joy for both boys, but must be kept a secret.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
DJ Schwenk has grown up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin with a family that places value on hard work instead of words. Lately, due to family injuries, she must take care of the cows and the barn, plus help with the running of the farm. Brian Nelson, a quarterback on her high school rival's football team, has come to help, but not by his own wishes. Together they form an uneasy alliance that grows over the summer as DJ becomes Brian's coach, and finds that she must learn to communicate her feelings.

Nonfiction (grades 6 and up)
Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman
Well-designed and clearly written, Freedman explores various ideas about the discovery of the Americas. Freedman is well known for his skill in presenting information, and the illustrations, maps and reproductions add to appealing format and readable text.

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits
Meet Jessie, an irreverent 15-year-old who has a lot to say about school, her younger brother, and writing poetry. This collection of poems is inventive, funny, and full of surprises, and will resonate with a wide audience.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis
A powerful combination of graphic novel and picture book, Peter Sis offers this account of his growing up in Czechoslovakia in the 1960's under Soviet rule. The incredible design dramatizes the conflict between conformity and creative freedom. This book was awarded the 2008 Sibert Award for nonfiction.

The Many Rides of Paul Revere by James Cross Giblin
This well-organized biography chronicles Revere's life with lucid writing, intriguing details, and period portraits, paintings, engravings and maps.

Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book by Steven Caney
Browse through this masterfully comprehensive book to learn, examine, and build over 300 different constructions. If you've ever wondered how suspension bridges, pasta rattlesnakes, gel-o-cube igloos, cardboard box lounge chairs and geodesic domes are built, what creative materials can be used for their construction, and what it takes to fashion a pipe sculpture sprinkler, or a bathtub barge, then this is the book for you!

  Also check the library’s web site:  http://mail.colonial.net~sclutter/library/index.htm