Thanks to everyone who filled out our survey and helped us decide which of the books on our list we would be discussing. It was fascinating to watch the results come in! With no limit to the number of titles a person could vote for, some people voted for one book and some people voted for as many as eighteen titles. Newberry Newburyberry
Almost every book on our original list of 54 titles received at least one vote. And there were eleven write-in votes! All the titles, including the write-ins, can be found at this post: The overwhelming winner in our incredibly UN-scientific survey, receiving votes from over 75 % of the participants is …
Wonder by R.J. Palacio and published by Alfred A. Knopf
Summary: Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.
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Selecting the other 14 books was not quite as obvious a task, but every title on our discussion list received votes from at least 20 % of the people who took the survey. Without further ado, here is our complete list of 15 titles which we will discuss at our Mock Newbery Discussion and Election on Saturday, January 12th.
Discussion List for January 12, 2013:
Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2012. (266 pages)
Summary: In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world’s most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb. Bomb is a 2012 National Book Awards finalist for Young People’s Literature.
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
New York : Hyperion Books, 2012. (343 pages)
Summary: Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun. When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? Harrowing and beautifully written, Elizabeth Wein creates a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other. Code Name Verity is an outstanding novel that will stick with you long after the last page.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
New York, NY : Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012. (unpaged)
Summary: Each kindness makes the world a little better Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Maya is different–she wears hand-me-downs and plays with old-fashioned toys. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her gang, they reject her. Eventually, Maya plays alone, and then stops coming to school altogether. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya. This unforgettable book is written and illustrated by the award-winning team that created The Other Side and the Caldecott Honor winner Coming On Home Soon . With its powerful message and striking art, it will resonate with readers long after they’ve put it down.
Goblin Secrets by William Alexander
New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2012. (223 pages)
Summary: A boy joins a theatrical troupe of goblins to find his missing brother. In the town of Zombay, there is a witchnamed Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around–much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared. Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan–because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river. This accessible, atmospheric fantasy takes a gentle look at love, loss, and family while delivering a fast-paced adventure that is sure to satisfy.
Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
New York : Wendy Lamb Books, c2012. (180 pages)
Summary: Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father’s efforts to start a new business, his mother’s extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building.
The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis
New York : Wendy Lamb Books, 2012. (307 pages)
Summary: With love and determination befitting the “world’s greatest family,” twelve-year-old Deza Malone, her older brother Jimmie, and their parents endure tough times in Gary, Indiana, and later Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression. A heart-wrenching, suspenseful novel.
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
New York : Harper, 2012. (305 pages)
Summary: When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. An unforgettable and uplifting tween animal fantasy that explores the power of friendship, art, and hope with humor and touching poignancy.
Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes
New York : Greenwillow Books, 2012. (32 pages)
Penny comes home from school eager to share her very own song, but must wait until the time is right to teach it to her parents and the babies.
See You at Harry’s by Johanna Knowles
Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2012. (310 pages)
Summary: Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible in her family, where 
grumpy eighteen-year-old Sarah is working at the family restaurant, fourteen-year-old Holden is struggling with school bullies and his emerging homosexuality, and adorable, three-year-old Charlie is always the center of attention, and when tragedy strikes, the fragile bond holding the family together is stretched almost to the breaking point.
Son by Lois Lowry
Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2012. (393 pages)
Summary: They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive? She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice. Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver , as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil.
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2012. (384 pages)
Summary: When Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party, suspicion of kidnapping chases the trio away from London and soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini’s ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it is too late.
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
New York : Little, Brown, 2012. (288 pages)
Summary: The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can’t help but notice the village’s peculiar inhabitants and their problems-where has the innkeeper’s son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit? But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions. Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures.
Step Gently Out by Helen Frost
Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2012. (unpaged)
Summary: Stunning close-up photography and a lyrical text implore children to look more closely at the world around them. Be still, and watch a single blade of grass. An ant climbs up to look around. A honeybee flies past. What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked ever so carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings, or a spider step across a silken web. In simple, evocative language, Helen Frost offers a hint at the many tiny creatures around us. And in astonishing close-up photographs, Rick Lieder captures the glint of a katydid’s eye, the glow of a firefly, and many more living wonders just awaiting discovery. Fascinating facts about all the creatures pictured may be found at the end.
What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt
New York : Clarion Books, 2012. (294 pages)
Summary: The peaceful civilization of Valorim is under siege . . . itâ™s about to fall to the dark Lord Mondus. In a panic, a few heroes bind all their worldâ™s beauty into one precious necklace and hurl it into the cosmos. All the way into the lunchbox of sixth-grader Tommy Pepper of Plymouth, Massachusetts. He puts it on. Soon Tommy starts doodling strange pictures and hearing strange music. But Tommy, whose mother has just died and whose little sister isnâ™t speaking, barely even notices whatâ™s happening at first. Gary D. Schmidt masterfully presents the epic story of a family trying to redefine itself in the wake of tragedy.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. (315 pages)
Summary: Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.
What a great discussion list! Hope you are able to join us for our Mock Newbery Discussion and Election. You can register online for the January 12th program here.
Happy Reading!
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