Book List

Special Announcement!: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Wins the 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award

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2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Finalists Announced

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is pleased and proud to announce the finalists for the 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.  Established in 2008 to honor the wishes of young adult author Amelia Elizabeth Walden, the award allows for the sum of $5,000 to be presented annually to the author of a young adult title selected by the ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Committee as demonstrating a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and literary merit.  

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Winner is:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
(HarperCollins/ Balzar +  Bray)

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award finalists are:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone
(Penguin Random House/ Crown Books for Young Readers)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
(Simon & Schuster/ Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed
(Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse)

An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder
(Penguin Random House/ Philomel Books)

The winning title and finalists will be honored at the 2018 ALAN Workshop on Monday, November 19th in Houston, TX, and the authors will be invited to participate in a panel discussion.

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee would like to thank: the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Foundation, the ALAN Executive Council, the ALAN Board of Directors, NCTE, and the many publishers who submitted titles for consideration.

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee considered over 350 young adult titles throughout the process.  The committee was comprised of eleven members representing the university, K-12 school, and library communities. They are:

Beth Scanlon, Committee Chair
Teacher
Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, FL

Lisa Scherff, Past Committee Chair
Teacher
South Ft. Myers High School, Ft. Myers, FL

Sheila Benson
Associate Professor, English Education
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Robert Bittner
SSHRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Marie LeJeune
Professor, Literacy Education
Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Lisa Morris-Wilkey
Librarian
Casa Grande Elementary School District, Casa Grande, AZ

Sarah Mulhern Gross
Teacher
High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ

Kerry Neuberger
Teacher
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School, Garner, IA

Jennifer Paulsen
Teacher
Holmes Junior High, Cedar Falls, IA

Beth Shaum
Librarian
St. Frances Cabrini Catholic School, Allen Park, MI

Wendy Stephens
School Library Media Specialist
Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville AL

For more information on the award, please visit ALAN Online: The Official Site of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents http://www.alan-ya.org/awards/walden-award/

Congratulations to Angie Thomas and the the finalists! 

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Special Announcement: 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalists

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2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Finalists Announced

The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is pleased and proud to announce the finalists for the 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.  Established in 2008 to honor the wishes of young adult author Amelia Elizabeth Walden, the award allows for the sum of $5,000 to be presented annually to the author of a young adult title selected by the ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Committee as demonstrating a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and literary merit.  

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award finalists are:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone
(Penguin Random House/ Crown Books for Young Readers)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
(HarperCollins/ Balzar +  Bray)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
(Simon & Schuster/ Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed
(Simon & Schuster/ Simon Pulse)

An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder
(Penguin Random House/ Philomel Books)

The winner will be announced on Monday, July 30th. The winning title and finalists will be honored at the 2018 ALAN Workshop on Monday, November 19th in Houston, TX, and the authors will be invited to participate in a panel discussion.

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee would like to thank: the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Foundation, the ALAN Executive Council, the ALAN Board of Directors, NCTE, and the many publishers who submitted titles for consideration.

The 2018 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee considered over 350 young adult titles throughout the process.  The committee was comprised of eleven members representing the university, K-12 school, and library communities. They are:

Beth Scanlon, Committee Chair
Teacher
Cypress Creek High School, Orlando, FL

Lisa Scherff, Past Committee Chair
Teacher
South Ft. Myers High School, Ft. Myers, FL

Sheila Benson
Associate Professor, English Education
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA

Robert Bittner
SSHRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Marie LeJeune
Professor, Literacy Education
Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Lisa Morris-Wilkey
Librarian
Casa Grande Elementary School District, Casa Grande, AZ

Sarah Mulhern Gross
Teacher
High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ

Kerry Neuberger
Teacher
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura High School, Garner, IA

Jennifer Paulsen
Teacher
Holmes Junior High, Cedar Falls, IA

Beth Shaum
Librarian
St. Frances Cabrini Catholic School, Allen Park, MI

Wendy Stephens
School Library Media Specialist
Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville AL

For more information on the award, please visit ALAN Online: The Official Site of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents http://www.alan-ya.org/awards/walden-award/

Congratulations to the Walden Award committee and to the authors and publishers of the honored books! 

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Student Voices: Top Ten Author Lists by Two of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

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Our Top Ten Favorite Authors by Duda V. and Angelina D. (6th grade)

Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is the author of many series like Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus. He is in the process of writing The Trials of Apollo series as well. His writing brings mythology to the modern world with hilarity. With twisting plots and schemes and a lot of hair-raising action, it leaves readers begging for more.

J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling is the author of the ever popular Harry Potter series which is most definitely well-known with theme parks, movies, games, and its own official website, her books are without a doubt well-loved and appreciated. Popularity however is not the reason we put her on our list. She has created a world intertwined with ours, full of magic we can only dream about. Not only have we watched the characters grow, but we have grown with them.

Caroline Carlson
Caroline Carlson is the author of the hilarious series The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates. It centers around a girl who wants to become a pirate but her parents don’t want her to. Caroline has created a fantasy world where piracy is normal yet still illegal. The series includes three books, each one demonstrating a sense of bravery and adventure as well as hilariousness that I’m sure will make you laugh your head off!

Chris Colfer
Chris Colfer is the author of the bestselling series The Land of Stories. It’s a fictional series about the adventure of two twins, Alex and Connor. Chris Colfer has written six books in the series, and they all take place in a world that Chris Colfer has created around fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. Chris Colfer books are amazing!

Ally Carter
Ally Carter is the author of several series including Embassy Row, Heist Society, and Gallagher Girls. Her books are thrilling and have a unique take on the classic good guy/bad guy scheme with the bad guys being more an antagonist than a villain. Even with all the adventurous moment, she still finds time to add sweet moments.

Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is the author of the Series of Unfortunate Events, thirteen books with witty definitions and a plot that has readers on the edge of their seats. However, we did want to add that we don’t agree with his recent comments. We just think that his series is amazing.

Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman is an amazing author who has written many series including the Unwind Dystology and the Dark Fusion series. He also wrote Scythe which is about Citra and Rowan and the challenges they have to overcome. Neal Shusterman is a New York Time Bestselling author, winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Golden Kite Award for Fiction, and more. Many of his books are fascinating because of his unique writing style.

Dan Gemeinhart
Dan Gemeinhart is the author of multiple books including Scar Island, Some Kind of Courage, and The Honest Truth. His writing is heartfelt and gripping. He uses a perfect mix of emotions and plot guaranteed to have readers anxious for the next page.

Gordon Korman
Gordon Korman is the author of multiple series including Masterminds, Swindle, Hypnotists, and so many more series and stand alone books. He is also part of the 39 Clues series. His work is action packed and full of gripping moments. His books are always real page-turners.

Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle is the author of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes which is a collection of short stories. The stories are about the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes who goes to solve cases that are usually murder cases. The book was originally published in 1892 and has been turned into movies and TV shows.

Top Ten Amazing Authors You May Not Know But Should by Duda V. and Angelina D. (6th grade)

David Liss
David LIss is the author of Randoms, a 2017-18 Sunshine State Young Reader book. SSYRA books are chosen in Florida and recommended for kids and often show up in schools. Despite not being really well known, he should be. If you enjoy thriling sci-fi novels, his books are for you. And don’t worry, it is just the first of an epic series.

Sayantani Dasugupta
Sayantani Dasgupta is an Indian American author who has written The Demon Slayers, Bengali Folk Tales, and The Serpent’s Secret. She is a physician-scholar in addition to a writer. The Serpent’s Secret is about Kiranmala, a regular sixth grader until her twelfth birthday. Sayantani Dasgupta is an amazing author who can make you feel like you are in the book yourself.

Joseph Bruchac
Joseph Bruchac is the amazing author of Wolf Mark as well as so many others. With a twisting plot and well-written details, it is every bit as good as expected, as are his other books. There are no words to describe it!

Adam Rex
Adam Rex is the author of The True Meaning of Smekday, the book Home was based on. Despite this fact, many people do not know that. If you have ever watched a movie based on a book, you know that they never get the details right (but it is a bit fun to see the changes). Adam Rex’s writing is funny and well-thought out and planned.

Julia Keller
Julia Keller is an American novelist that has written many adult books and her newest is for young adults, The Dark Intercept which is the first book in a series. The Dark Intercept is a personal favorite; it is an amazing book about two worlds, Old and New Earth, and the mysteries about New Earth, the world that Violet Crowley’s father has created. Julia Keller has won awards including a Pulitzer Prize, and she is an amazing author that writes science fiction, adventure, crime, and many more.

Lynne Jonell
Lynne Jonell is the author of Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat and other titles. Her writing is fun and mysterious and it increases with the plot. What starts as a seemingly realistic fiction book is soon easily classified as pure fantasy.

Firoozeh Dumas
Firoozeh Dumas is the author of It Ain’t So Awful, Falafal, which was a 2017-18 Sunshine State Young Reader Award book. Firoozeh Dumas has also written many other books including Funny in Farsi and Laughing without an Accent. Ain’t So Awful, Falafel is a funny book about Zomorod (aka Cindy) that just moved to Newport Beach. Firoozeh has been nominated for many awards including the Turber Prize for American Humor. Her books are hilarious because of her unique style of writing.

Soman Chainani
Soman Chainani is known for his series The School for Good and Evil. The story revolves around best friends, Agatha and Sophie, who face challenges and overcome them. The series consists of four books (right now), and I appreciate it for its sense of magic, friendship, and love. Soman has created a world full of fantasy with fairy tales including Cinderella and King Arthur. This series isn’t too well known but after you read the first one, you can’t stop reading because of the magic it brings.

Suzanne Nelson
Suzanne Nelson is an author that writes heart-taking, loveable, and amazing books. She has written many different books including Macaroons at Midnight and Cake Pop Crush. Both of these books feature delicious recipes in the end as well. Suzanne Nelson has been able to create books that can make you understand that love can be a beautiful thing because her books are mostly about love and sweetness. Suzanne Nelson is an author that is just as amazing as any author you already know and love.

J.J. Howard
J.J. Howard is an author that writes books that have challenges and love between two characters including her book Pug and Kisses which features an adorable pug. The books are amazing realistic fiction stories because it displays real life trouble, mostly love problems, which can be overcome with happy endings. J.J. Howard is an amazing author who writes books that will bring a smile to your face.

Thank you to my wonderful students, Duda and Angelina, for sharing your favorite authors!

Student Voices: Advice for Picking Books by Four of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

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Reading Non-Fiction Books Are Not as Horrible as You Might Think! by Lorenza M. (7th grade)

At the beginning of the year, Mrs. Moye announced that our next unit would include reading an informational non-fiction book. I was a little disappointed because in my mind non-fiction meant huge, boring books that my dad likes to read. However, I was proven wrong.

Our first task was to choose the book we wanted to read. We had countless books to pick from that covered a vast variety of topics. I’ve always been interested in medicine and the human body, so I chose The Book of Blood.

In the weeks to come, I became obsessed with my book. I learned more from reading that book than any anatomy lesson I’ve ever had in science. I also made it my life’s goal to tell all my friends and teachers the nastiest facts about blood.

Our final project for the unit, after we finished our books, was to created a presentation about the topic we learned. From watching my peers’ presentation, I learned about plenty of topics I had no knowledge about, and it was super fun sharing what I’d learned with my class.

Reading a non-fiction book taught me never to judge a book by its genre, and neither should you! The book I read for this unit was one of the best and most resourceful books I’ve ever read, and I plan to continue reading non-fiction books even if I don’t have to.

Dos and Don’ts When Picking Out a Book by Clara A. (8th grade)

DOs

  • DO get out of your comfort zone!
    • Reading different genres exposes you to different situations, types of characters, and points of view. Plus, you won’t know if you like a certain genre if you have never tried it.
  • DO ask someone for recommendations.
    • There are many books in the world. You won’t read them all, so ask for help. Your friends probably know great books that you’ve never heard of.
  • DO read the next book of the series as soon as possible.
    • If you read the 2nd book of the series a long time after reading the 1st book, it may be very confusing if you don’t remember the 1st book.

DON’Ts

  • DON’T judge a book by its cover!
    • While the saying may be cliche, it is true. Saying a book is bad because it looks bad is similar to saying a jacket does not keep you warm just because it has a bad design on the front. It just isn’t right!
  • DON’T not read a book just because you don’t know the author.
    • If you don’t read Long Way Down because you don’t know Jason Reynolds, then you are missing out on a great book. And that is just one example. There are many authors you don’t know that have great books.
  • DON’T judge a book by its movie.
    • There are so many great books with horrible movies (ex. City of Ember). Many directors have to change the book’s details, and this ends up making the movie worse than the book! Trust me, books are always better than the movie!

If You Liked… by Tulsi M. and Stanley T. (8th grade)

  • If you like Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, you’ll love The Young Elites by Marie Lu.
  • If you like Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, you’ll love Warcross by Marie Lu.
  • If you like Scythe by Neal Shusterman, you’ll love Renegades by Marissa Meyer.
  • If you like Rescued by Eliot Schrefer, you’ll love Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby.
  • If you like Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan, you’ll love Magnus Chase by Rick Riordan.
  • If you like The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, you’ll love Dear Martin by Nic Stone.
  • If you like the movie Tarzan, you’ll love Rescued by Eliot Schrefer.
  • If you like the movie 9/11, you’ll love The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner.
  • If you like the T.V. show Steven Universe, you’ll love Upside Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Emily Jenkins, and Lauren Myracle.
  • If you like the T.V. show Star Wars: The Clone Wars, you’ll love Star Wars: Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston.

Thank you to my wonderful students, Lorenza, Clara, Tulsi, and Stanley, for sharing your advice!

Books That Feature Immigrants and Refugees: Understanding Experience through the Power of Story

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Today is July 4. It is a day to celebrate our country; however, for us, it is also a day of reflection. We have spent a great deal of time reflecting about our country, and part of that reflection involves being empathetic and listening to the stories of others. For today’s post, in light of the recent events and in support of our neighbors, we want to feature some powerful books we loved that share the stories of immigrants and refugees. We feel that sharing these stories will help readers understand those who have immigrated or are finding refuge in the United States.

Not all of the texts are connected with the United States of America, but all of the characters resonated with us and taught us a great deal. They all share stories that have become a piece of us and have added to our understanding of the immigrant or refugee experience. Please share your favorite stories about immigrants or refugees in the comments below. We’d love to hear about the books that have made a great impact on your lives.

As always, while the books are divided by the audience they are marketed toward, each of the books listed transcends reader age. Adults, for instance, will likely find all of these books to be compelling.

A Different Pond by Bao Phi

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina

Migrant: The Journey of a Mexican Worker by José Manuel Mateo

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh

A Thirst for Home by Christine Ieronimo

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago

The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition by Reyna Grande

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings by Margarita Engle

Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Kiki and Jacques by Susan Ross

La Linea by Ann Jaramillo

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Making Friends with Billy Wong by Augusta Scattergood

Maya Running by Anjali Banerjee

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai

Trino’s Choice by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Sara Saedi

American Street by Ibi Zoboi

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos

The Border by Steve Schafer

Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

Illegal by Eoin Colfer

A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi

The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah

The Milk of  Birds by Sylvia Whitman

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Now is the Time for Running by Michael Williams

Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian

Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

The Secret Side of Empty by Maria E. Andreu

Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Water in May by Ismée Williams

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie

Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Which books are we missing? Which books made a great impact on you?

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Student Voices: Top Ten Book Lists by Four of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

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Top Ten Books That We Love That Should Be More Popular by Morgan M. and Jordan K. (6th grade)

Evermore by Alyson Noël
Evermore is a teen romance novel with action!

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart
Scar Island is a realistic fiction book with a great plot twist that is going to make you gasp!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Cinder is the classic Cinderella story plus action, action, action!

The Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler & Jay Asher
This book is about how our future is already being planned by technology that doesn’t even exist yet.

Illusive by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Illusive is a futuristic novel that gives a sampler of a possible Earth future.

Doll Bones by Holly Black
This book looks creepy and is, and it is even more adventure!

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
City of Ember is a futuristic sci-fi book that gives the idea of how some things could go wrong.

Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich & Audrey Vernick
A very cheerful book with plot twists. I recommend it highly!

Ponies of  Chiconteague by Catherine Hapka
This book is a realistic fiction story about girls and their love for horses.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
A graphic novel that celebrates Dia de los Muertos and sisterhood.

Top Ten Books We Can’t Wait To Read by Vanessa W. and Alexandra N. (7th grade)

 

Bears of Ice by Kathryn Lasky
It is a fiction book about animals, and it is by an author that we really like.

The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer
I (Alexandra) read The Wishing Spell, and it was really good!

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder
This book has an interesting concept and many people have recommended it to me (Alexandra).

Stung by Bethany Wiggins
This book has an interesting concept and many people have recommended it to us.

Frost by M.P. Kozlowsky
I (Vanessa) learned about this book from a book path and have wanted to read it ever since.

The Selection by Kiera Cass
So many people have recommended this book to us, so we need to read it!

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
I (Vanessa) bought this series, and I cannot wait to read it.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
We watched the movie and now want to read the book.

The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
We find this book summary interesting, and we plan to read it soon.

The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
This book is an SSYRA book for next year, and we have read and enjoyed other books by this author.

Top Ten Books That Need a Better Movie by Morgan M. and Jordan K. (6th grade)

City of Ember
Problems: casting, plot

Maximum Ride
Problems: animation, plot

Allegiant
Problems: plot

Maze Runner
Problems: casting, plot

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Problems: invention of a character, plot

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Problem: plot

Spiderwick Chronicles
Problem: details incorrect

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Problem: details incorrect

Percy Jackson: The Sea of Monsters
Problem: plot (way off!)

Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief
Problems: Everything!, casting, storyline

Thank you to my wonderful students, Morgan, Jordan, Vanessa, and Alexandra, for all their book lists!

Student Voices: (Mostly) Fifteen Word Book Reviews by Five of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

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Samia R.’s Fifteen Word Book Reviews (6th grade)

House Arrest by K.A. Holt
This book is really easy to read and has a strong message about sibling devotion.

Breakout by Kate Messner
This book is written in multiple formats which was different and also fun to read.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman
This book has the perfect mix of action, mystery, and action, and it’s really good.

Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart
It’s emotionally attaching and makes you want to finish it the day you started it.

Booked by Kwame Alexander
This is a novel in verse and also deals with real important real life issues.

Posted by John David Anderson
This book is about five friends struggling to fit in at school and finding themselves.

Kimchi and Calamari by Rose Kent
This book is about a boy who feels he’s between two cultures because he’s adopted.

Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiassen
This fun book mixes action and mystery perfectly and will definitely keep the reader hooked.

The Summer of May by Cecilia Galante
This book is touching and funny and also so emotionally, so it is really good.

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher
This book is about two friends who find a mystery and try to solve it.

Vasudev M.’s Fifteen Word Book Reviews (6th grade)

Legend by Marie Lu
This is a dystopic, suspenseful book that has a mix of action, romance, and mystery.

Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
A book with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu
Has a mix of romance, action, and science fiction. This book is centered around loyalty.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
A book that shows that a group together during the most desperate times can prevail.

Warcross by Marie Lu
A book with a mix of action and romance that demonstrates loyalty, friendship, and determination.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
A mix of action, romance, and humor, and has many twists that keep you interested.

The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
A fast-paced action-packed book with a pinch of humor and romance. It is well composed.

Rescued by Eliot Schrefer
An adventurous book that shows friendship and determination teaches you to do the right thing.

Champion by Marie Lu
An action-packed book that has suspense and romance. This book has many unsuspected twists.

Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
A clever book based off of Greek Mythology that has action, suspense, and humor.

Ariana M.’s and Mariana S.’s Fifteen Word Book Reviews (7th grade)

Rescued by Eliot Schrefer
We love this book for a myriad of reasons. First, it opens your eyes to a lot of things that kids are in the dark about like palm oil and how to treat orangutans. When you read Rescued, you fall in love with it because you feel like you’re in the story, too, and fall in love with the characters.
(Kellee’s note: This book review was written before they decided to do fifteen word book reviews, so this is just a regular review.)

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
This book teaches you about the struggles of family and how sometimes sisterhood can be tough.

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
Teaches you that you aren’t alone even when life gets hard, you’ll have a friend.

Real Friends by Shannon Hale
This book shows the importance of having true friends and to have confidence in yourself.

Explorer: The Lost Islands edited by Kazu Kibuishi
This collection of stories show you that not everything is as it seems and that teamwork is very important.

Emily P.’s Not-Fifteen Word Reviews of her favorite SSYRA books 2015-2018 (8th grade)

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson
This book is amazing! It is so action-packed and so interesting. I must admit, it was a slow start, but it took off. Piper and Gee make my heart melt and the sisterly love is so sweet!

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
This dystopian novel had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Cia is so clever and sweet, and Tomas and her are such a power couple. The whole series is absolutely amazing.

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart
This sad, sad book is so heart-wrenching and so good. Mark’s story may be sad, but I wanted to keep on reading to make sure he and Beau were okay.

Frenzy by Robert Lettrick
This book is definitely my type of book: thrilling, funny, and fast-paced. I couldn’t stop reading, and the twists and turns throughout the book were really confusing to my emotions.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ada’s story gives me hope, but reminds me of the terrible people in this world. So many turning points will make you never want to stop reading. You’ll fall in love with so many characters, especially Ms. Susan.

Thank you to my wonderful students, Samia, Vasudev, Ariana, Mariana, and Emily, for your reviews!