When the National Book Award Finalists were announced, it turned out I hadn’t read any of the five finalists for young adult literature! In a way, this meant I was lucky because I could read each book looking for why it was given a nod by their fellow authors, the NBA judges. Of course, it [...]
Endangered by Eliot Schrefer. Scholastic. 2012. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Sophie, 14, is in Congo (the Democratic Republic of Congo) visiting her mother, who runs a sanctuary for bonobos. During the school year, she lives with her father in America. Sophie saves a young bonobo who she names Otto; she cares for him, [...]
Bomb: The Race To Build – And Steal – The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing. 2012. Edited to add that this is a Finalist for the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award. Edited to add: Newbery Medal Honor book; [...]
Out of Reach by Carrie Arcos. Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. 2012. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Rachel, sixteen, is on a mission. To find her older brother, Micah. Micah, 18, is a meth addict. One night, he didn’t come home. When Rachel gets an email saying Micah is in Ocean [...]
Goblin Secrets by William Alexander. Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. 2012. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Rownie is one of “grandchildren” of the witch, Graba, children she’s collected to run her errands. His mother is dead; his older brother, Rowan, brought Rownie to Graba knowing the shelter she offered [...]
Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick. Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. 2012. Review copy from publisher. The Plot: Cambodia, 1975. Arn, eleven, lives with his sisters and brother. The family is poor, yes, but they are close and have each other. The are about to lose even that. The Khmer Rouge seize power. [...]
One of my obsessions that has developed in the past few years is reading every one of the National Book Award Nominations for Young People’s Literature before the Award is announced. Those who are unfamiliar with the NBA can check out their website. Very briefly: judges who are authors select a shortlist of finalists, announced [...]
November 16 is the National Book Awards Ceremony in New York City. On my bucket list: to one day attend. In the meanwhile, I’ll have fun following along on Twitter. First, a recap of the five nominated titles in the Young People’s Literature Category: Chime by Franny Billingsley (Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, [...]
I have become the type of person that, when the National Book Award Finalists are announced, I have to read them all. OK, not all-all. I mean the Young People’s Literature Finalists. This year, there are six titles. Chime by Franny Billingsley (Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group USA, Inc. ). My review. My Name [...]
The five National Book Awards, Young People’s Literature finalists. For more on the Awards process, see the NBA website. One thing to note: when talking any award, each one is different, from the nomination process to the make-up of the selection committee to the criteria to the selection process. Comparing awards and finalists can be fun, but [...]
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