Great Books in the LRC and Beyond
Great Books in the LRC and Beyond
Great Books in the LRC and Beyond
We have many great books in the LRC. Need a visual? Here’s some video booktalks for you.
If you’re interested in
Fantasy books –
Inkheart Is there anything more magical than a book literally coming to life? For Meggie, books have always been the hub around which her life spins. Her dad, Mo, is a book doctor, rebinding books that have seen better days. Books are what the two bond over, are what they decorate their home with, and are how they relate to the world around them. But Mo has never ever read aloud to his daughter, that she can remember, and in the pages of Inkheart Meggie discovers his reasons.
Gregor the Overlander The story of a quiet boy who embarks on a dangerous quest in order to fulfill his destiny—and find his father—in a strange world beneath New York City. When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor’s arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland’s uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it — until he realizes it’s the only way to solve the mystery of his father’s disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.
Realistic Fiction books –
Ways to Live Forever “My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.”
Wow, how can you not want to find out more about Sam!
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones Lincoln Jones is always working on the latest story he’s got going in his notebook. Those stories are his refuge. A place where the hero always prevails and the bad guy goes to jail. Real life is messy and complicated, so Lincoln sticks to fiction and keeps to himself. Which works fine until a nosy girl at his new school starts prying into his private business. She wants to know what he’s writing, where he disappears to after school, and why he never talks to anybody. . . .
The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones is a terrifically funny and poignant story about a boy finding the courage to get to know the real characters all around him—and to let them know him.
Mystery books –
The Body in the Woods Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own. A riveting mystery for sure!!
Two Can Keep a Secret: The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone’s declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
(add additional booktalks…..)
Only read award winners? Below are some places to explore these winners!
Goodreads 2020 award winners: The only major book awards decided by readers https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2020?ref=gca2020winners
Caudill 2020 Book Awards: Is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools. The award is named in honor of Rebecca Caudill who lived and wrote in Urbana, Illinois, for nearly 50 years. The award is given in recognition for her literary talent and the universal appeal of her books which have touched the hearts of many children and young adults.
https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/images/2020/2020CaudillAuthorList.pdf
National Book Award: Selected by writers for writers and granted by the National Book Foundation since 1969, this annual award selects America’s best in four categories, Young People’s Literature, and Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry
https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2020/
Newbery Award Winner: The Newbery Medal is awarded in January each year by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal
Coretta Scott King Award: The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.
http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/24/all_years
Caldecott Medal: Awarded by the American Library Association since 1938, the Caldecott Medal is the most prestigious award given to an artist for the Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal
Jefferson Cup Award: Awarded since 1983 by the Virginia Library Association, the Jefferson Cup honors the authors of distinguished biography, historical fiction or American history books for young people.
https://www.vla.org/jefferson-cup-past-winners
Pura Belpre’: Named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library and bestowed annually since 1996 to both a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator, this award recognizes outstanding literature portraying the Latino cultural experience.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal
Hugo Awards: Granted annually since 1955 by the World Science Fiction Society, the Hugo is the most prestigious award for science fiction, and though not specifically meant for the young adult audience, Hugo winners, such as 1986 award winner Ender’s Game, have become enduring favorites of young adult readers.
http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history
Children’s Choice Awards: Given since 1973 by the IRA (International Reading Association) and the CBC (Children’s Book Council,) this is an annual list of winning children’s and young adult books chosen by a process involving 12,500 school children reading and recommending their favorites from more than 500 books.
https://www.cbcbooks.org/readers/reading-lists/ccba/
Great Books in the LRC and Beyond
We have many great books in the LRC. Need a visual? Here’s some video booktalks for you.
If you’re interested in
Fantasy books –
Inkheart Is there anything more magical than a book literally coming to life? For Meggie, books have always been the hub around which her life spins. Her dad, Mo, is a book doctor, rebinding books that have seen better days. Books are what the two bond over, are what they decorate their home with, and are how they relate to the world around them. But Mo has never ever read aloud to his daughter, that she can remember, and in the pages of Inkheart Meggie discovers his reasons.
Gregor the Overlander The story of a quiet boy who embarks on a dangerous quest in order to fulfill his destiny—and find his father—in a strange world beneath New York City. When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor’s arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland’s uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it — until he realizes it’s the only way to solve the mystery of his father’s disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.
Realistic Fiction books –
Ways to Live Forever “My name is Sam. I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts. By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.”
Wow, how can you not want to find out more about Sam!
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones Lincoln Jones is always working on the latest story he’s got going in his notebook. Those stories are his refuge. A place where the hero always prevails and the bad guy goes to jail. Real life is messy and complicated, so Lincoln sticks to fiction and keeps to himself. Which works fine until a nosy girl at his new school starts prying into his private business. She wants to know what he’s writing, where he disappears to after school, and why he never talks to anybody. . . .
The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones is a terrifically funny and poignant story about a boy finding the courage to get to know the real characters all around him—and to let them know him.
Mystery books –
The Body in the Woods Alexis, Nick, and Ruby have very different backgrounds: Alexis has spent her life covering for her mom’s mental illness, Nick’s bravado hides his fear of not being good enough, and Ruby just wants to pursue her eccentric interests in a world that doesn’t understand her. When the three teens join Portland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, they are teamed up to search for a autistic man lost in the woods. What they find instead is a dead body. In a friendship that will be forged in danger, fear, and courage, the three team up to find the girl’s killer—before he can strike one of their own. A riveting mystery for sure!!
Two Can Keep a Secret: The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone’s declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
(add additional booktalks…..)
Only read award winners? Below are some places to explore these winners!
Goodreads 2020 award winners: The only major book awards decided by readers https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2020?ref=gca2020winners
Caudill 2020 Book Awards: Is an annual award given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools. The award is named in honor of Rebecca Caudill who lived and wrote in Urbana, Illinois, for nearly 50 years. The award is given in recognition for her literary talent and the universal appeal of her books which have touched the hearts of many children and young adults.
https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/images/2020/2020CaudillAuthorList.pdf
National Book Award: Selected by writers for writers and granted by the National Book Foundation since 1969, this annual award selects America’s best in four categories, Young People’s Literature, and Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Poetry
https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2020/
Newbery Award Winner: The Newbery Medal is awarded in January each year by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year. http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyhonors/newberymedal
Coretta Scott King Award: The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.
http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/awards/24/all_years
Caldecott Medal: Awarded by the American Library Association since 1938, the Caldecott Medal is the most prestigious award given to an artist for the Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal
Jefferson Cup Award: Awarded since 1983 by the Virginia Library Association, the Jefferson Cup honors the authors of distinguished biography, historical fiction or American history books for young people.
https://www.vla.org/jefferson-cup-past-winners
Pura Belpre’: Named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library and bestowed annually since 1996 to both a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator, this award recognizes outstanding literature portraying the Latino cultural experience.
http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal
Hugo Awards: Granted annually since 1955 by the World Science Fiction Society, the Hugo is the most prestigious award for science fiction, and though not specifically meant for the young adult audience, Hugo winners, such as 1986 award winner Ender’s Game, have become enduring favorites of young adult readers.
http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history
Children’s Choice Awards: Given since 1973 by the IRA (International Reading Association) and the CBC (Children’s Book Council,) this is an annual list of winning children’s and young adult books chosen by a process involving 12,500 school children reading and recommending their favorites from more than 500 books.
https://www.cbcbooks.org/readers/reading-lists/ccba/
