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2013 Contenders Speak – Day 1
BOMB
Pick me up and look at my cover. Read a bit of me. What am I? An historical fiction? An adventure? A mystery? All wrong! I am something that none of the other books are: a history. That’s right, I belong up there on the shelf among all the other great history textbooks. I am the best kind of textbook: very epic, awesome, courageous, cool, fun-loving, and modest. You can’t forget modest. (So, pick me?)
— mb, 6th grade
CODE NAME VERITY
To whomever may read this, I reveal the cruelty of The Battle Commander in putting me in this war…who will most likely read these words. But please, God, let Maddie somehow find this. I have three weeks to complete my story to the most minute detail and win the Battle of the Kids Books. My work will end up being beautifully poetic yet very direct, and utterly engrossing. It will contain shades of horror and love, so wonderfully intertwined that it’s hard to distinguish your emotion, hard to know a thing at all.
— rgn, 8th grade
ENDANGERED
I am a grim reflection of human and animal mortality, survival, and love. Relating the dangers of poverty and war in developing countries, I enlighten readers about the horrors of life and survival more emotionally than most non-fiction books. In doing so, I tell a beautiful, personal story of Sophie and her family, which includes, of all things, cute, endangered bonobos! Don’t let me become Endangered! (Or even Extinct!)
— rgn, 8th grade
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
I’m about 2 teenagers diagnosed with cancer: one of them was a vegetarian who almost died when she was 13.
I teach people that even if you have cancer you can live a normal life, and that you have the same emotions and feelings.
I’m the underdog, not winning any major awards this year, which almost guarantees that I will win. I also feel like I’ll win because of, you know, those “Cancer Perks.” Can’t you give the dying teenagers a chance at some happiness before they pass on to the next life??
*big and sad eyes* I mean *sniffle* they just want a chance at happiness and life. *tears start to flow down face* Is that so hard to ask?? *starts to bawl?* Please can I just win????? I love life, have some pity on me. LET ME WIN!
— cw, 6th grade
Filed under: 2013
About Battle Commander
The Battle Commander is the nom de guerre for children’s literature enthusiasts Monica Edinger and Roxanne Hsu Feldman, fourth grade teacher and middle school librarian at the Dalton School in New York City and Jonathan Hunt, the County Schools Librarian at the San Diego County Office of Education. All three have served on the Newbery Committee as well as other book selection and award committees. They are also published authors of books, articles, and reviews in publications such as the New York Times, School Library Journal, and the Horn Book Magazine. You can find Monica at educating alice and on twitter as @medinger. Roxanne is at Fairrosa Cyber Library and on twitter as @fairrosa. Jonathan can be reached at hunt_yellow@yahoo.com.
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