And now, here are the YA Nerdies by Teri Lesesne

In typical YA fashion, we have broken the rules when it comes to the Nerdies.  Other categories yielded five winners.  YA proves its adolescent rebellious spirit by offering you six.  If, by any chance, you have missed any of these titles, hie thee to a bookstore.  Then, clear your calendars because once you begin one of the YA Nerdies Winners, you will find yourself unable to put it down until you turn the final pages.  These winners demonstrate the range of YA beautifully.  Here we have history, reality, fantasy, and most importantly: riveting stories about finding direction in life.

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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  Penguin.

Readers will find it in Hazel and Augustus, two teens who meet in a cancer support group.  They are so much more than their diagnoses, their treatments, their diseases.  They are, simply, two teens whose lives are changed through their chance meeting and the friendship that develops from it.  Rather than telling you much about this remarkable book, here is John Green reading the first chapter of his novel:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_vFvbfn9Fs.  If you log into Twitter and search using #tfios, you will soon see that this is a book that touches the lives of its readers deeply.  It is that emotional depth that will pull you into the story and then release you, drained, at the end.

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles.  Candlewick Press.

Fern is a typical twelve year old in many respects.  She can find her parents embarrassing and her little brother Charlie pesky.  Her older sister Sara is too critical at times, and her brother Holden seems to spend a lot of time secreted away.  However, Fern’s life is about to change dramatically.  Life can throw us all curves.  Jo Knowles lets Fern show us how healing is possible.  Kirkus,  in a starred review, noted, “Prescient writing, fully developed characters and completely, tragically believable situations elevate this sad, gripping tale to a must-read level.

Here is a great interview with Jo about her book here:  http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm/author_number/2161/jo-knowles

Insurgent by Veronica Roth.  HarperCollins.

First, there was DIVERGENT.  In this middle story of the trilogy, Roth takes readers further into this futuristic world where Tris continues to discover that all is not what it seems on the surface. Not all who live within the confines of Amity are friendly; sometimes the Erudite seem downright ignorant of the truth.  Daunting members are not always unaware of the risks they face, and Candor are not always truthful.  Perhaps there are some in Abnegation who do not always think of the welfare of others first.  With civilization perhaps on the precipice of war, Tris must join forces with others like her, the Divergent, to find a way to survive.

Here is the official book trailer for INSURGENT.

Free teaching guide for DIVERGENT here:

http://files.harpercollins.com/HCChildrens/OMM/Media/Divergent%20DG.pdf

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.  Hyperion.

Take a few pages from Scheherazade and add in a vintage WWII movie, combine with the most memorable unreliable narrator, and you might come close to CODE NAME VERITY.  “Verity” was one of two aboard a small plane shot down by the Nazis.  Now she is being tortured and interrogated for any information she might have about the attacks against the Germans.  The New York Times says it best when it calls CODE NAME VERITY a book that, “is a fiendishly plotted mind game of a novel, the kind you have to read twice.”  Better yet, read it and then give it a listen.

Check out the discussion of the book at the Someday My Printz Will Come blog:  http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/printzblog/2012/11/21/code-name-verity/

Here is the book trailer:

and a link to the author’s web site:

http://www.elizabethwein.com/

Every Day by David Levithan.  Knopf.

What would it be like to wake each and every day in a new body?  Such has been the life of A, the protagonist of Levithan’s thought-provoking novel that examines what it means to be human.  What defines us?  Our gender, ethnicity, interests? As A travels from the body of one “host” to another, readers will have much to ponder about our true essence and what it is.

Here is the link to the book trailer which features some faces that might be familiar to those who love YA books:

SIX EARLIER DAYS, a prequel to the novel is available in Kindle form here:

http://www.amazon.com/Six-Earlier-Days-ebook/dp/B009MYAR5I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356548031&sr=1-1&keywords=six+days+earlier

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater.  Scholastic.

Fans of Stiefvater’s earlier work including the Printz Honor winning THE SCORPIO RACES know to expect something out of the ordinary not just in terms of the story but also in terms of the characters who inhabit the world the author has created.  Sixteen year old Blue comes from a family of psychics though she is not one herself.  She lives under a curse of sorts, as she has been told that if she kisses her true love, he will die.  Gansey and his pals are the Raven Boys, four young men who attend a prestigious private school.  They are searching for a legend, and when these characters’ lives intersect, there will be many surprises.  The first in a projected quartet, readers are already salivating for book #2 in the saga.

Here is the book trailer from Maggie’s (she did the animation and music) site:

http://maggiestiefvater.com/blog/the-animated-book-trailer-for-the-raven-boys/

And a link to the NPR interview about the book here:

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/16/161107554/doomed-love-and-psychic-powers-in-raven-boys

 

Post by Teri Lesesne

@ProfessorNana

Chair, 2013 Odyssey Committee

Executive Director of ALAN

Announcing the 2012 Middle Grade Fiction Nerdies

I feel blessed to be able to spend my days talking middle grade fictions with fourth graders in my classroom. I’ve spent the discussing the books with my students that won 2011 Nerdies. Is Origami Yoda real? – is a conversation that students regularly discusss. What would you wish for if you had a magic bread box? -every fourth grader loves thinking about their answer. What did you think about how the two stories came together in Wonderstruck? – Wow! is a common response to that question.

My students and I have spent the first half of the school year falling in love with the books that, today, are being named Nerdie winners. It should be no surprise.  Isn’t falling in love with books what Nerdy Book Club is all about?

The One and Only Ivan

By: Katherine Applegate

Harper Collins

 

I feel like I could write a 30-page single-spaced essay on how much I love this book. But let me just say this, most of all: I respect the pacing of this book with every core of my being. It moves so gently, and so slowly, in a way that I haven’t encountered in a MG book before. And it so totally works. And the exact day that my 6-year-old said, “I’m wondering if anything exciting is going to happen in this book,” Ruby the elephant showed up (and so it got exciting). It was heartbreaking and beautiful. My 8-year-old said, “I like how what it says on the back — ‘I am Ivan. I’m a gorilla. It’s not as easy as it looks” — is like a perfect little poem that describes the book.” There you go

Julie Falatko

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Wonder

By: R.J. Palacio

Knopf Books for Young Readers

At some points during my reading of Wonder I kept thinking what people on Heavy Medal would say about the book. It felt like I was looking for the book’s weakness. Probably has something to do with the fact that I read it Newbery weekend. Thankfully, I was able to remind myself that Newbery really doesn’t mean as much as some(me) make it out to be. My job isn’t to look for faults in a book. My job is to enjoy the story, savor the message, and fall in love with the characters.

This book is amazing, and everyone should read it. I had to stop with 3 pages left because I was sobbing. The thought of the book ending broke my heart. Three days later I was able to finish this 5 star read.

Me

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Liar & Spy

By Rebecca Stead

Wendy Lamb Books

 

An wonderful MG book that I look forward to recommending! It reminded me a bit of one of my favorite childhood books, Harriet the Spy. Stead is a fabulous story teller and makes you feel like you know the characters first hand. The ups and down of life, middle school, friendship, and family relationships are all explored with excellence.

Sherry Gick

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The False Prince

By: Jennifer Nielsen

Scholastic Press

What a fantastic middle grade read! The action begins right from the very first pages and there were many twists and turns that will keep readers hooked to the very end. Lots of action, great dialogue, and plenty of mystery make this a great recommendation for dormant readers…boys or girls! Can’t wait for book 2!

Susan Dee

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One For The Murphys

By: Lynda Mullaly Hunt

 Nancy Paulsen Books

I had read 40 pages into ONE FOR THE MURPHYS before I had to leave for family activities yesterday.

So, I picked the book back up, and with a cup of coffee, I sat out on the back deck to read some more.

And then, I ended up finishing the book.

Those in my reading community often wonder what books we will love in the next reading year, and we have certainly had some wonderful titles in 2012 already, but I think ONE FOR THE MURPHYS is a game changer for sure.

Read the reviews. Get a feel for the book. But you won’t know it’s “heart” until you’ve actually read this beautiful book.

For what it’s worth, ONE FOR THE MURPHYS comes with Mr. Hankins’s highest recommendations.

Paul W. Hankins

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Colby Sharp is a fourth grade teacher in Battle Creek, Michigan. He helps out with #Nerdybookclub, #titletalk, and the #sharpschu book club.

Announcing the 2012 Non-Fiction Nerdies by Mindi Rench

Growing up, I was not a fan of non-fiction books.  I loved romance.  I loved sweeping sagas of families facing hardship.  I loved books about girls in itchy dresses.  I did NOT love books about the habitat of parrots or how to build a garden in my backyard.  In a pinch, I would read the encyclopedia if I had nothing else to read, but I didn’t necessarily like it.  This is due, in part, to the types of non-fiction books that were available to me in the late seventies and early eighties when I was developing my love of reading.  They often were something like this:

(Photo from http://awfullibrarybooks.net/.  If you haven’t checked out this blog… do so soon!)

Lately, though, as I’ve pushed myself to read more non-fiction written for kids and teens, I’m seeing that things have changed!  The books are engaging… they’re well written… they’re fun to read.  Good thing, too, with the new emphasis on non-fiction that’s come about with the Common Core State Standards.  Luckily for us, some amazing non-fiction books were released in 2012, and here are five of the best, as voted by Nerdy Book Club Readers like yourself.

Here they are… the 2012 NON-FICTION NERDIE WINNERS!

Temple Grandin:  How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery

In this book, Sy Montgomery describes Grandin’s childhood and shows readers how it was because of, not in spite of, Grandin’s autism that she was able to empathize with the livestock she loves and discover new, more humane ways for handling livestock.  The book includes blueprints from several of Grandin’s projects as well as great photography.  Montgomery is one of my favorite non-fiction authors, and this book did not disappoint.

Bomb:  The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
With Bomb, Sheinkin opens the door on a piece of US history often glossed over in textbooks.  His fascinating explanation of the development of the first atomic bombs and the spies who were stealing the plans, would be a great addition to any US history course that covers World War II.  It’s a book that takes a complex issue and breaks it down so that middle school readers can understand just what was at stake and the lasting effects in our world today.

Titanic:  Voices From the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, and there was no shortage of books on the topic. Among the best was this one by Deborah Hopkinson.  Using the voices of the victims and survivors themselves, Hopkinson brings the reader right onto the ship.  I felt as if I were there on that fateful April night, and I couldn’t put the book down, even though I knew how the story would end.  This book is a testament to the power of primary sources.

Guy-Write:  What Every Guy Writer Needs to Know by Ralph Fletcher
Ralph Fletcher hits another home run with this book targeted at, but not just for, boys.  Fletcher emphasizes the power of choice in this guide to writing, encouraging young writers to write about things they are interested in or are important to them, even if the grown-ups in their lives might not agree with the topics.  Like Fletcher’s other books for young writers, the voice in this book is approachable and engaging for middle grade readers.

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story of an American Friendship by Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman is another of my favorite non-fiction authors.  His ability to combine photographs and other artwork with words to create a compelling story that draws the reader in is unparallelled. In his latest work, Freedman takes on the friendship between President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass. He shows how similar these two men really were and how their meetings changed the course of United States history.  This one, also, has a place in US history classrooms.

So there they are… five amazing books, all worthy of space in classroom libraries and all great books for young teens AND adults!  If you haven’t read them, go get them.  I’ll wait for you, and then we can share our thoughts!

Mindi Rench spreads the Nerdy Book Club love as a junior high literacy coach at Northbrook Junior High in Northbrook, Illinois, and as mom to two members of the Junior Nerdy Book Club.  You can find her on Twitter as @mindi_r and read her blog at http://nextbestbook.blogspot.com.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 POETRY NERDIES by Mary Lee Hahn

Light Verse,

Incredibly Diverse,

Apologies,

Honey Bees,

Contemplation,

Rumination.

Best six:

Classics

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LIGHT VERSE

I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus

by Jack Prelutsky

illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic

Greenwillow Books

Author’s Website

Jack Prelutsky, the inaugural Children’s Poet Laureate, continues to delight children with his poems. Filled with more than 100 poems, I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus includes such silliness as

MY FRIEND PETE

Though I’m impressed with my friend Pete,

Who plays the cello with his feet,

I am dazzled by his sister Rose –

She plays the tuba with her nose.

INCREDIBLY DIVERSE

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!

compiled by J. Patrick Lewis

National Geographic Children’s Books

Author’s Website

J. Patrick Lewis, current Children’s Poet Laureate, has compiled a must-have collection of 200 animal poems “With favorites from Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, Emily Dickinson and more.” Every page in this coffee table-sized book has stunning National Geographic photography and one or more poems about the featured animal. Browse this beautiful book, or search by title, poet, first line, or subject in the indices. Resources also include tips for writing different forms of poetry, and a bibliography of a variety of children’s poetry books organized by poetry form.

APOLOGIES

Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It: False Apology Poems

by Gail Carson Levine

illustrated by Matthew Cordell

HarperCollins

Author’s Website

William Carlos Williams’ poem “This is Just to Say” was the inspiration for this collection of false apology poems. Many of the poems reference Mother Goose rhymes or fairy tale characters with kid-sized literary allusions, but others simply channel childhood sibling rivalry:

THIS IS JUST TO SAY

While you were buying

doll dresses

I sanded off

your Barbie’s face

which

you constantly

patted and praised

Forgive me

her beauty

was only

skin deep

The poems are smart and punny – a ready-set-go mentor text that invites readers to try a false apology of their own!

HONEY BEES

UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings

by Douglas Florian

Beach Lane Books

Author’s Website

Douglas Florian pairs poems featuring his trademark rhyming wordplay with paragraphs of information about honeybees (and whimsical paintings) in an collection that entertains and educates in equal measures. From a welcome to the hive through a wondering about the demise of honeybees, Florian gives readers a complete tour of a honeybee’s world.

CONTEMPLATION

Step Gently Out

by Helen Frost

illustrated by Rick Lieder

Candlewick

Author’s Website

This picturebook-length poem, dazzlingly illustrated by Rick Lieder’s photographs of insects, encourages the reader to “Step gently out, / be still, / and watch / a single glade / of grass.” Guided by Helen Frost’s words, we are still, we look, we listen, and we remember to appreciate all of the creatures that share the world.

RUMINATION

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard

by Lesléa Newman

Candlewick

Author’s Website

Matthew Shepard was a gay twenty-one-year-old University of Wyoming student who was savagely beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die on October 6, 1998. This cycle of sixty-eight poems (for readers in middle school and up) explores the events of that October night from a variety of points of view — the fence, the killers, Matthew Shepard’s mother, the truck, the road, the moon, the deer who was found lying near Matthew when the sheriff arrived at the scene, and more. Each poem includes an epigraph, which is explained with notes at the end of the book. Also included are an explanation of the variety of poetic forms used, and a variety of resources for deeper understanding of Matthew Shepard’s story, plus LGBTQ and human rights issues. This is not an easy book to read, but it is an important story told with compassion and honesty.

Mary Lee Hahn teaches 5th grade Language Arts in Dublin, Ohio. When it comes to poetry, she really earns her Nerdy Book Club wings: she has a collection of US Poet Laureate and Children’s Poet Laureate signatures.

You can find her blogging at http://readingyear.blogspot.com and on Twitter as @MaryLeeHahn.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 GRAPHIC NOVEL NERDIES by Katherine Sokolowski

I feel like I should run through the street yelling from house to house, “The Nerdies are here! The Nerdies are here!” 2012 brought us some amazing books and I’m delighted to be sharing the graphic novel winners with you. As a huge fan of graphic novels, I am thrilled with this list. I think it represents the best of the graphic novels released this year. Also, a bit of trivia, it has two authors that have won a “Nerdy” two years in a row. Can you guess who?

So, without further ado, the winners of the second annual Nerdy Book Club award in the graphic novel category:

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Babymouse #16: Babymouse for President

Written by Jennifer Holm and illustrated by Matt Holm

 Authors’ websites:

• Jennifer: http://www.jenniferholm.com/
• Matt: http://www.matthewholm.net/

Follow on Twitter: @jenniholm @mattholm

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHgqmr1Tciw

My students cannot get enough of this series. When Mr. Sharp and Mr. Schu picked Babymouse as part of one of their Twitter book clubs, my students read the two chosen volumes. For a few students, this was their first introduction to Babymouse and many students went on to read the entire series.
In this installment, Babymouse decides to run for student council president hoping to improve school lunches. Competition for the office will be fierce. Babymouse will be running against: Santiago, Georgie, the evil Felicia Furrypaws and even her locker! But with a campaign slogan like, “Babymouse for president, a cupcake in every locker” how can she lose?

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A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel

Illustrations and adaptation by Hope Larson, written by Madeleine L’Engle

Author’s website: http://hopelarson.com/

Follow on Twitter: @hopelarson

Donalyn Miller talked about our “book gaps” in a post on Nerdy Book Club recently. One of my gaps is that I haven’t read Wrinkle in Time, but I have read the graphic novel. I can tell you that with, or without, reading the original novel – this graphic novel is amazing.

For fans of the novel, I have been assured that Larson stays true to the original story, practically word for word. For those of us who haven’t read the original book yet, this is a fabulous graphic novel on its own. Follow Meg as she, Charles Wallace, and Calvin fight to save our universe against a dark force that is taking over.

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Cardboard

by Doug TenNapel

Author’s website: http://tennapel.com/

Follow on Twitter: @TenNapel

My students are big fans of Doug TenNapel’s work. Bad Island and Ghostopolis were both popular titles in our classroom library. Cardboard was quickly snatched up and became the most popular graphic novel of the three.

The book begins with Cam’s dad searching for a birthday gift for his son. He doesn’t have much money but finds a mysterious man who offers to sell him a special cardboard box for the change in his pocket, 78 cents. The box comes with special rules that Cam’s dad promises to follows, and then, of course, forgets.
Cam and his dad create a boxer out of the cardboard and it comes to life. But a mean kid next door, Marcus, gets his hands on the cardboard and quickly loses control as more and more cardboard items come to life. This is one action packed book as Cam, his dad, Bill (the boxer made of cardboard), and Marcus try and figure out how they can once again gain control of this magical cardboard.

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Legends of Zita the Spacegirl

by Ben Hatke

Author’s website: http://www.househatke.com/

Zita is back! This time Zita is dealing with a public that is clamoring for her – she has become a hero since the ending of the first book and sometimes that attention becomes too much. When a robot comes up and looks just like her, she let’s the robot take some of the spotlight so she can have a moments peace. Things don’t go as planned and Zita and company end up on another romp across the galaxy. A fabulous graphic novel that will have you anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

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Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

Author’s website: http://goraina.com/

Follow on Twitter: @goraina

Smile is one of the most popular graphic novels in my classroom and students are always looking for more from Raina. This book does not disappoint. Callie is in 7th grade and part of the backstage crew of her middle school’s theater department. The story follows the “drama” of folks trying out for the leads, crushes, relationships, dances, friendships, and more. I loved the character of Callie. She knows who she is and isn’t trying to be someone she’s not. A perfect book for middle school readers that shows how to stand by your friends.

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And that’s a wrap! Did you guess the authors that have won in this category both years? Ben Hatke won last year for Zita the Spacegirl and Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm won for Babymouse #14: Mad Scientist. Congrats to all of the Nerdy Book Club Award winners. In my opinion, 2012 was a great year for readers – amazing books across the board!

Katherine Sokolowski has taught for fourteen years and currently teaches fifth grade in Monticello, Illinois. She is passionate about reading both in her classroom and also with her two sons.

Twitter: @katsok

Blog: http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/.

ANNOUNCING THE 2012 NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK NERDIES by Karen Terlecky

I have been happily immersed in nonfiction picture books lately.  I have spent a lot of time looking at many great nonfiction books as I choose the best mentor texts for nonfiction to have in our classroom library. One of the ways I’ve done that is to spend a great deal of time looking at all the nonfiction picture books that were nominated for a Nerdy Award.  What a great place we are in currently with nonfiction – so many amazing titles out there, covering a wide variety of topics.  Then, when I was asked if I would write today’s blurb to announce the Nerdy winners in this category, I got to spend an entire afternoon perusing different websites, searching for the best ones for book trailers and other resources to introduce the amazing winners.  I’m pleased to say nonfiction picture books are alive and doing well.

That being said, we have seven winners in this category.  Four are biographies, one takes a very up-close look at a species prevalent throughout the world, another tracks the birth and growth of an island and its inhabitants, and finally, we have a book to set to one of the most famous speeches ever given.  With no further ado, the Nerdy Awards in the nonfiction picture book category go to…

Here Come the Girl Scouts: The Amazing All-true Story of Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure

Written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Hadley Hooper

Scholastic Press, 2012

As a former Girl Scout, this book brought back many memories of learning about the history of Scouts to earn a badge, and more recently (okay, 20 years ago), having my daughters be Daisy Girl Scouts.  Our own Nerdy Book Club members, John Schu and Colby Sharp, did a connected study of biographies between Colby’s classroom and the 5th grade students in John’s school, with Here Come the Girl Scouts being an important focus.  But preceding that collaboration, Colby’s class actually had a Skype visit with Shana Corey.  In addition to their cross-collaboration, this link also provides two interviews with Shana.
http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2012/04/here-come-girl-scouts-by-shana-corey.html

The Beetle Book

Written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Houghton Mifflin Books, 2012

Steve Jenkins is an incredibly prolific writer and I’ve come to look forward to each of his new publications.  The Beetle Book doesn’t disappoint.  Who knew there were so many species of beetles?  The text is incredibly informative, and the pictures of each different beetle just pop right off the page.  I found this review by a Denver Post journalist that I really liked, especially since Boulder, Colorado, is the place that Jenkins calls home.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/artmosphere/2012/10/16/beetle-book/7093/

Looking at Lincoln

Written and illustrated by Maira Kalman

Penguin Group, 2012

Looking at Lincoln is a book that has been on many different lists as a possible award winner.   The story gives the reader, especially a young reader, a wonderful look at the ordinary life of Abraham Lincoln as well as some of his historic milestones.  Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup blog posted about how Maira Kalman’s New York Times essays became this delectable book – http://jamarattigan.com/2012/02/12/honest-abe-is-a-babe-maira-kalman-looks-at-lincoln/
Then, as an additional resource, listen to Maira herself share how she created the backstory for Looking at Lincoln : http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=7234&a=1

Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team

Written by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Steven Salerno

Clarion Books, 2012

Though I can grow quite bored watching nine innings of baseball on the television or at the ballpark, for some reason, I am absolutely fascinated by historical baseball books.  I felt that way about Baseball Saved Us and We are the Ship.  Brothers at Bat continues the fine tradition of excellent baseball history stories.  This time, the story focuses, just as the title suggests, on a baseball team made up entirely of brothers.  We get to know the brothers both as a team and also individually as both world events and personal events happen to them all.
I found a great blog where the teacher shared this book with her students and then posted their responses to the story.  This class is the next generation of Nerdy Book Club members!
http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/2012/05/brothers-at-bat-by-audrey-vernick.html

Helen’s Big World

Written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Matt Tavares

Hyperion Books, 2012

What is not to love when this pair teams up?!!  A great biography writer with a wonderful illustrator – we hit the jackpot with this one!  There are several links that really struck my fancy when poking around today.  The first is when Doreen Rappaport and Matt Tavares visited Books of Wonder, an independent bookstore in NYC.  The pictures of them with some of the artifacts from the book and from Helen’s life are great to see!  - http://matttavaresbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/books-of-wonder.html
Another link that really touched me was one where Matt Tavares shared some of his thinking about illustrating such a powerful story about a person who could not see or hear – http://matttavaresbooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/helens-big-world-publication-day.html
And finally, a review that nicely sums up this incredible story.
http://wakingbraincells.com/2012/10/09/review-helens-big-world-by-doreen-rappaport/

I Have a Dream

Words by Martin Luther King, Jr. and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Schwartz and Wade Books, 2012

Though only published in October, I Have a Dream has made many “Best of…” lists already.  And now, we can add a Nerdy Award as well!  Kadir Nelson’s illustrations beautifully capture the moments of the day of this incredible speech by Martin Luther King, Jr.  It gives me hope that a book like this will give new life to this amazing man’s legacy to an entire new generation of readers.

And because I am drawn to anything Kadir Nelson illustrates, I had to add this link to an interview with him where he talks about illustrating this book with TFK kid reporters – http://www.timeforkids.com/photos-video/video/i-have-dream-69016

Island

Written and illustrated by Jason Chin

Flash Point Books, 2012

Island is a book I didn’t pick up until two weeks ago.  Life science and the evolution of an island just didn’t make it to the top of my TBR pile.  When I finally did read Island, I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck took me so long!  This is an incredible book that shares an island’s life story, divided into time periods, millions of years apart.  The concept of survival of the fittest when it comes to what species do in order to survive and adapt is a huge part of what makes this book such a spellbinding read.
The following blog post does an amazing job giving the reader a look inside Island, complete with several of the page layouts that are absolutely gorgeous.

http://gotstorycountdown.wordpress.com/tag/jason-chin/
What a wonderful list of nonfiction picture book Nerdy Award winners!!  Congratulations to all seven Nerdies winners!

Karen Terlecky is a 5th grade language arts teacher who has belonged to the Nerdy Book Club her entire life, dating back to her days visiting the weekly bookmobile and collecting all the books in the Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, Student Nurse series, and rereading Little Women for at least the 20th time.  Today, she continues her Nerdy status every time she has Nerdy friends (that includes her students) recommend a book she just has to put in her TBR pile (it never seems to shrink!), every time she participates in #titletalk, #bookgapchallenge, #bookaday, and other reading memes, and every time she meets and has the good opportunity to talk to an author whose work she loves. Being Nerdy is the norm in her classroom, and she can’t wait to share the Nerdy Award winners with her students.

The 2012 Early Reader and Chapter Book Winners are…

Discovering the perfect early reader or early chapter book can be difficult.  Sure there are wonderfully illustrated books, but to find one that has just the right illustrations and is engaging; yet written in a way that allows developing young readers to have success is much more challenging.

This year, I am celebrating that the Nerdy Book Awards separated out early readers from picture books.  Don’t you agree that this is a great way to recognize some wonderful books?

I am so excited to announce the winners of the 2012 Early Reader and Chapter Book Category:

BINK & GOLLIE: TWO FOR ONE by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee; Illustrated by Tony Fucile (Candlewick, 2012)

In this follow-up to the first Bink & Gollie (September 2010), readers find our two friends at the state fair.   DiCamillo & McGhee provide fans with three vignettes comprised of a blend of humor, a touch of compassion, and a sense that things will continue to move forward for the pair.  Each story stands alone, yet also flows together and builds upon one another. When Bink tries her hand at Whack-a-duck, I couldn’t help but laugh.  When Gollie steps on stage for the talent show, I felt her nervousness.  And when the fortune-teller confirms what we know about Bink & Gollie and their friendship, I cheered.  Fucile’s illustrations provide just the right level of visuals to enhance the text and provide another level of complexity to each chapter.   I am so glad this book made it to the Top 5.

  

Mo Willem’s makes the Top 5 twice with LISTEN TO MY TRUMPET and LET’S GO FOR A DRIVE (Hyperion Books for Children, 2012)

There is a reason that Mo Willems has won four (4) Geisel Awards or Honors.  Willems is a master at simplicity, humor, and a well thought out story line that just works.  In both Listen to My Trumpet! And Let’s Go for a Drive!, beginning readers will revel in the friendship and the hilarity of  the antics between Elephant and Piggie.  When I scanned the reviews of both books on GoodReads, I noticed that everyone finds their own way of relating to Elephant and Piggie.  Additionally, everyone agrees that these two friends crack them up.  Do you think Willems has award number 5 on his hands with one of these?

MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS by Kate Messner; Illustrated by Brian Floca (Scholastic, 2012)

Yes, Marty McGuire made the top 5!!!  Can you tell that I am a super big fan of Marty’s? Kate Messner perfectly captures the voice of a 3rd grader. Marty is likeable without being annoying.  Annie, and Veronica Grace and the others from the first book are back.  In Marty McGuire Digs Worms, she and her classmates have 5 weeks to create “How to Save the Earth” Projects. Marty’s project (with some help from Annie) is to start a worm-composting project. Of course there has to be some mishaps or this wouldn’t be Marty.

Here some Nerdy Book Club members tell why they love Marty:

Characters like Marty McGuire are why fiction matters. – Colby

Marty McGuire is one of my favorite protagonists ever. I don’t know if it is because she reminds me a bit of myself or because I wish I knew her, but either way, she is wonderful. – Kellee

Seriously, I love anything Kate Messner writes! She has a unique talent for creating characters whose voices ring true. – Susan

Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook Press, 2012)

In 2012, there was Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Babymouse and…Bad Kitty all running for president.  Throughout it all, Bad Kitty taught us a thing or two about presidential elections.

I can’t say it any better than our Nerdy Book Club Friend Paul W. Hankins:

“I just love these BAD KITTY books, God help me; I do. I want that cat to throw the two page hissy-fit and I look forward to it.

But more than the fun is a super introduction to the primary system, how a campaign works, and the importance of making sure one is registered to vote. I love how the BAD KITTY franchise has grown to become a non-fiction kind of ladder to items our younger readers may find confusing or ones our young people may not even have looked at yet.

I won’t give away the election results here. . .that just wouldn’t be right, would it?”

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Alyson Beecher is a Program Support Specialist for Reading & Literacy with the Pasadena Unified School District in California.  She has a serious book addiction and celebrates books as part of the Nerdy Book Club.

 

Twitter: @alybee930

 

Blog: Kid Lit Frenzy

The 2012 Picture Book Nerdies Go To…

The day after Christmas is always a little sad. The presents are unwrapped.  Empty bottles of eggnog are in the recycling bin. You know that in the very near future you’ll have to take down your beautiful Christmas tree.

I have the perfect thing to put you back in a festive mood: THE 2012 PICTURE BOOK NERDIES. The votes have been counted and verified.

Without further ado, the 2012 PICTURE BOOK NERDIES  go to…

Boy + Bot. Written by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Knopf, 2012.

Boy + Bot and Ame Dyckman (@AmeDyckman) dominated Twitter in 2012. Fine folks expressed their love for this hilarious and sweet friendship story using the hashtags #Bookaday , #Kidlit, #SharpSchu, #tlchat, #nerdybookclub, #titletalk, #Bookaday , and once a hardcore hashtagger used #AmeDyckmanDeservesAnAwardForBeingTheMostPostivePersonOnTwitterAndAnAwardForWritinganEndearingFriendshipStoryThatKidsBegtoHearAgainandAgain.

This Is Not My Hat. Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Candlewick Press, 2012.

This marks author-illustrator Jon Klassen’s second Nerdy. As you’ll recall, he received one for the most discussed book of 2011, I Want My Hat Back.

This Is Not My Hat introduces young readers to one of the most honest fish in the history of children’s books. On the first page, he declares, “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.”  Uh-oh! We know all too well what happened to that sticky-pawed rabbit.  What’s going to happen to the little fish when the BIG FISH discovers his bowler hat is missing? Will he find the little fish hiding where the plants grow big and tall and close together? Will the crab tell which way he went?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you better run to your local independent bookshop to find out.

Extra Yarn. Written by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen. Brazer + Bray, 2012.

It’s funny, it’s touching, it’s weird. And there’s magic. And an archduke from distant lands. And a pickup truck wearing a sweater. But once the story starts, you don’t think about any of those seemingly incongruous things. Barnett and Klassen use everything but the kitchen sink, but it doesn’t feel gaudy – it feels classic. -Travis Jonker 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Written and illustrated by William Joyce. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012.

What a year for Mr. Morris Lessmore! First an Academy Award, now a Nerdy Award. I cannot think of a more deserving bibliophile. Congratulations!

Each Kindness. Written by Jacqueline Woodson; illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

Are you looking for a thought-provoking picture book to pair with R.J. Palacio’s Wonder? If yes, Each Kindness is the perfect book for you.

Read what six Nerdy Book Club members posted on Goodreads:

*”A beautifully-rendered story that explores the little ways we exclude people and the regret that comes when we can’t apologize.” -Donalyn 

*”I had a lump in my throat towards the end of this book. You truly feel the emotion of this book as you read it and the regret that the main character feels for not having reached out in kindness and friendship.” -Alyson 

*”A book that goes straight to your heart. Must-read. Gorgeous illustrations.” -Mary Lee

*”Don’t miss this one during October and Bullying Awareness Month.” -Paul

*”This is a book that will speak to a wide range of students. No easy answers, but questions to raise.” -Mary Ann 

 *”Read it, discuss it, and recommend it to every teacher in your building.”  -Me

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John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) is a teacher-librarian at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook, Illinois.  He is a proud member of the Nerdy Book Club. 

Twitter: @MrSchuReads

Blog: Watch. Connect. Read. 

2012 Nerdy Book Club Awards: Let the Voting Begin! by Donalyn Miller

I have enjoyed spending the past two weeks catching up on outstanding books from our 2012 Nerdy Book Club Award nominee list. I trust your book recommendations and your suggestions have helped me prioritize my towering pile of unread books.

Voting is now open for the 2012 Nerdy Book Club Awards. Please cast your ballots for your favorite children’s and young adult titles published in 2012. Select five favorites in each category, including picture books, early readers, poetry, graphic novels, nonfiction, and fiction. After tabulating your votes, we will announce one winner and four runners-up for each category in daily feature posts beginning December 26^th.

The ballot will close at midnight on December 22^nd. This gives us another week to read a few more books and share them with children before casting our final votes.

**Note: Colby Sharp requested photographs, asking Nerdy readers to share images of their favorite 2012 books. Recognizing that many folks needed a few more weeks to finish and select favorites, Colby has extended the deadline for submitting photographs until December 22^nd. Please email your photos to nerdybookclubblog@gmail.com for inclusion in a future post.

Donalyn Miller is a fourth grade teacher at Peterson Elementary in Fort Worth, TX. She is the author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. Donalyn co-hosts the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk (with Nerdy co-founder, Colby Sharp), and facilitates the Twitter reading initiative, #bookaday.

2012 Nerdy Book Club Award Nominees

I spent the day combing through your 2012 Nerdy Book Club Award nominations–discovering many new titles and revisiting many books that my students, colleagues, and I enjoyed reading this year. Thank you to the hundreds of readers who took the time to nominate books. Narrowing a wonderful year of reading into a short list of titles challenges avid readers, and I know you had to make tough choices!

The 2011 Nerdies shortlist contained 97 titles. Click the link on the blog’s tool bar if you would like the 2011 list or visit last year’s Nerdy Book Club Award finalists post, Mooning Over Book Lists. This year’s finalists’ list contains 154 titles in seven categories. We planned to shortlist the top twenty nominees in each category, but tie votes and landslide nominations for many books resulted in more or less titles than twenty in some categories. You don’t mind more books, do you?

In two weeks, we will open the final ballot and invite readers to select our final 2012 Nerdy Book Club Award winners. These two weeks will give readers time to review the finalists and consider titles before voting begins. I plan to spend the next fourteen days catching up on the unread Nerdy nominees I have in my to-read pile. I want to be as informed as possible before I cast my final vote! I hope you enjoy poring over the list and finding new books to read and share.

Congratulations to our Nerdy Book Club Award authors and illustrators! Your work has been chosen by teachers, librarians, children, booksellers, and readers everywhere as one of the best books of 2012. Thank you for providing marvelous reading experience for the children in our lives (and us). Everyone here at the Nerdy Book Club looks forward to sharing your books with more readers!

2012 Nerdy Book Club Award Nominations

Picture Books: Fiction (22)

A Home For Bird by Philip C. Stead

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano and Erin Stead

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead and Erin Stead

Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman and Dan Yaccarino

Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex

Chopsticks by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson and E. B. Lewis

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

hello! hello! by Matthew Cordell

I’m Bored by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo and David Small

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and Eric Litwin

Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul Zelinsky

Picture Books: Nonfiction (20)

A Leaf Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas and Violeta Dabija

A Rock Is Lively by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson and Raul Colon

Birds of a Feather by Bernadette Gervais and Francesco Pittau

Bon Appetit! The Delicious Life of Julia Child by Jessie Hartland

A Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkinson and John Hendrix

Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team by Audrey Vernick and Steven Salerno

Electric Ben: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by Robert Byrd

Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asim and Bryan Collier

Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller by Doreen Rappaport and Matt Tavares

Here Come the Girl Scouts!: The Amazing All-True Story of Juliette ‘Daisy’ Gordon Low and Her Great Adventure by Shana Corey and Hadley Hooper

I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. and Kadir Nelson

Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin

It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate and R. Gregory Christie

Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivola

Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman

Nic Bishop Snakes by Nic Bishop

The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins

There Goes Ted William: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived by Matt Tavares

Those Rebels, John and Tom by Barbara Kerley and Edwin Fotheringham

Early Reader/ Chapter Books (10)

Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel

Bink and Gollie, Two for One by Kate DiCamillo, Alison McGhee and Tony Fucile

Let’s Go For A Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

Listen to My Trumpet! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems

Lulu Walks the Dogs by Judith Viorst and Lane Smith

Marty McGuire Digs Worms! by Kate Messner and Brian Floca

Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkes

Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes

Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell

Sadie and Ratz by Sonya Hartnett and Ann James

Graphic Novels (20)

Amulet #5: The Prince of Elves by Kazu Kibuishi

Babymouse #16: Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm

Bird & Squirrel on the Run by James Burks

Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Earthling! by Mark Fearing

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks

Giants Beware! by Jorge Aguirre

Hades: Lord of the Dead (Olympians) by George O’Connor

Legends of Zita the Space Girl by Ben Hatke

Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and Andres Vera Martinez

Lunch Lady #7: Lunch Lady and the Mutant Mathletes by Jarrett Krosoczka

Lunch Lady #8: Lunch Lady and the Picture Day Peril by Jarrett Krosoczka

Mal and Chad: Food Fight! by Stephen McCranie

Squish #3: The Power of the Parasite by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm

Squish #4: Captain Disaster by Jennifer L. Holm and Matt Holm

Teen Boat by John Green and Dave Roman

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle and Hope Larson

The Year of the Beasts by Cecil Castellucci and Nate Powell

Poetry (20)

Dare to Dream…Change the World by Jill Corcoran and J. Beth Jepson

Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems by J. Patrick Lewis and Michael Slack

Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart by Mary Ann Hoberman and Michael Emberley

Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson Levine and Matthew Cordell

In the Sea by David Elliott and Holly Meade

I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus by Jack Prelutsky and Jackie Urbanovic

Lies, Knives, and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge and Andrea Dezso

A Meal of the Stars: Poems Up and Down by Dana Jensen and Tricia Tusa

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! by J. Patrick Lewis

October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Leslea Newman

Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies and Mark Hearld

Poem Runs: Baseball Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub: Poems About the Presidents by Susan Katz and Robert Neubecker

Step Gently Out by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play by Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham

A Strange Place to Call Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats & the Animals That Call Them Home by Marilyn Singer and Ed Young

UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

Walking on Earth and Touching the Sky: Poetry and Prose by Lakota Youth at Red Cloud Indian School by Timothy P. McLaughlin, S. D. Nelson and Joseph Marshall III

Water Sings Blue by Kate Coombs and Meilo So

What’s Looking At You Kid? by J. Patrick Lewis

Middle Grade and Young Adult Nonfiction (19)

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship by Russell Freedman

Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport

A Black Hole Is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano and Michael Carroll

Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

The Book of Blood: From Legends and Leeches to Vampires and Veins by H.P. Newquist

The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World by Mary Losure

Guy-Write: What Every Guy Writer Needs to Know by Ralph Fletcher

The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin W. Sandler

Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy and Alison Blank

The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field Series) by Elizabeth Rusch

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose

The Plant Hunters: True Stories of Their Daring Adventures to the Far Corners of the Earth by Anita Silvey

Seymour Simon’s Extreme Earth Records by Seymour Simon (new addition to the list)

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery and Temple Grandin

The Giant and How He Humbugged America by Jum Murphy

Titanic: Voices From the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson

Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth’s Strangest Animals by Michael Hearst, Jelmer Noordeman, Christie Wright and Arjen Noordeman

We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson

Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead by Rebecca L. Johnson

Middle Grade Fiction (22)

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

The Cloak Society by Jeramey Kraatz

Crow by Barbara Wright

Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

May B by Caroline Starr Rose

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Young Adult Fiction (21)

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Boy21 by Matthew Quick

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth E. Wein

The Crown of Embers (Girl of Fire and Thorns) by Rae Carson

The Diviners by Libba Bray

Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

Every Day by David Levithan

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Grave Mercy by R.A. LaFevers

Immortal Lycanthropes by Hal Johnson

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and R. Gregory Christie

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

The Raven Boys Maggie Steifvater

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

The Wicked and the Just by Jillian Anderson Coats

** Corrections

No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and R. Gregory Christie was incorrectly placed in the nonfiction category. It has been moved to the YA fiction category. Thanks to Monica Edinger for the heads-up.

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg and Kevin O’Malley is ineligible because it was originally published in 2011. Seymour Simon’s Extreme Earth Records by Seymour Simon earned the next nomination slot.

Donalyn Miller is a fourth grade teacher at Peterson Elementary in Fort Worth, TX. She is the author of The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. Donalyn co-hosts the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk (with Nerdy co-founder, Colby Sharp), and facilitates the Twitter reading initiative, #bookaday.