Nominees Resource Booklet
1 Table of Contents
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 2
Student and Teacher Guidelines: To Nominate a Book & To Vote for a Book. . . . . . . . .3
Promotional Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2017 Picture Book Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Not Your Typical Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Those Magnificent Sheep in Their Flying machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Year of the Jungle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
How to Train a Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Fraidyzoo... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Girl and the Bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2017 Young Reader Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
The Angel Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Great American Dust Bowl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Dash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Half a Chance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Only Thing Worse Than Witches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Meaning of Maggie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2017 Intermediate Nominees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
The Iron Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The End or Something Like That. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
The Survival Guide to Bullying: Written by a teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Sky Raiders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
A Night Divided . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2017 Young Adult Nominees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Art of Secrets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
The Truth about Alice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
More than This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 60
Steelheart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
I Am Malala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
2 Student and Teacher Guidelines
To Nominate a Book
Only Nevada children/students can recommend books for consideration for the Nevada
Young Readers’ Award (NYR). For a book to be considered for the Nevada Young
Readers’ Award, the book must have been published within the past three years
(current year included).
Students must fill out the “Recommendation Form” on the Nevada Young Readers’
Award website by November 15th of each year. Any recommendations submitted after
November 15th will be rolled over to the following year, if the recommended book meets
the copyright criteria.
A recommended book must appeal to the category in which it is nominated. Nevada
Young Readers’ Award has four categories:
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Picture Books
Young Reader 2nd—5th grade
Intermediate 6th—8th grade
Young Adult 9th—12th grade
To Vote for a Book
Only Nevada children/students can vote for the Nevada Young Readers’ Award.
Students must submit votes to their school librarian, teacher, public librarian, or
educational facilitator. Students can vote in more than one category.
To be eligible to vote in the Nevada Young Readers’ Award students must have
been exposed to half of the nominated titles in a category by:
 Reading the book(s) themselves, or
 Having the book(s) read to them, or
 Combination of the above.
Voting must be conducted by a responsible adult. Voting is encouraged in each
classroom, school library, media center and public library. Readers are asked to
vote in only one location.
After all student-voting has been completed in a location, all votes should be merged
into one ballot, showing the voting location’s totals per book, per category. All
location ballots need to be submitted to the Nevada Young Readers’ Award
Chairperson by May 15th through the Nevada Young Readers’ Award’s website.
http://www.nevadalibraries.org/awards/nyra.html
The Nevada Young Readers’ Award Chairperson will count all the votes from each
location and announce the winning books within a week of May 15th.
3 Promotional Ideas
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Book displays
Display cover of book jackets
Bulletin board displays
Readers’ Wall – laminate book covers from each book, placing covers on a large
empty wall in the library or a wall just outside the library, and create lists under
each cover for students who have read the books to sign – students might like to
compare the books they have read, and it could be a quick reference for teachers
Campaign ad – student created to persuade others to read book/vote for it
Commercials – students write commercials on nominated books
Use a created continuous slide show (Power Point or Edmodo) of nominated
books using book covers and a brief one line summary
Librarian, teacher or student book talks (Nancy Keene’s Booktalks); teacher
could also use this book talk as a book report for a grade
Student book reviews – oral or on websites; students could also write a brief
review of a book in any of the categories (hand-written or word document) and
illustrate the page which would then be put in a loose-leaf notebook for other
students to check
Book reports – have classroom teachers use one or more of the nominated titles
for book reports
Brochure – students create a brochure on one of the nominated titles (tri-fold with
information on student, cover page, information and picture of the book,
information and picture of the author/illustrator, list of other books written by
author)
Students create an illustrated page of a nominated book they read, describing
the book and telling why they thought others would like to read the book; pages
are placed in notebook so other students can check what their peers recommend
Webquests
Crossword puzzles, word searches
Continuous slide show on a computer in the library of all the nominated titles
Curriculum guides
Encourage classroom teachers to use books in the classroom – literature circles,
trade book
See NYRA, NRW or Honors Academy of Literature internet sites for attached
activities
Jigsaw puzzles – copy cover of book, glue on poster board, laminate, and cut it
up as puzzle
Partner with the public libraries in the area to publicize the titles and encourage
them to purchase additional copies of the book
Encourage book fairs to carry the nominated titles for student purchase
After the student votes for his/her favorite book, student writes a letter to the
author/illustrator explaining why he/she voted for the book, hoping that
author/illustrator wins
4 More Promotional Ideas
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Take a group grade level photo of all the voters; enlarge the picture to poster size
and they could be displayed in the library
If students read the designated number of books in one or more categories by a
given date, they come to the library for a treat, bringing in their completed
passport.
Place ballot boxes around the school; one in the library, rooms used for reading,
cafeteria, language arts classes
Thank you note to students who vote
Announce winning titles via school broadcast
Those students who voted would get a button. After winners are announced,
those students who received a button could come to an after-school celebration
party with pizza or ice cream sundaes.
Funding Ideas
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Ask parent/teacher/business organizations for funds to purchase at least one
copy of each title in each category you want to promote
If your school is Title 1, work with Title 1 teacher for funding to purchase books
Ask parents and other individuals for assistance in purchasing items to be used
as prizes and rewards
If you or your other entities have a book fair, check with the provider to make
sure the nominated titles are available for student purchase and for the library to
purchase with any profits
Create a “wish list” for parent or student donations
Write grants that could be used to purchase the books.
Request books at Donorschoose.org
Promote the Process
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Order the books!
Librarian book talks starting at the beginning of the year
Inform your teachers about NYRA and the finalists for the year
Have all staff working to promote reading NYRA
All classes read the picture books and vote as a class
We read the picture books through 8th grade and the older students practice
literary critique
Encourage students to continue reading in their age category
Promote NYRA reading and voting (students have a voice!) on school website
and social media
5 Volunteer
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We need readers!
Recruit teacher readers—resume builder & keep current on literature that
students are reading
Plug yourself in to the website and get on the email list
Changes coming—start making the business meetings
Nevada Library Association (NLA) Conference in October
March teleconference
Meet the winning authors in October at NLA conference
Encourage students to nominate & vote
Make it easy for them!
6 Picture Book Nominees
Bar-el, Dan. Not Your Typical Dragon. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. New York:
Viking, 2013. [ISBN 9780670014026]
When Crispin Blaze turns seven, he's expected to breathe fire like all the other dragons.
But instead of fire, he breathes a host of unusual things.
Bently, Peter. Those Magnificent Sheep in Their Flying machine. Illustrated by
David Roberts. Minneapolis, MN: Andersen Press, 2014. [ISBN
9781849396349]
Tired of standing still on their old hill, several sheep board an airplane for a round-theworld adventure.
Collins, Suzanne. Year of the Jungle. Illustrated by James Proimos. New
York: Scholastic Press, 2013. [ISBN 9780545425162]
Suzy spends her year in first grade waiting for her father, who is serving in Vietnam, and
when the postcards stop coming she worries that he will never make it home.
Davis, Kathryn Gibbs. Mr. Ferris and His Wheel. Illustrated by Gilbert Ford.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. [ISBN 9780547959221]
Examines how the engineer George Ferris invented and constructed the amusement
park ride that bears his name for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
Godin, Thelma Lynn. The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen. Illustrated by Vanessa BrantleyNewton. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2014. [ISBN 9780399257377]
Kameeka yearns to continue her hula hooping competition with her rival, Jamara, rather
than help prepare for Miz Adeline's birthday party, and "the itch" almost ruins the party
before the girls learn who the real winner is.
Eaton, Jason Carter. How to Train a Train. Illustrated by John Rocco. Somerville,
Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2013. [ISBN 97807636663070]
A whimsical guide to training a "pet train" instructs young enthusiasts about important
issues including where trains live, what they like to eat, and how to get them to perform
the best train tricks.
Heder, Thyra. Fraidyzoo. Illustrated by the author. New York: Abrams Books for
Young Readers, 2013. [ISBN 9781419707766]
Little T remembers that she was frightened last time her family visited the zoo but not
why, so her creative family helps by imitating animals from A to Z until she recalls
exactly what caused her fear.
Pett, Mark. The Girl and the Bicycle. Illustrated by the author. New York: Simon &
Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014. [ISBN 9781442483194]
A wordless picture book in which a girl sees a bicycle she wants to buy, works hard for
a kindly neighbor to earn the money for it, then gets a pleasant surprise.
7 Not Your Typical Dragon
Author: Dan Bar-el
Illustrator: Tim Bowers
Publication Release: 7 February 2013 from the
publisher Viking ISBN: 9780670014026
About the Book [Humor]: But when Crispin tries to
breathe fire on his seventh birthday, fire doesn't come
out—only whipped cream! Each time Crispin tries to
breathe fire, he ends up with
Band-Aids
marshmallows
teddy bears?
Crispin wonders if he’ll ever find his inner fire. But when a family emergency breaks out,
it takes a little dragon with not-so-typical abilities to save the day.
With wry humor and whimsical illustrations, Not Your Typical Dragon is the perfect story
for any child who can't help feeling a little bit different. [Pages: 32]
Accelerated Reader: 2.9 AG Interest Level: K-3 Point Value .5 Quiz 157358EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: J
Lexile Measure: 460 AD
About the Author: Dan Bar-el is an award-winning children's
author, educator and storyteller. His writing includes chapter
books, picture books, and most recently, a graphic novel. For the
past twenty years, Dan has been working with children ages 3 to
13. He's been a school age childcare provider, a preschool
teacher, a creative drama teacher and creative writing teacher.
These days, when not writing, travelling around the country
presenting his book, storytelling or leading various workshops at
schools and libraries, he teaches creative writing courses to
children with the organization CWC. Dan lives in Vancouver, BC and shares his life with
artist and goldsmith, Dominique Bréchault, and Sasha, the most adorable cat in the
known universe. Visit him at www.danbarel.com.
About the Illustrator: Tim Bowers is an American illustrator of
children’s books, known for his humorous and whimsical
characters. Two of his children’s book titles have appeared on the
New York Times Best Seller list. Bowers has created hundreds of
greeting card illustrations, including many top selling cards. Tim is
also an award winning Fine Artist, creating finely detailed Miniature
Paintings. He and his wife, Keryn, live in Ohio and have four grown
children and three grandchildren. Visit him at www.timbowers.com
8 Classroom Activities:
 http://www.readwritethink.org/resources/resource-print.html?id=30988
 https://prezi.com/8urcvt84x7xp/untitled-prezi/
Materials: the book itself; chart paper; construction paper; pencils & crayons; access to
the song “Happy Birthday”’; the puppet Drago the Dragon; assessment
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOmumQVtEmA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC4HqL2i_eI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLKIIsE4kK4
https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=39231
Related Subjects:
Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical Animals
Friendship
Independence
Individuality
Self-Acceptance
Self-Esteem
Similar titles to Not Your Typical Dragon:
Wild about us by Karen Beaumont
The Duchess of Whimsy: an absolutely delicious fairy tale by Randall De Seve
Janine by Maryann Leffler
Square cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker
Henny by Elizabeth Rose Stanton
9 Those Magnificent Sheep in Their Flying Machine
Author: Peter Bently
Illustrator: David Roberts
Publication Release: 1 September 2014 from the
publisher Andersen Press ISBN: 9781467749350
About the Book [Humor]: The sheep on the hillside were
munching away, when suddenly something went . . .
ZOOM overhead! And so begins a round-the-world
adventure as the magnificent sheep take to skies in their
spiffing, yellow flying machine... [Pages: 24}
Accelerated Reader: 3.6 LG Interest Level: K-3 Point Value .5 Quiz 165938EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: N
Lexile Measure: 690
About the Author: Peter Bently was born in Tidworth and
attended Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied for a BA Hons
in Modern Languages. He has two young children and now lives in
Devon. Cats Ahoy!, his picture book with Jim Field, won the Roald
Dahl Funny Prize 2011, and King Jack and the Dragon (with
Helen Oxenbury) was named as an American Library Association
Notable Book of the year.
About the Illustrator: David Roberts
is an award-winning illustrator who has
earned great acclaim for his distinctive
style. He was born in Liverpool and studied fashion design at
a university in Manchester. After graduating, he worked as a
milliner and a fashion illustrator, but always felt his true calling
was in children’s books. David finally realized his dream when
his first book was published in 1998. He is also the creator of
the popular Dirty Bertie books. He lives in London with his
partner. His book Little Red was shortlisted for the 2005 Kate
Greenaway Medal. In 2006 he won the Nestlé Children’s Book Prize Gold Award for his
line drawings in Mouse Noses on Toast.
10 Classroom Activities:
 https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=51046
 https://storieskneesandthelandofcheese.com/category/storytime/
This craft is called Paper Plate Sheep:
1. Dessert size paper plates
2. Cotton balls
3. Paint brush
4. Glue
5. Black construction paper
6. Googly eyes
7. Scissors
8. Kid size cup
9. Pen
Related Subjects:
Adventure and Adventurers
Airplanes
Aviation
Farm animals
Sheep
Stories in rhyme
Similar titles to Those Magnificent Sheep and Their Flying Machine:
Hide and sheep by Andrea Beaty
The great sheep shenanigans by Peter Bently
Planes, fire & rescue by Bobs Gannaway
Planes fly! By George Ella Lyon
A plane goes ka-zoom by Jonathan London
11 Year of the Jungle
Author: Suzanne Collins
Illustrator: James Proimos
Publication Release: 10 September 2013 from the
publisher Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545425162
About the Book [Historical fiction]: New York Times
bestselling author Suzanne Collins has created a
deeply moving autobiographical picture book about a
father who must go off to the war in Vietnam, and the daughter who stays behind.
When young Suzy's father leaves for Vietnam, she struggles to understand what this
means for her and her family. What is the jungle like? Will her father be safe? When will
he return? The months slip by, marked by the passing of the familiar holidays and the
postcards that her father sends. With each one, he feels more and more distant, until
Suzy isn't sure she'd even recognize her father anymore.
This heartfelt and accessible picture book by Suzanne Collins, author of the Hunger
Games series, is accompanied by James Proimos's sweet and funny illustrations. This
picture book will speak to any child who has had to spend time away from a parent.
[Pages: 40]
Accelerated Reader: ATOS 2.7 LG Interest Level: K-3 Point Value .5 Quiz
15358EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: L
Lexile Measure: 450 AD
About the Author: Suzanne Collins first made her mark in
children’s literature with the New York Times bestselling Underland
Chronicles series for middle grade readers. Her debut for readers
aged 12 and up, The Hunger Games, immediately became a New
York Times bestseller, appealing to both teen readers and adults.
Suzanne Collins has also had a successful and prolific career writing
for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several
Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa
Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. She received a
Writers Guild of America nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed
Christmas special, Santa, Baby!
Suzanne Collins lives with her family in Connecticut. For more information about her,
please visit www.suzannecollinsbooks.com.
12 About the Illustrator: James Proimos is the creator of Swim!
Swim!, Knuckle and Potty Destroy Happy World, 12 Things to Do
Before You Crash and Burn, and many more books for children of all
ages. He lives on a farm outside of Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife
and their horses, cats, and dogs. Learn more at
jamesproimos.blogspot.com.
Classroom Activities:
 http://corneroncharacter.blogspot.com/2013/09/ppbf-yearof-jungle.html
 http://storypath.upsem.edu/the-year-of-the-jungle/
 http://www.storycorner.scholastic.com/#!year-of-the-jungle/csbg
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkQOJDwRauY
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MiVBAPg6TU
“Suzanne Collins on the Vietnam War Stories behind The Hunger Games & Year
of the Jungle”
Related Subjects:
Confronting and resolving fears
Military
Courage
Parents (specifically dads)
Empathy
Separation
Fear
Soldiers
Historical fiction
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Similar titles to The Year of the Jungle:
Grandma and grandpa visit Connor by Nadege Cochard
My side of the car by Kate Feiffer
Planes fly! By George Ella Lyon
When Dad’s at sea by Mindy L Pelton
Stars above us by Geoffrey Norman
Everyone can learn to ride a bicycle by Christopher Raschka
Coming home by Greg Ruth
Waterloo & Trafalgar by Olivier Tallec
13 Mr. Ferris and His Wheel
Author: Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Illustrator: Gilbert Ford
Publication Release: 2 September 2014 from the
publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN:
9780547959221
About the Book [Biography; Science & Technology]:
Capturing an engineer's creative vision and mind for
detail, this fully illustrated picture book biography sheds
light on how the American inventor George Ferris
defied gravity and seemingly impossible odds to invent the world's most iconic
amusement park attraction, the Ferris wheel.
A fun, fact-filled text by Kathryn Gibbs Davis combines with Gilbert Ford's dazzling fullcolor illustrations to transport readers to the 1893 World's Fair, where George Ferris and
his big, wonderful wheel lifted passengers to the skies for the first time. [Pages: 40]
Accelerated Reader: 3.7 Interest Level: K-3 Point Value .5 Quiz 168154EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 900
About the Author: Kathryn Gibbs Davis is the award-winning
author of more than 20 fiction and non-fiction titles. These include
picture books, early chapter books, middle grade novels, YA
novels, and one film produced for children. She has also created
two series (mystery and sports).
Teachers appreciate Kathryn's fresh approach to history in two
bestselling titles, Wackiest White House Pets (Parents’ Choice
Gold Award) and First Kids (2010 Oppenheim Gold Seal) which
features Malia and Sasha Obama.
In recent years, Kathryn has been invited back as guest author to several presidential
libraries including the Kennedy, Bush, Carter, Truman, and National First Ladies’
Libraries.
Kathryn enjoys visiting schools, libraries, conferences and
book festivals across the country. For additional
information please visit her web site gibbsdavis.com
About the Illustrator: Gilbert Ford grew up in a family of
professional photographers in Jackson, Mississippi, and
moved to New York to attend Pratt Institute. After
graduating, he worked as a designer and illustrator for a
14 giftware company, creating puzzles, games, stickers, stationery, and activity books for
children, before setting out on his own in 2007. He currently lives and works in
Brooklyn, New York where he has illustrated many popular middle grade books and
several picture books. In 2015 he received his MFA in Writing for Children and Young
Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. http://www.gilbertford.com/
Classroom Activities:
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http://gibbsdavis.com/images/pdfs/TG_Mr._Ferris_and_his_Wheel.pdf#zoom=70
http://tryengineering.org/lesson-plans/build-big-wheel
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.ilfonline.org/resource/resmgr/201617_Intermediate_Book_Resources/Mr.Ferris_final.pdf
Related Subjects:
Civil engineers & engineering
Ferris, George Washington Gale, 1859-1896.
Ferris wheels (History)
Inventions & inventors
Perseverance
Science & technology
Similar titles to Mr. Ferris and His Wheel:
Ferris wheels: an illustrated history by Norman D Anderson
George Ferris’ grand idea: the Ferris wheel by Jenna Glatzer
The fantastic Ferris Wheel: the story of inventor George Ferris by Betsy Harvey Kraft
George Ferris, what a wheel by Barbara Lowell
The man who invented the Ferris wheel: the genius of George Ferris by Dani Sneed
15 The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen
Author: Thelma Lynne Godin
Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Publication Release: 3 June 2014 from the publisher
Lee & Low Books ISBN: 9781600608469
About the Book [Realistic fiction; Sports]: Kameeka is
confident that today she will finally beat her rival, Jamara,
and become the Hula-Hoopin' Queen of 139th Street. But
then Mama reminds her that today is their neighbor Miz Adeline's birthday, and
Kameeka has to get ready for the party they are hosting. But then Miz Adeline's
confesses something too: she's also got the itch - the hula-hoopin' itch! Her fingers start
snappin'. Her hips start swingin'. Soon everyone's hips are swinging as the party spills
out onto the street. The whole neighborhood’s got the itch - the hula-hoopin' itch!
[Pages: 38]
Accelerated Reader: 2.2 lG Interest Level: K-5 Point Value .5 Quiz 166981EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: N
Lexile Measure: 600 AD
About the Author: Thelma Lynn Godin grew up in upper
Michigan climbing trees, ice skating in her backyard, and
frequently visiting her small town library. She was inspired to write
THE HULA-HOOPIN' QUEEN from her own experience of still
going out to hoop with the kids in her neighborhood. Godin and her
husband live in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They have two grown
children. THE HULA-HOOPIN' QUEEN is her picture book debut.
Visit this author at http://www.thelmagodin.com/
About the Illustrator: Vanessa
Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator, doll maker, and
crafter who studied fashion illustration at the Fashion Institute
of Technology and children's book illustration at the School of
Visual Arts in New York City. She has illustrated several picture
books, two of which she also wrote. Brantley-Newton also
loves to craft, cook, collect vintage children's books, tell stories,
make dolls, and shop. She lives in East Orange, New Jersey,
with her husband, daughter, and two crazy cats, Kirby and Stripes. Learn more about
this illustrator at http://painted-words.com/portfolio/vanessa-brantley-newton/
16 Classroom Activities:




file:///C:/Users/Library/Downloads/Titlewave-Resource-6597.pdf
https://dollydozier.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/peggy-noodle-hula-hoop-queenkit.pdf
http://www.hooping.org/2014/11/the-hula-hoopin-queen-by-thelma-lynne-godin-abook-review/
https://vimeo.com/126423573
Pair this fun book with a hula hoop set and maybe you'll inspire
some intergenerational or neighborly contests of your own.
Related Subjects:
African Americans
Birthdays
Competition (Psychology)
Conflict resolution
Dance
Dreams & aspirations
Families
Friendship
Harlem (New York NY)
Memories
Overcoming obstacles
Parties
Persistence/Grit
Responsibility
Sports
Similar titles to The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen:
Uptown by Bryan Collier
The best birthday party ever by Jennifer LaRue Huget
Dear Tyrannosaurus Rex by Lisa McClatchy
Looking like me by Walter Dean Myers
Bumble-ardy by Maurice Sendak
17 How to Train a Train
Author: Jason Carter Eaton
Illustrator: John Rocco
Publication Release: 24 September 2013 from the
publisher Candlewick Press ISBN: 97807636663070
About the Book: [Humor]: Finding advice on caring for
a dog, a cat, a fish, even a dinosaur is easy. But what if
somebody’s taste in pets runs to the more mechanical
kind? What about those who like cogs and gears more
than feathers and fur? People who prefer the call of a
train whistle to the squeal of a guinea pig? Or maybe
dream of a smudge of soot on their cheek, not slobber? In this spectacularly illustrated
picture book, kids who love locomotives (and what kid doesn’t?) will discover where
trains live, what they like to eat, and the best train tricks around—everything it takes to
lay the tracks for a long and happy friendship. All aboard! [Pages: 40]
Accelerated Reader: 3 LG Interest Level: K-3 Point Value .5 Quiz 162432EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: M
Lexile Measure: 520 AD
About the Author: Jason Carter Eaton the author of the picture
book The Day My Runny Nose Ran Away and the YA novel The
Facttracker. He has written for such diverse venues as
McSweeney’s, Cartoon Network, MGM, and BBC Radio and has
done extensive work at 20th Century Fox animation, Blue Sky
Studios, where he received story credit for Ice Age: Dawn of the
Dinosaurs. Jason Carter Eaton lives in Westchester, New York,
with his wife, two kids, dog, cat, and pet steam engine. More
information about the author may be found at
http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763663077.ban.1.pdf
About the Illustrator: John Rocco’s picture book Blackout
earned him a 2012 Caldecott Honor. His other picture books
include Fu Finds the Way, Wolf! Wolf!, and Moonpowder. He
is the jacket artist for Rick Riordan’s best-selling Percy Jackson
and the Olympians series, and collaborated with Whoopi
Goldberg on the picture book Alice. He was previously creative
director at Walt Disney Imagineering and served as
preproduction director at Dreamworks for the film Shrek. John
Rocco lives in Brooklyn. To learn more about this illustrator go
to http://roccoart.com/index.html
18 Classroom Activities:
 http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.ilfonline.org/resource/resmgr/201516_YHBA_Picture_Book_Resources/HowtoTrainaTrain_Final.pdf
 http://www.childcarelounge.com/general-themes/trains.php
 http://gravitybread.com/books-and-mealtime/how-to-train-a-train/
 http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/9999999911.mis.1.pdf\
Scroll down or use the find command for “Name that Train”:
Name That Train: For every child who loves trains, this beautifully illustrated book is filled with the
perfect advice for catching, caring for, and even naming a pet train. After reading the story with the
children, discuss the different types of trains depicted as well as where they are found and what they look
like. Review the page that showcases the various train names, and discuss the trains’ shapes and styles.
Ask the children which train they would pick for a pet. Invite them to use the accompanying reproducible
to draw a picture of their own pet train. Ask them to name their train and consider where they would like to
go with it. To school? The playground? The beach? Make sure there is time for each child to share his or
her picture. This activity promotes print motivation and letter knowledge.
My Unusual Pet: Many children have a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, or even a goldfish as a pet. This
imaginative tale about catching and caring for a pet train gives readers a lot to think about. Ask children to
imagine what object they would choose for a pet (such as a car, a soccer ball, or a pencil). Have them
think about what characteristics of the object appeal to them. Is the object silly, playful, serious, or
helpful? Discuss the way the book describes snaring a train by reviewing the actions involved. Then,
using the attached reproducible, have children write or illustrate the steps that would be involved in
capturing their pet. Young children may need to dictate the steps to an adult. This activity builds print
awareness and narrative skills.
Related Subjects:
Imagination & play
Pets
Railroads & trains
Silliness
Transportation
Similar titles to How to train a train:
A pet for Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold
Children make terrible pets by Peter Brown
Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby
Railroad Hank by Lisa Moser
The book with no pictures by B.J. Novak
19 Fraidyzoo
Author & Illustrator: Thyra Heder
Publication Release: 5 November 2013 from the
publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers ISBN:
9781419707766
About the Book: [Action & adventure]: It's a great day
to go to the zoo! As her family hustles to get out the door,
Little T lags behind. She's afraid to go back to the zoo; the
only trouble is, she can't remember why. As an ingenious
solution to help her remember, her mom, dad, and sister
construct homemade costumes and act out zoo animals--in alphabetical order, no less!
The costumes and scenes grow increasingly elaborate and breathtakingly creative. An
umbrella and bubble wrap magically transform into a jellyfish, bath towels and a can of
soda become a parrot, and many, many more. At the end of the day, Little T has
conquered her fear and no longer feels like a "fraidyzoo."
In this charming, witty picture book debut, Thyra Heder honors the bravery it takes to
face your fears, and the loving people who help you do so. [Pages 48]
Accelerated Reader: 3.7 Interest Level: K-2 Point Value NA
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: P
Quiz NA
Lexile Measure: 650
About the Author & Illustrator: Thyra Heder was raised in
Cambridge, MA, by a Hungarian architect and a Welsh sculptor,
in a house filled with art, artifacts and stacks of mail, with two
cats, one turtle, and one hilarious sister, who has since grown up
to be an incredible writer and filmmaker. Thyra, who graduated
from Brown University with a degree in art semiotics, loves to
travel, ride bikes, stare at strangers and eat ice cream
sandwiches
She.is the author of Fraidyzoo, an ALA-ALSC Notable Book
hailed by Kirkus as “riotous buffoonery” in a starred review. She is
also an illustrator and storyboard artist for film and advertising.
She lives in Brooklyn. Learn more about her at
http://www.thyraheder.com/
Classroom Activities:
 http://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/fraidyzoo.pdf
 http://www.abramsbooks.com/pdfs/academic/fraidyzoo/zebra.pdf
 http://nashvillepubliclibrary.org/bringingbookstolife/2014/02/27/fraidyzoocostumes-from-junk/
20 Nevada Content Standards Grade K
Language Arts
CONTENT STANDARD
NV.CC.RL.K. Reading Standards for Literature
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
Key Ideas and Details
RL.K.1.
STRAND / INDICATOR
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key
details in a text.
Craft and Structure
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
RL.K.4.
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
RL.K.5.
Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
CONTENT STANDARD
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.K.7.
NV.CC.RF.K. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
CONTENT STANDARD
Fluency
RF.K.4.
Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
NV.CC.L.K.
Language Standards
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between
illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment
in a story an illustration depicts).
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.K.6.
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and
being read to, and responding to texts.
Related Subjects:
Alphabet
Family life
Creativity
Fear
Emotions & feelings
Social issues
English language
Zoos
Similar titles to Fraidyzoo:
Gigantosaurus by Jonny Duddle
Alpha oops! : the day Z went first by Alethea Kontis
Operation alphabet by Al MacCuish
Chicka chicka boom boom by Bill Martin
Al Pha’s bet by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
21 The Girl and the Bicycle
Author & Illustrator: Mark Pett
Publication Release: 29 April 2014 from
the publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for
Young Readers ISBN: 9781442483194
About the Book: [Realistic fiction]: From
the creator of The Boy and the Airplane, a
touching wordless picture book about a little
girl, a shiny bicycle, and the meaning of
persistence—with an unexpected payoff.
A little girl sees a shiny new bicycle in the shop window. She hurries home to see if she
has enough money in her piggy bank, but when she comes up short, she knocks on the
doors of her neighbors, hoping to do their yardwork. They all turn her away except for a
kindly old woman.
The woman and the girl work through the seasons, side by side. They form a tender
friendship. When the weather warms, the girl finally has enough money for the bicycle.
She runs back to the store, but the bicycle is gone! What happens next shows the
reward of hard work and the true meaning of generosity.
Wordless, timeless, and classic, The Girl and the Bicycle carries a message of
selflessness and sweet surprises and makes an ideal gift for graduations and other
special occasions. [Pages 40]
Accelerated Reader: NA Interest Level: PreK-3 Point Value: NA Quiz: NA
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
NA
Lexile Measure: NA
About the Author & Illustrator: Mark Pett has
made books in Philadelphia, Prague, the Mississippi
Delta, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is the
“authorstrator” of Lizard from the Park, The Boy
and the Airplane, The Girl and the Bicycle, and The
Girl Who Never Made Mistakes. Before books, he
created the syndicated comic strips Mr. Lowe
and Lucky Cow. Mark lives in Salt Lake City. Visit
his web site at
http://www.markpett.com/authorstrator/
22 Classroom Activities:


http://www.vermonttreasurer.gov/sites/treasurer/files/pdf/literacy/2014%20Girl%2
0%26%20Bicycle%20LA.pdf
http://cool2bkind.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/8/9/24896287/the_girl_and_the_bicycl
e_lesson_plan.pdf
Related Subjects:
Bicycles and bicycling
Business, careers, occupations
Friendship
Moneymaking projects
Perseverance
Social issues
Sports & recreation
Values
Wordless
Similar titles to The Girl and the bicycle:
Joseph’s big ride by Terry Farish
Fox and hen together by Beatrice Rodriguez
Bluebird by Bob Staake
Along a long road by Frank Viva
Eric’s big day: a bicycle race unlike any other by Rod Waters
23 Young Reader
Benedis-Grab, Daphne. The Angel Tree. New York: Scholastic Press, 2014.
[ISBN 9780545613781]
Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree appears in the town square and
people tie wishes to it, but nobody knows where the tree comes from--but this year four
children are determined to solve the mystery of the Angel Tree.
Brown, Don. The Great American Dust Bowl. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
2013. [ISBN 9780547815503]
The causes and results of the Dust Bowl and how the lessons learned are still used
today. Presented in comic book format.
Larson, Kirby. Dash. New York: Scholastic Press, 2014. [ISBN 9780545416351]
When her family is forced into an internment camp, Mitsi Kashino is separated
from her home, her classmates, and her beloved dog Dash; and as her family begins to
come apart around her, Mitsi clings to her one connection to the outer world--the letters
from the kindly neighbor who is caring for Dash.
Lord, Cynthia. Half a Chance. New York: Scholastic Press, 2015. [ISBN
9780545035330]
Lucy, with her mother and her photographer father, has just moved to a small rural
community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend Nate she plans to spend the
summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures sometimes reveal more than people
are willing to see.
Magaziner, Lauren. The Only Thing Worse Than Witches. New York: Dial Books
for Young Readers, 2014. [ISBN 9780803739185]
Eleven-year-old Rupert cannot resist applying to an advertisement to be a witch's
apprentice, but quickly finds himself over his head with the young witch-in-training who
desperately needs his help.
Sovern, Megan Jean. Meaning of Maggie. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2014. [ISBN 9781452110219]
Eleven-year-old Maggie Mayfield is an A-plus student with big plans for herself, but at
this moment she is also facing a lot of problems--like starting middle school and figuring
out how to help her father who is out of work and in a wheelchair.
24 The Angel Tree
Author: Daphne Benedis-Grab
Publication Release: 30 September 2014 from the
publisher Scholastic ISBN: 9780545613781
About the Book [Christmas story]: A heartwarming
Christmas mystery and friendship story!
Every Christmas in the small town of Pine River, a tree
appears in the town square--the Angel Tree. Some people
tie wishes to the tree, while others make those wishes
come true. Nobody's ever known where the tree comes
from, but the mystery has always been part of the tradition's
charm.
This year, however, four kids who have been helped--Lucy, Joe, Max, and Cami--are
determined to solve the mystery and find out the true identity of the town's guardian
angel, so that Pine River can finally thank the person who brought the Angel Tree to
their town.
This is a heartwarming Christmas mystery, full of friendship, discovery, and loads of
holiday cheer! [Pages: 246]
Accelerated Reader: 5.7 MG Interest Level 3-6 Point Value 7 Quiz 169502EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
S
Lexile Measure: 890
About the Author: Daphne Benedis-Grab Daphne BenedisGrab grew up in a small town in upstate New York where
Christmas was always her favorite holiday. She is the author
of Alive and Well in Prague, New York, a young adult novel.
She has worked a variety of jobs including building houses for
Habitat for Humanity in Georgia, organizing an after-school
tutoring program in San Francisco, and teaching ESL in
China. She now lives in New York City with her husband, two
kids, and a cat, and still looks forward to celebrating Christmas
every year. Learn more about Daphne at
http://www.daphnebg.com/about-me
25 Classroom Activities:
 http://embarkonthejourney.com/angel-unit-study-resources/
 http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/christmas/
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXDqr8fJC9Q
 https://prezi.com/derhm-ajkjao/the-angle-tree/
Related Subjects:
Benefactors
Christmas Advent, stories & trees
Friends & friendship
Helping others
Holidays & celebrations
Mystery
Nature & the natural world
Neighborhood life
Wishes
Similar titles to The Angel Tree:
The green ghost by Marion Dane Bauer
Tiny the tree: a Christmas story by Mary Clark Dalton
Pearlie and the Christmas angel by Wendy Harmer
The tree nobody wanted: a Christmas story by Thomas P. McCann
The best Christmas pageant ever by Barbara Robinson
26 The Great American Dust Bowl
Author & Illustrator: Don Brown
Publication Release: 8 October 2013 from the publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN: 9780547815503
About the Book [Graphic novel]: A speck of dust is a tiny
thing. In fact, five of them could fit into the period at the end of
this sentence. On a clear, warm Sunday, April 14, 1935, a wild
wind whipped up millions upon millions of these specks of dust
to form a duster -- a savage storm on America's high southern
plains. The sky turned black; sand-filled winds scoured the
paint off houses and cars; trains derailed; and electricity
coursed through the air. Sand and dirt fell like snow, people got lost in the gloom and
suffocated ... and that was just the beginning.
Selected bibliography. Source notes. Full-color pen and ink illustrations, colored
digitally. Photographs of dust storms in 1935 and 2011 [Pages: 80]
Accelerated Reader: 5.1 Interest Level YA
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Point Value .5 Quiz 160794EN
U
Lexile Measure: 860
About the Author & Illustrator: Don Brown is the awardwinning author and illustrator of many picture book
biographies. He has been widely praised for his resonant
storytelling and his delicate watercolor paintings that evoke
the excitement, humor, pain, and joy of lives lived with
passion. School Library Journal has called him “a current
pacesetter who has put the finishing touches on the standards
for storyographies.” He lives in New York with his family.
Visit his web site at http://www.booksbybrown.com/
Classroom Activities:
 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XpaJBMWd8GaPmMBPHjHL7yPUjJbVIU7UMBEnUf8i-Q/edit
 http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.ilfonline.org/resource/resmgr/201516_Intermediate_Grade_Resources/GreatAm.DustBowl-Final.pdf
 http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=2506
Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: First, this book will make a great companion to Out of the Dust.
I think many readers struggle with Hesse’s book because they don’t have the background
knowledge needed to understand the book and Don Brown’s book gives all the background
needed. The Great America Dust Bowl can also be used as a resource when teaching the Dust
Bowl, the depression, or agriculture.
Discussion Questions: How did the Depression impact farmers thus help cause the Dust Bowl
to happen? How is the problems of the Dust Bowl still impacting us today?
27 Related Subjects:
Agriculture Great Plains history
Depressions—1929
Droughts
Dust Bowl Era, 1931-1939
Dust storms
Farm & ranch life
Farmers
Great Plains—History—20th century
Similar titles to The Great American Dust Bowl:
Gold! Gold from the American River! By Don Brown
The worst hard time: the untold story of those who survived the great American dust
bowl by Timothy Egan
Out of the dust by Karen Hesse
Buried treasures of the Great Plains: legends of lost immigrant caches, abandoned
payroll coins, and stagecoach robbery loot-from North Dakota to Texas by W. C.
Jameson
Erased by a tornado! by Jessica Rudolph
Grapes of wrath by John Steinbeck
The Great Plains by Walter Prescott Webb
Dust Bowl: the Southern plains in the 1930s by Donald Worster
28 Dash
(Dogs of World War II)
Author: Kirby Larson
Publication Release: 26 August 2014 from the publisher
Scholastic ISBN: 9780545416351
About the Book [Historical fiction]: New from Newbery
Honor author Kirby Larson, the moving story of a JapaneseAmerican girl who is separated from her dog upon being
sent to an incarceration camp during WWII.
Although Mitsi Kashino and her family are swept up in the
wave of anti-Japanese sentiment following the attack on
Pearl Harbor, Mitsi never expects to lose her home -- or her
beloved dog, Dash. But, as World War II rages and people of Japanese descent are
forced into incarceration camps, Mitsi is separated from Dash, her classmates, and life
as she knows it. The camp is a crowded and unfamiliar place, whose dusty floors,
seemingly endless lines, and barbed wire fences begin to unravel the strong Kashino
family ties. With the help of a friendly neighbor back home, Mitsi remains connected to
Dash in spite of the hard times, holding on to the hope that the war will end soon and
life will return to normal. Though they've lost their home, will the Kashino family also
lose their sense of family? And will Mitsi and Dash ever be reunited? [Pages: 243]
Accelerated Reader: 3.9 Interest Level 3-7
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
N
Point Value 6 Quiz 169246EN
Lexile Measure: 570L
About the Author: Kirby Larson is the acclaimed author of
the 2007 Newbery Honor Book, Hattie Big Sky, a young adult
historical novel she wrote inspired by her great-grandmother,
Hattie Inez Brooks Wright, who homesteaded by herself in
eastern Montana as a young woman
Hattie Big Sky, and encouragement from her mentor, Karen
Cushman, gave Kirby the confidence to embrace her passion
for historical fiction; in 2015, her book Dash won the Scott
O’Dell Historical Fiction Prize.
In 2006, Kirby began collaborating with her good friend, Mary
Nethery, which has produced two award-winning nonfiction
picture books: Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina,
29 Friendship and Survival (illustrated by Jean Cassels) and Nubs: The True Story of a
Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle. They think three’s a lucky number so have their eyes
peeled for another project to tackle together.
A frequent speaker, Kirby enjoys sharing her passion for research, reading and writing.
She has presented at more than 200 schools, workshops, and seminars in over twenty
states and as far away as Qatar, Lebanon and Guam. Her passport is up to date and
she’s ready for her next adventure!
Kirby lives in Kenmore, Washington with her husband, Neil. When she’s not reading or
writing, Kirby can be found beachcombing or bird watching with Winston the Wonder
Dog. To learn more about Kirby visit her web site at http://www.kirbylarson.com/
Classroom Activities:
 http://www.kirbylarson.com/
 http://www.scholastic.com/motherdaughterbookclub/pdf/Scholastic_MDBC_Dash
.pdf
 http://www.edhelper.com/books/Dash.htm
 http://www.densho.org/
A grassroots organization dedicated to preserving, educating, and sharing the story of World War
II-era incarceration of Japanese Americans in order to deepen understandings of American
history and inspire action for equity.
Related Subjects:
Asian American
Dogs
Family life
Imprisonment
Japanese Americans--Evacuation and
relocation, 1942-1945
Military & wars
Pets
Puyallup Assembly Center (Puyallup,
Wash.)
Washington (State)--History--20th
century
World War, 1939-1945--Concentration
camps--United States
World War, 1939-1945--Japanese
Americans
Similar titles to Dash:
Jim Ugly by Sid Fleischman
Duke by Kirby Larson
Stay! : Keeper’s story by Lois Lowry
Baseball saved us by Ken Mochizuki
Paper wishes by Lois Sepahban
30 Half a Chance
Author: Cynthia Lord
Publication Release: 25 February 2014 from the
publisher Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545035330
About the Book [Realistic fiction]: A moving new middlegrade novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES.
When Lucy's family moves to an old house on a lake, Lucy
tries to see her new home through her camera's lens, as her
father has taught her -- he's a famous photographer, away
on a shoot. Will her photos ever meet his high standards?
When she discovers that he's judging a photo contest, Lucy
decides to enter anonymously. She wants to find out if her eye for photography is really
special -- or only good enough.
As she seeks out subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy next door.
But slowly the camera reveals what Nate doesn't want to see: his grandmother's
memory is slipping away, and with it much of what he cherishes about his summers on
the lake. This summer, Nate will learn about the power of art to show truth. And Lucy
will learn how beauty can change lives . . . including her own. [Pages: 218]
Accelerated Reader: 4.5 Interest Level 3-7 Point Value 6 Quiz 163232EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
P
Lexile Measure: 690L
About the Author: Cynthia Lord’s life as a writer
began at age four with a song collaboration with her
sister. The song was called "Ding Dong the Cherries
Sing," and they forced anyone within a 12-mile
radius to listen to them sing it, over and over and
over. Lord says that she was a day dreamer, a shy
child, and she will always be grateful for the time and
room that her parents gave her to be by herself.
Lord’s favorite books when she was very young
included Happy, Peppermint, Fantastic Mr. Fox and
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne.
In college Lord had some short stories published,
and won a contest with one. After college Lord got married and became a teacher. As
her children grew up, she returned to writing fiction. She gets up most mornings
between 3:30 and 4:00 A. M. Lord says that: That’s my just-me time to open my heart
and spill it across the white pages.
31 Lord says that she still loves watching words jump onto the page, and she still loves
making people laugh and cry and shiver with her writing. She still loves to read a great
story. Lord still has kept "Happy" and "Peppermint" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Winnie
the Pooh" all of these years. She keeps them to remind her of the child she used to be,
the one who liked surfboarding toads, sang the cherry song, and scared herself silly
writing her first ghost story. She’s the one she writes for.
Cynthia Lord lives in an old house with her husband, John, and her children, Julia and
Gregory. Gregory has autism. David in the book she wrote, "Rules", was inspired by
Gregory, Ms. Lord's son. Lord says that some of her best work comes from the days
that she does not feel especially inspired. Visit her at www.cynthialord.com and
checkout an interview at http://mrschureads.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/newbery-honorauthor-cynthia-lord.html
Classroom Activities:
 http://www.cynthialord.com/pdf/scholastic_mdbc_halfachance-dg.pdf
Her own rules, which Cynthia shares with students, for writing a first draft:





How to use "write what you know" (even when you don't know!)
The importance of revision (including showing a few draft pages from Rules with her editor's comments on them). "When you
take a book off the shelf, you are only seeing the end of a long process," she explains.
How to add sensory detail and the importance of stepping beyond your imagination
And she tells funny or surprising "behind the scenes" stories from Rules and shows photographs of some of the places and
inspiration behind her book.
Finally, she ends with a description or a skit using one of the children (depending on the size and age of the group) to show what
happened on a seemingly-ordinary January morning at her house in Maine when the phone rang, and she suddenly found
herself talking to the Newbery Committee.
Related Subjects:
Art & architecture
Parents
Fathers & daughters
Photography
Friendship
United States—people & places
New Hampshire
Similar titles to Half a Chance:
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
Chasing secrets by Gennifer Choldenko
Day of the cyclone by Penny Draper
Found things by Marilyn Hilton
Mia’s golden bird by Lisa Schroeder
What happened on Fox Street by on Tricia Springstubb
32 The Only Thing Worse than Witches
Author: Lauren Magaziner
Publication Release: 14 August 2014 from the
publisher Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of
Penguin Group ISBN: 9780803739185
About the Book [Science fiction & fantasy; humor]: Roald
Dahl meets Eva Ibbotson in this hilarious middle grade
debut perfect for reading aloud
Rupert Campbell is fascinated by the witches who live
nearby. He dreams of broomstick tours and souvenir
potions, but Rupert's mother forbids him from even looking
at that part of town. The closest he can get to a witchy
experience is sitting in class with his awful teacher Mrs.
Frabbleknacker, who smells like bellybutton lint and forbids Rupert's classmates from
talking to each other before, during, and after class. So when he sees an ad to become
a witch's apprentice, Rupert simply can't resist applying.
But Witchling Two isn't exactly what Rupert expected. With a hankering for lollipops and
the magical aptitude of a toad, she needs all the help she can get to pass her exams
and become a full-fledged witch. She's determined to help Rupert stand up to dreadful
Mrs. Frabbleknacker too, but the witchling's magic will be as useful as a clump of
seaweed unless Rupert can figure out a way to help her improve her spellcasting—and
fast! [Pages: 262]
Accelerated Reader: 4.7
Interest Level 3-6
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: R
Point Value 6
Quiz 169256EN
Lexile Measure: 720
About the Author: Lauren Magaziner grew up in New
Hope, Pennsylvania, where she spent her childhood with
her nose in a book and her fingers curled over a keyboard.
Lauren studied Creative Writing and Philosophy at Hamilton
College. She wrote her debut novel, The Only Thing Worse
than Witches, while studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland
her junior year. In addition to writing a book in Scotland,
Lauren also herded sheep, attended a royal
wedding, witnessed a waddling parade of penguins, rode
the real Hogwarts express, spotted the Loch Ness monster,
and stuck her face in a fairy river of eternal youth.
33 After college, Lauren worked on two delightful Scholastic magazines: writing for the
issues and creating online teaching resources. She currently resides in Brooklyn, where
she now writes full-time.
The Only Thing Worse Than Witches and Pilfer Academy are available now! Her third
book, Wizardmatch, is scheduled to release in 2017. Visit her at
http://laurenmagaziner.com/
Classroom Activities:
As of summer 2016 could not easily locate any.
Related Subjects:
Apprentices
Best friends
Friendship
Magic
Mothers & sons
Witchcraft
Similar titles to The Only Thing Worse than Witches:
The kind of friends we used to be by Frances O’Roark Dowell
The art of flying: a novel by J.A. Hoffman
Raymond & Graham, bases loaded by Mike Knudson
The real boy by Anne Ursu
Bobby vs. girls (accidentally) by Lisa Yee
34 Meaning of Maggie
Author: Megan Jean Sovern
Publication Release: 6 May 2014 from the publisher
Chronicle Books ISBN: 9781452110219
About the Book [Historical fiction]: As befits a future
President of the United States of America, Maggie
Mayfield has decided to write a memoir of the past year of
her life. And what a banner year it's been! During this
period she's Student of the Month on a regular basis, an
official shareholder of Coca-Cola stock, and defending
Science Fair champion. Most importantly, though, this is
the year Maggie has to pull up her bootstraps (the family
motto) and finally learn why her cool-dude dad is in a
wheelchair, no matter how scary that is. Author Megan Jean Sovern, herself the
daughter of a dad with multiple sclerosis, writes with the funny grace and assured prose
of a new literary star. [Pages: 224; includes bibliographical references]
A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this book will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society.
Accelerated Reader: 4.0 Interest Level 3-6 Point Value 7 Quiz 169659EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: P
Lexile Measure: 690L
About the Author: Megan Jean Sovern is a purveyor
of fine teas, old time-y music and hugs. Recently she
was in a bad break-up with muffins and her life hasn’t
been the same since.
She’s often mistaken for a seventh grader but don’t be
fooled, she is very grown-up. A grown-up who watches
television past ten o’clock and everything.
Before her first leap into fiction, she was an advertising
copywriter for many moons where she worked with topnotch talent mostly named Matt or Karen.
She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband Ted and
his near complete collection of Transformers. He doesn’t like it when she says, “Zoinks.”
You can learn more about Megan by visiting her at www.meganjeansovern.com
35 Classroom Activities:
 http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landingpages/pdfs/meaningofmaggie_discussionguide.pdf
 https://www.teachingbooks.net/booktrailer.cgi?id=2186
Nevada Content Standards Grade 5
Language Arts
CONTENT STANDARD
NV.CC.RL.5. Reading Standards for Literature
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
Key Ideas and Details
RL.5.1.
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
CONTENT STANDARD
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.5.10.
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
NV.CC.RF.5. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Fluency
RF.5.4.
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
RF.5.4(a)
Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
RF.5.4(c)
Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and
understanding, rereading as necessary.
CONTENT STANDARD
NV.CC.W.5. Writing Standards
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
CONTENT STANDARD
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.5.9.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
W.5.9(a)
Apply grade 5 reading standards to literature (e.g., ''Compare and
contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or a
drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., how characters
interact]'').
NV.CC.L.5.
Language Standards
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
Knowledge of Language
L.5.3.
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
L.5.3(b)
Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers)
used in stories, dramas, or poems.
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.5.4.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.5.4(a)
Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text)
as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
L.5.6.
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal
contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however,
although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).
36 Related Subjects:
Adolescent issues
Fathers & daughters
Bildungsromans
First person
Coming of age
Middle schools
Depression & mental illness
Multiple sclerosis
Determination & perseverance
Parents
Disabilities
School & education
Families & family life
Special needs
Similar titles to Meaning of Maggie:
From the notebooks of a middle school princess by Meg Cabot
Love of the game by John Coy
Planet middle school by Nikki Grimes
The whole story of half a girl by Veera Hiranandani
Sweet thang by Allison Whittenberg
37 Intermediate
Black, Holly and Cassandra Clare. The Iron Trial. Illustrated by Scott Fischer.
New York: Scholastic Press, 2014. [ISBN 9780545522250]
Warned away from magic all of his life, Callum endeavors to fail the trials that would
admit him to the Magisterium only to be drawn into its ranks against his will and forced
to confront dark elements from his past.
Dauvillier, Loic. Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust. Illustrated by Marc
Lizano. New York: First Second, 2014. [ISBN 9781596438736]
A grandmother shares the story of her experiences in WWII with her grandchild in this
graphic novel for young readers. Originally published in 2012 by Le Lombard under the
title L'Enfant Cache.
Ellis, Ann Dee. The End or Something like That. New York: Dial Books, an
imprint of Penguin Group, 2014. [ISBN 9780803737396]
As the first anniversary of her best friend Kim's death nears, fourteen-year-old Emmy
tries to fulfill her promise to make contact with Kim's spirit, but she gains new
perspective from unexpected connections.
Mayrock, Aija. The Survival Guide To Bullying: Written by a teen. New York:
Scholastic Inc., 2015. [ISBN 9780545860536]
Written by a teenager who was bullied throughout middle school and high school, this
kid-friendly book offers a fresh and relatable perspective on bullying. Along the way, the
author offers guidance as well as different strategies that helped her get through even
the toughest of days. The Survival Guide to Bullying covers everything from cyber
bullying to how to deal with fear and how to create the life you dream of having. From
inspiring "roems" (rap poems), survival tips, personal stories, and quick quizzes, this
book will light the way to a brighter future.
Mull, Brandon. Sky Raiders. New York: Aladdin, 2014.
[ISBN 9781442497009]
Whisked through a portal to The Outskirts, an in-between world, sixth-grader Cole must
rescue his friends and find his way back home--before his existence is forgotten.
Nielsen, Jennifer A. A Night Divided. New York: Scholastic Press, 2015.
[ISBN 9780545682428]
When the Berlin Wall went up, Gerta, her mother, and her brother Fritz are trapped on
the eastern side where they were living, while her father, and her other brother Dominic
are in the West--four years later, now twelve, Gerta sees her father on a viewing
platform on the western side and realizes he wants her to risk her life trying to tunnel to
freedom.
38 The Iron Trial
(Series: Magisterium; book 1)
Co-Authors: Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Illustrator: Scott Fischer
Publication Release: 9 September 2014 from the
publisher Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545522250
About the Book [Science fiction & fantasy]: Most people
would do anything to get into the Magisterium and pass the
Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. Call has been told his whole
life that he should never trust a magician. And so he tries
his best to do his worst - but fails at failing. Now he must
enter the Magisterium. It's a place that's both sensational
and sinister. [Pages: 304]
Accelerated Reader: 5.6 Interest Level MG 4-8 Point Value 13 Quiz 167615EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: U
Lexile Measure: 830L
About the Author: Holly Black is the author of the
The New York Times bestselling The Spiderwick
Chronicles series and other contemporary fantasy
novels for teens and children. Her latest work is the
graphic novel series, The Good Neighbors.
Born in New Jersey in 1971, Holly grew up in a
decrepit Victorian house piled with books and
oddments. After graduating from The College of
New Jersey in 1995, Holly worked as a production
editor on medical journals and attended graduate
school at Rutgers University in pursuit of a Masters in Library Science.
Her first book, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale, was published in 2002 and was named a
Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association. She followed this up
with Valiant, which was a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award for Young Readers and the
recipient of the Andre Norton Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, along with
Ironside, the sequel to Tithe.
Holly’s other titles include the Curse Workers series, Doll Bones, Coldtown, and The
Darkest Part of the Forest. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and a recipient
of the Newbery Honor.
39 Holly lives in a Tudor Revival house in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo, son
Sebastian, in a house with a secret library due to an ever-expanding collection of books.
Visit her at www.blackholly.com.
About the Illustrator: Scott Fischer graduated with honors from the Savannah
College of Art and Design (1994) and since that time his brush has steadily been
carving a path along the illustration landscape.
He is the New York Times best-selling illustrator of Geraldine McCaughrean's Peter Pan
in Scarlet. He is a notable cover artist for many of today's leading book publishers.
In addition to being a renowned cover illustrator, Scott is a children's book
writer/illustrator. His first children's book Twinkle hit the shelf in 2007. Followed by, '
Animals Anonymous ' in 2008. His book 'JUMP!' was selected to be a part of Cheerios
Spoonfuls of Stories promotion, circulating over a million copies. He is the illustrator of
the Lottie Paris children's books, written by Angela Johnson.
Scott is known in the middle reader genre from his work on 'The Secrets of Dripping
Fang' series and his currently working on the 'Scary School' series of books. Scott is
also a noted conceptual character Designer, having helped create worlds for Microsoft,
Sony, and Disney on their Tron franchise.
A sampling of the worlds Scott's paintbrush has visited includes Tron, Halo, Harry
Potter, Star Wars, Robert Jordan's 'Wheel of Time', Magic- the Gathering, and
Dungeons and Dragons.
Scott lives in Belchertown, Massachusetts with his wife, daughter and a menagerie of
animals. Visit him at http://fischart.com/
Co-Author Cassandra Clore was born to American
parents in Teheran, Iran and spent much of her
childhood travelling the world with her family, including
one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where
she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She
lived in France, England and Switzerland before she
was ten years old.
Since her family moved around so much she found
familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book
under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write
stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called The Beautiful
Cassandra based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later
inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various
entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on
40 Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She
started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban
landscape of Manhattan, her favorite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in
2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to
Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at
home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of
her two cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She
likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
More about Cassie may be found at http://www.cassandraclare.com/
Classroom Activities:
 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/discussion-guide-magisteriumseries
 http://irontrial.scholastic.com/
 http://www.cassandraclare.com/my-writing/novels/the-magisterium-series/
Related Subjects:
Action & adventure
Fantasy & imagination
Friendship
Good & evil
Magic
School
Social issues
Wizards
Similar titles to The Iron Trials:
Merlin: the book of magic by T. A. Barron
The ropemaker by Peter Dickinson
The tombs of Atuan by Ursula K Le Guin
The hero and the crown by Robin McKinley
Muddle earth by Paul Stewart
41 Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust
Author: Loic Dauvillier
Illustrator: Marc Lizano
Translator: Alexis Siege
Publication Release: 1 April 2014 from the publisher
First Second ISBN: 9781596438736
About the Book [Graphic novel]: [Pages: 76]
Accelerated Reader: 2.7 Interest Level
Point Value .5 Quiz 164075EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
J
MG 4-8
Lexile Measure: 300
About the Author: Loic Dauvillier is
primarily a book enthusiast. His career
began as player at the library Mouy. He
discovered Petzi, Johan and Peewit, Tintin,
Asterix and Belix, Chlorophyll ... and a billion
wonders. His library card is more important
than his identity card. This is his passport to
him but this he does not know yet. There
comes an age (his being 23) when one asks
where do babies come from.
If Loic is no exception to this, there is one that interests him equally. He asks whence
comes the books? The answer is as wonderful as the one on babies: the books are
made by humans….Aww!
One day he was able to meet an author…then another…then another. Loic argued with
these people. He spent a great time…until the day when two authors told him, “You’re
going to mount your edit box!”
Loic embarks on the adventure. In 1996 he created the Charrette editions (1995-2012).
Without realizing it, Loic became an editor. A few years later, a writer gave him “no crap
to write a screenplay cartoon!’” As Loic always likes to do, he threw himself on his
keyboard. Soon, without realizing it, Loic became an author!
He who wanted to know how the books were born ... and now he knows.
Remembering the cartoons of his childhood, Loic naturally wrote stories about his
youth. As Loic became an adult, he also wrote for adults.
He likes to invent stories but he also loves to read. There is always a book close to his
hand. Naturally, he takes pleasure in turning them into comics, as Cliff (Olivier Adam),
Oliver Twist (Dickens) or The Attack (Khadra)...
42 Today he lives in the Gironde. He has his passport at the library of Saint Loubès,
Yvrac, and Bordeaux. He continues to hang with his friends. Last time, he was told,
"Hey! Loïc! No crap design a cartoon ...” You can imagine the rest!
In 2015, Loic developed the project "Once upon a time ...” In this project Loic designed
shows and concerts and drew exhibitions. You can find the catalog of proposals on the
site: http://expo-iletaitunefois.fr/
And now? What will he still invent? Ask him the
question!
Visit him at http://loicdauvillier.com/accueil/
About the Illustrator: Marc Lizano has lent his pen to
over forty books. Today he is one of the most sought after
cartoonists and works in a wide range of styles and genres
on graphic novels and picture books for young readers and
for adults. Hidden is his most recent graphic novel.
Visit
him at http://marc-lizano.weebly.com/
Classroom Activities:
http://us.macmillan.com/books/9781596438736
Nevada Content Standards Grade 6
Language Arts
CONTENT STANDARD
NV.CC.RL.6. Reading Standards for Literature
STRAND / INDICATOR
Key Ideas and Details
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
RL.6.1.
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
RL.6.2.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct
from personal opinions or judgments.
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
CONTENT STANDARD
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.6.10.
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
NV.CC.L.6.
Language Standards
STRAND / INDICATOR
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.6.4.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing
flexibly from a range of strategies.
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
L.6.4(a)
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a
word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of
a word or phrase.
GRADE LEVEL
EXPECTATION
L.6.4(d)
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or
phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a
dictionary).
L.6.6.
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
INDICATOR / GRADE
LEVEL EXPECTATION
43 Related Subjects:
Family life & grandparents
France—History—German occupation, 1940-1945
Grandmothers
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
Jews—France
World War, 1939-1945
Similar titles to Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust:
Gaijin: American prisoner of war by Matt Faulkner
A family secret by Eric Heuvel
The search by Eric Heuvel
The legend of Hong Kil Dong, the Robin Hood of Korea by Anne Sibley O’Brien
Good-bye Marianne: the graphic novel by Irene N. Watts
44 The End or Something like That
Author: Ann Dee Ellis
Publication Release: 7 July 2015 from the publisher
Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group ISBN:
9780803737396
About the Book [Realistic fiction]: For fans of Gayle
Forman and Stephen Chbosky, an achingly raw and
surprisingly funny novel about coping with loss.
Emmy's best friend Kim had promised to visit from the
afterlife after she died. But so far Kim hasn't shown up
even once. Emmy blames herself for not believing hard
enough. Finally, as the one-year anniversary of Kim's
death approaches, Emmy is visited by a ghost—but it's
not Kim. It's Emmy's awful dead science teacher.
Emmy can't help but think that she's failed at being a true friend. But as more ghosts
appear, she starts to realize that she's not alone in her pain. Kim would have wanted
her to move forward—and to do that, Emmy needs to start letting go. [Pages: 346]
Accelerated Reader: 3.4
Quiz 173566EN
Interest Level MG+ 6 and up
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
X
Point Value 6
Lexile Measure: 450HL
About the Author: Ann Dee Ellis was born into
a large family in Provo, Utah. She lived for a
time in Hong Kong, as missionary and English
teacher. She received a master’s degree from
Brigham Young University, where she is an
instructor for creative writing for children and
young adults.
She started writing for teens after taking a class
from writer/professor Louise Plummer and
deciding that writing about things that mattered
to her would be more fun than writing computer
manuals.
She took the first fifty pages of her first published novel to a Writing for Young Readers
Conference at BYU and left with an agent and eventually a book contract. This Is What I
Did is her first published book (2007). Everything Is Fine followed in 2009 and The End
or Something Like That was published in 2014. Her first book received three starred
45 reviews and was listed on Voice of Youth Advocates 2007, American Library
Association Best Books for Young Adults for 2007, and was a 2008 International
Reading Association honor book.
She and her husband, Cameron, have three sons. She says she likes plants and to go
to Hawaii and sunburn on the beach. Visit her at http://anndeeellis.com
Classroom Activities:
 https://prezi.com/j3jal-9e4rlq/the-end-or-something-like-that/
Related Subjects:
Best friends
Death & grief
Family life—Nevada—Las Vegas
Friends & friendship
High schools
Pride, self-esteem & self-reliance
Senior high school
Similar titles to The End or Something Like That:
Accomplice by Eireann Corrigan
Please ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Nothing like you by Lauren Strasnick
Choker by Elizabeth Emma Woods
46 The Survival Guide to Bullying: Written by a Teen
Author: Aija Mayrock
Publication Release: 25 August 2015
Scholastic Inc. ISBN: 9780545860536
from the publisher
About the Book [Non-fiction]: Written by a teenager who
was bullied throughout middle school and high school, this
kid-friendly book offers a fresh and relatable perspective on
bullying. Along the way, the author offers guidance as well as
different strategies that helped her get through even the
toughest of days. The Survival Guide to Bullying covers
everything from cyber bullying to how to deal with fear and
how to create the life you dream of having. From inspiring
"roems" (rap poems), survival tips, personal stories, and quick quizzes, this book will
light the way to a brighter future. This updated edition also features new, never-beforeseen content including a chapter about how to talk to parents, an epilogue, and an
exclusive Q&A with the author. [Pages: 153]
Accelerated Reader: Interest Level Grades 5-8
Point Value Quiz
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 740L
About the Author: Aija Mayrock began
writing The Survival Guide to Bullying at age
sixteen after dealing with bullying in her own
life for many years. She promised herself that
she would publish it as her gift to the next
generation of kids who are bullied. In the
book, Aija Mayrock offers guidance as well
as different strategies that helped her get
through even the toughest of days.
The Survival Guide to Bullying covers
everything from cyberbullying to dealing with fear to creating the life you dream of
having. With inspiring “roems” (rap poems), survival tips, personal stories, and quick
quizzes, this book will light the way to a brighter future. This updated edition also
features new, never-before-seen content, including a chapter about how to talk to
parents, an epilogue, and an exclusive Q&A with the author.
Mayrock won the 2013 Silver Medal for Poetry in the Scholastic Art & Writing Award
program, joining the ranks of celebrated creative leaders such as Andy Warhol, Truman
Capote, Sylvia Plath, Stephen King, and Lena Dunham, all of whom won a Scholastic
Award when they were teens. Mayrock is currently in college in New York City. Her
dream is to give a voice to the voiceless through art. Visit her at http://aijamayrock.com/
47 Classroom Activities:
 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/survival-guide-bullyingdiscussion-guide
 http://aijamayrock.com/thesurvivalguidetobullying/
Related Subjects:
Bullying
Emotions & feelings
Friendship
Similar titles to Survival Guide to Bullying:
Bully in the mirror: making hate stop when you don’t think you can by Shanaya Fastje
Antibullying clubs by Addy Ferguson
How to beat physical bullying by Alexandra Harding
Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse
Bullying by Lori Hile
Confessions of a former bully by Trudy Ludwig
Stop bullying by Lucia Raatma
48 Sky Raiders
(Series: Five Kingdoms, Book 1)
Author: Brandon Mull
Publication Release: 11 March 2014 from the publisher
First Aladdin ISBN: 9781442497009
About the Book [Fantasy]: Adventure awaits in the Five
Kingdoms—come and claim it in this start to a new series
from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the
Fablehaven, Spirit Animals, and Beyonders series.
Cole Randolph was just trying to have a fun time with his
friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a
little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to
be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole
different level.
After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the
haunted house, he dives in after them—and ends up in The Outskirts.
The Outskirts are made up of five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and
dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. It's an in-between place. Some people
are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds.
And once you come to the Outskirts, it's very hard to leave.
With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, it's up to Cole and an unusual girl
named Mira to rescue his friends, set things right in the Outskirts, and hopefully find his
way back home…before his existence is forgotten. [Pages: 421]
Accelerated Reader: 4.4 Interest Level MG 4-8
Fountas & Pinnell: NA
Point Value 14
Quiz 165276EN
Lexile Measure: 610
About the Author: As a child, Brandon Mull wanted to
explore other worlds through wardrobes and rabbit holes.
When that didn’t work out, he resorted to daydreaming about
such adventures instead. Inspired by the Narnia books and
The Lord of the Rings series, Brandon explored imaginary
worlds in his mind.
Brandon loves the story possibilities that emerge as he alters
the rules of reality. “Fantasy helps us look beyond the actual,
to the possible, and even to the impossible,” Brandon
maintains. “Fantasy stretches our imaginations.”
49 Brandon is excited to share his upcoming Spirit Animals™ book. “Wild Born is the first
novel I’ve written where the story starts and finishes entirely in a fantasy world,”
Brandon recounts. “The world, Erdas, is similar to Earth in some ways. It’s an Earth that
never was.”
In this breakthrough multiplatform series, four children separated by vast distances
discover that they have spirit animals, a rare bond that launches them on a quest to
save their world.
“I’m thrilled about the many ways people will be able to interact with the story,” Brandon
says. “If readers enjoy the world of Erdas, they can go online, choose a spirit animal of
their own, and join the fun.”
Growing up, at one time or another, Brandon owned a dog, a cat, some fish, a horse,
and a tarantula. “Animals have always interested me. It was fun to write a series where
the characters have strong relationships with diverse animals.”
So, what’s Brandon’s Spirit Animal? “I’m reasonably smart, generally friendly, and kind
of goofy,” he admits. “Though I’m no great swimmer, a good match might be a dolphin.”
After spending his childhood in California and Connecticut, Brandon now lives in Utah,
in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon, with his wife, four children, and the
family dog. Brandon’s greatest regret is that he has but one life to give for Gondor. Visit
him at www.brandon mull.com
Classroom Activities:
 http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sky-Raiders/Brandon-Mull/FiveKingdoms/9781442497016
 http://www.enterthefivekingdoms.com/educators/
Related Subjects:
Adventure & adventurers
Legends, myths & fables
Imaginary places & imagination
Magic
Similar titles to Sky Raiders:
Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks
The magician’s elephant by Kate DiCamillo
The volume of possible endings: Dorrity’s tale in five parts by Barbara Else
Gabriel Finley & the raven’s riddle by George Hagen
Museum of thieves by Lian Tanner
50 A Night Divided
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen
Publication Release: 25 August 2015 from the
publisher Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545682428
About the Book [Historical fiction]: With the rise of the
Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly
divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the
eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and
middle brother, who had gone west in search of work,
cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch
the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she
can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with
their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her
neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.
But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform
on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a
mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father
wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are
caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her
family find their way to freedom? [Pages: 317]
Accelerated Reader: 5.4 Interest Level MG 4-8 Point Value 11 Quiz 176729EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
W
Lexile Measure: 810L
About the Author: At the age of eleven,
Jennifer A. Nielsen wrote her first full-length
novel. But she abandoned the manuscript when
a local locksmith halted her research on picking
locks. As a kid growing up in northern Utah,
Jennifer constantly read and reread The Wolves
of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken. Other
favorite classics included The Outsiders by S. E.
Hinton, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle,
and the Hardy Boys series.
A major influence for The False Prince, the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy, came
from the music of Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of the seminal grunge band Pearl Jam.
Vedder’s Grammy-winning track “Guaranteed” was the inspiration for Sage, her
protagonist. From the lyrics “I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me,” Sage
was born.
51 Although Sage’s personality is his own, Jennifer borrowed two of his traits from a couple
of high school students she once taught. One of them was popular, brilliant, and
relentlessly mischievous. He could steal the watch off a person’s wrist without his
knowing and would return it to him later, usually to his embarrassment. The other
student had a broad spectrum of impressive talents, not the least of which was his
ability to roll a coin over his knuckles. If he had wanted to, he’d have made a fine
pickpocket. As it was, he went on to become a lawyer.
Jennifer is also the author of Elliot and the Goblin War, the first book in a humorous
middle-grade fantasy series. She lives in northern Utah with her husband and their three
children. For more information, visit www.jennielsen.com.
Classroom Activities:
 http://librisnotes.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-night-divided-by-jennifer-nielsen.html
A great summary with discussion ideas.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGNqfdRr8kQ
 https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/a-night-divided



Families can talk about why historical fiction is so popular. What makes you want to read
fictional stories set during real-life events?
Is it OK that, to do a little right, we have to do a little wrong? Why, or why not?
How do some of the families in A Night Divided define "a good life"? Is there such a thing
as being "a little bit free"?
Related Subjects:
Adventure & escape
Families—Germany—Berlin
Berlin Wall, Berlin, Germany, 1961-1989
Families—Germany (East)
Cold War (1945-1989)
Interpersonal relationships
Similar titles to A Night Divided:
Catch you later, traitor: a novel by Avi
The game of silence by Louise Erdrich
Life behind the wall by Robert Elmer
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Lord
Border breakdown: the fall of the Berlin Wall by Molly Smith
52 Young Adult
Johnston, E.K. Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda
Lab, 2014. [ISBN 9781467710664]
In an alternate world where industrialization has caused many species of carbon-eating
dragons to thrive, Owen, a slayer being trained by his famous father and aunt, and
Siobahn, his bard, face a dragon infestation near their small town in Canada.
Klise, James. Art of Secrets. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin, 2014. [ISBN
9781616201951]
When some quirky art donated to a school fundraising effort to help a Pakistani
American family, victims of a possible hate crime, is revealed to be an unknown work by
a famous outsider artist, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, adults and teenagers
alike debate who should get the money and begin to question each other's motivations.
Mathieu, Jennifer. The Truth about Alice. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014.
[ISBN 9781596439092]
When ugly rumors and lies about Alice Franklin start after one of the guys she allegedly
slept with at a party dies in a car accident, questions about truth arise in her small town
Ness, Patrick. More than This. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2103. [ISBN
9780763662585]
This young adult novel follows a teenage boy named Seth who, after drowning in the
ocean, wakes up alone on a desolate suburban English street in what he believes to be
hell.
Sanderson, Brandon. Steelheart. New York: Delacorte Press, 2013. [ISBN
9780385743563]
At age eight, David watched as his father was killed by an Epic, a human with
superhuman powers, and now, ten years later, he joins the Reckoners--the only people
who are trying to kill the Epics and end their tyranny.
Yousafzai, Malala. I Am Malala: the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the
Taliban. New York: Little, Brown, & Company, 2013. [ISBN 9780316322409]
Malala Yousafzai's describes her fight for education for girls under Taliban rule, the support
she received from her parents to pursue an education, and how the Taliban retaliated
against her by trying to kill her.
53 Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim
(Sequel: Prairie Fire)Author: E. K. Johnston
Publication Release: 1 March 2014 from the publisher
Carolrhoda Lab ISBN: 9781467710664
About the Book [Fantasy]: Listen! For I sing of Owen
Thorskard: valiant of heart, hopeless at algebra, last in a
long line of legendary dragon slayers. Though he had few
years and was not built for football, he stood between the
town of Trondheim and creatures that threatened its survival.
There have always been dragons. As far back as history is
told, men and women have fought them, loyally defending
their villages. Dragon slaying was a proud tradition.
But dragons and humans have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for fossil
fuels. From the moment Henry Ford hired his first dragon slayer, no small town was
safe. Dragon slayers flocked to cities, leaving more remote areas unprotected.
Such was Trondheim's fate until Owen Thorskard arrived. At sixteen, with dragons
advancing and his grades plummeting, Owen faced impossible odds--armed only with a
sword, his legacy, and the classmate who agreed to be his bard.
Listen! I am Siobhan McQuaid. I alone know the story of Owen, the story that changes
everything. Listen! [Pages: 305]
Accelerated Reader: 6.6 Interest Level UG 9-12
163076EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Point Value 13 Quiz
Z
Lexile Measure: 1020L
About the Author: E. K. Johnston had several jobs and
one vocation before she became a published writer. If she’s
learned anything, it’s that things turn out weird sometimes,
and there’s not a lot you can do about it. Well, that and how to
muscle through awkward fanfic because it’s about a pairing
she likes.
You can follow Kate on Twitter (@ek_johnston) to learn more
about Alderaanian political theory than you really need to
know, or on Tumblr (ekjohnston) if you're just here for pretty
pictures.
E.K. Johnston is represented by Adams Literary. Visit her at http://ekjohnston.ca/
54 Classroom Activities:
 https://www.lernerbooks.com/digitalassets/Assets/Title%20Assets/13011/978146
7710664/Discussion%20Guide.pdf
 https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-story-of-owen-dragonslayer-of-trondheim
 Families can talk about why fantasies are so popular. Why are dragons such a big part of
fantasy lore? What do we find so fascinating about them?
 Do you find the way the author incorporates dragons into real events such as the Gulf War
convincing? How do you think the world would be different if dragons were real?
 Siobhan tells stories of Owen's exploits in song. Does music pass stories on in a way that's
different from books, movies, or social media?
Related Subjects:
Action, adventure & adventurers
Bards & bardism
Canada
Carbon emissions
Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical Animals
Fame
Family life
High schools
Schools & education
Similar titles to Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim:
Sunset Boulevard by Zoey Dean
The last dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
Magisterium by Jeff Hirsh
Yesterday by C. K. Kelly Martin
The space between us by Jessica Martinez
NERVE by Jeanne Ryan
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
55 Art of Secrets
Author: James Klise
Publication Release: 22 April 2014
Algonquin ISBN: 9781616201951
from the publisher
About the Book [Realistic fiction]:
A fire destroys...
A community unites...
A treasure appears...
A crime unfolds...
When Saba Khan's family home burns in a mysterious fire (possibly a hate crime), her
Chicago high school rallies around her. But then a piece of quirky art donated to a
school fund-raising effort for the Khans is revealed to be worth a fortune, and Saba's life
turns upside down again.
Greed, jealousy, and suspicion create an increasingly tangled web as adults and teens
alike debate who should get the money, question one another's motives, and make
startling accusations.
In other words, "The Art of Secrets" is a crime story, a school story, an art story, and
there's even (of course) a romance. I hope you enjoy it.
One of the things I loved about working on this book was the opportunity to include
elements of the astonishing life and work of a well-known Chicago artist, Henry Darger
(1892-1973), whose paintings have fascinated me for many years. If you aren't familiar
with Darger's work, go ahead and Google his name. His watercolor images may seem
weird, mysterious, and sometimes scary, but they are always beautiful. They provoke us
in the way the best art always does. They raise questions and make us see the world
differently. Once we spend time with those powerful images, we can never forget them.
Which makes it even more extraordinary to consider: Until the very end of Henry
Darger's life, this vast body of art itself was a secret. [Pages: 258]
Accelerated Reader: 5.6 Interest Level MG+ Point Value 8 Quiz 170056EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
S
Lexile Measure: 770
56 About the Author: James Klise is the author of Love
Drugged, which won an ALA Stonewall honor and received
glowing reviews. He lives in Chicago, where he works as a
high-school librarian. His short stories have appeared in
numerous journals, including StoryQuarterly, New Orleans
Review, Ascent, and Southern Humanities Review. The Art
of Secrets is his second novel. Visit him at
http://www.jamesklise.com
Classroom Activities:
 http://algonquinyoungreaders.com/book/the-art-ofsecrets/
 http://algonquinyoungreaders.com/book/the-art-ofsecrets/
Related Subjects:
Arts (painting)
Chicago Illinois
Community life
Disasters--fires
Fund raising
Mystery
Outsider art
Pakistani Americans
Senior high school
Similar titles to The Art of Secrets:
Home boy a novel by H. M. Naqvi
Land of promise by Joan Lowery Nixon
First daughter White House rules by Mitali Perkins
The education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Manus Pinkwater
The espressologist: a novel by Kristina Springer
57 The Truth about Alice
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Publication Release: 3 June 2014 from the publisher
Roaring Brook Press ISBN: 9781596439092
About the Book [Realistic fiction]: Everyone knows Alice
slept with two guys at one party. When Healy High star
quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash, it
was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask anybody.
Rumor has it Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the
"slut stall" in the girls' bathroom: "Alice had sex in exchange
for math test answers" and "Alice got an abortion last
semester." After Brandon dies, the rumors start to spiral out
of control. In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students tell all they "know"
about Alice--and in doing so reveal their own secrets and motivations, painting a raw
look at the realities of teen life. But in this novel from Jennifer Mathieu, exactly what is
the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself. [Pages:
199]
Accelerated Reader: 5.6 Interest Level UG 9-12
Point Value 8 Quiz 166665EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Lexile Measure: 900L
Z
About the Author: Jennifer Mathieu ((pronounced Muh-two) is
a young adult. She’s a writer and English teacher who lives in
Texas with her family. A native of the East Coast and a former
journalist, she enjoys writing contemporary young adult fiction
that treats teenagers like real people. Jennifer loves to eat and
hates to cook. She lives in Texas with her husband, son, dog,
and cat.
Ten Facts About Me
01 - I started writing “books” and stories when I was in kindergarten. I
experienced my first success as a writer when I won a contest in Cricket
Magazine. The story was about a dancing ape inside a library.
02 - I am weirdly obsessed with the 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls to the point where I can turn on any
episode right in the middle of it and start reciting dialogue.
03 - I refused to get a cell phone until 2010 just to see how long I could go without one. Now I’m sort of
addicted to texting. I knew this would happen!
04 - I spend my days teaching English to middle and high schoolers, and I love my job. Everyone thinks
English teachers are always silently judging people’s grammar, but the truth is that even we mix up who
and whom once in a while. At least I do.
58 05 - I could live on pepperoni pizza and anything chocolate.
06 - In the sixth grade I didn’t study for a science test so I could read The Outsiders in one night. I have
never regretted failing that science test.
07 - My mom was born in Cuba and my dad was born in Chile, so I didn’t learn English until preschool.
Puedo entender más de lo que puedo hablar, pero mi español es en general bastante bueno!
08 - I live in Texas with a funny husband, a sweetie pie son, a protective dog, a fat cat, and a cat that is
even fatter than the fat cat.
09 - In fifth grade, we had to take a test on the 50 states and their capitals as well as locate the states on
a map. The only question I missed was the capital of Maine. For this reason, even on my death bed I will
be able to tell you that the capital of Maine is Augusta.
10 - Total truth? I stole this list idea from E. Lockhart, author of the Ruby Oliver books - which happen to
be some of my favorite young adult novels ever. You can check out more of my best-loved books (and
music) on MY FAVES.
Visit her at www.jennifermathieu.com
Classroom Activities:
 http://us.macmillan.com/thetruthaboutalice/JenniferMathieu#media
 http://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/readers-guides/9781596439092RG.pdf
 http://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/discusionguides/9781596439092DG.pdf
Related Subjects:
Adolescence
Multiple points of view
Bullies & bullying
Rumor
Dating & relationships & sex
Social issues—sexual abuse, assault &
harassment
High school
Honesty & integrity
Truth
Similar titles to The Truth about Alice:
The bully: a novel by Liz Brown
Payback by James Heneghan
The Beckoners by Carrie Mac
Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass by Meg Medina
Damage by Robin Stevenson
59 More than This
Author: Patrick Ness
Publication Release: 10 September 2013
from the
publisher Candlewick Press ISBN: 9780763662585
About the Book [Realistic fiction]: A boy named Seth
drowns, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But
then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How
is that possible? He remembers dying. So how is he here?
And where is this place? It looks like the suburban English
town where he lived as a child, before an unthinkable
tragedy happened and his family moved to America. But the
neighborhood around his old house is overgrown, covered in
dust, and completely abandoned. What's going on? And why
is it that whenever he closes his eyes, he falls prey to vivid,
agonizing memories that seem more real than the world around him? Seth begins a
search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, trapped in a crumbling,
abandoned world. [Pages: 472]
Accelerated Reader: 4.9 Interest Level UG 9-12 Point Value 15 Quiz 160811EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
T
Lexile Measure: HL800L
About the Author: Patrick Ness claims three
states in America as his home (“as Americans
are wont to do”): He was born in Virginia, his
first memories are Hawaiian, and he went to
junior high and high school in Washington.
Then he lived in California for college (at USC)
and moved to the United Kingdom in 1999,
where he’s lived (mostly in London) ever since.
Patrick has written nine books: two novels for
adults (The Crash of Hennington and The
Crane Wife), one short story collection for adults (Topics About Which I Know Nothing)
and six novels for young adults (The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the
Answer, Monsters of Men, A Monster Calls, More Than This and The Rest of Us Just
Live Here).
For these books, he has won the Carnegie Medal twice, the Costa Children’s Book
Award, the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Red House Book Award, the
Jugendliteratur Preis, the UKLA Award, the Booktrust Teenage Prize and the fabulous,
fabulous, fabulous Jim Kay also won the Greenaway for his illustrations in A Monster
Calls (so buy that version, would you?).
60 Patrick writes screenplays as well, including for the movie version of A Monster Calls
starring Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones, out October 2016.
He loves the Decemberists, Peter Carey and A&W Cream Soda. He dislikes onions.
Intensely. Visit Patrick at http://patrickness.com/
Classroom Activities:
 http://www.morethanthisbook.com/
 https://www.teachingbooks.net/media/pdf/Candlewick/MoreThanThis_Guide.pdf
Related Subjects:
Adventure & survival
Emotions & fear
England
Families
Interpersonal relationships
Survival
Teenage boys
Similar titles to More than This:
The punk ethic by Timothy Decker
Before I die by Jenny Downham
Losers by Matthue Roth
Living with Jackie Chan by Johanna Knowles
Unchained by L. B Tillit
61 Steelheart
(Series: Reckoners, Book 1)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publication Release: 24 September 2013 from the
publisher Delacorte Press ISBN: 97803857435363
About the Book [Science fiction & fantasy; dystopia]:
There are no heroes.
Every single person who manifested powers—we call them
Epics—turned out to be evil.
Here, in the city once known as Chicago, an extraordinarily
powerful Epic declared himself Emperor. Steelheart has the
strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said no bullet can harm him, no
sword can split his skin, no explosion can burn him. He is invincible.
It has been ten years. We live our lives as best we can. Nobody fights back. . . nobody
but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans who spend their lives studying
powerful Epics, finding their weaknesses, then assassinating them.
My name is David Charleston. I’m not one of the Reckoners, but I intend to join them. I
have something they need. Something precious, something incredible. Not an object,
but an experience. I know his secret.
I’ve seen Steelheart bleed. [Pages: 386]
Accelerated Reader: 5 Interest Level MG+6 Point Value 16 Quiz 161310EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: Z
Lexile Measure: 680HL
About the Author: As a child Brandon
Sanderson enjoyed reading, but he lost
interest in the types of titles often suggested
to him, and by junior high he never cracked a
book if he could help it. This changed when
an eighth grade teacher gave him
Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly.
Brandon was working on his thirteenth novel
when Tor Books bought the sixth he had
written. He was chosen to complete Robert
Jordan’s Wheel of Time series.
62 He is the only author to make the short list for the David Gemmell Legend Award six
times in four years, and Brandon won that award in 2011 for The Way of Kings. The
Emperor’s Soul won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella. He has hit the New York
Times Hardcover Fiction Best-Seller List seven times, with all three Wheel of Time
books hitting the #1 spot.
He is currently living in Utah with his wife and children. Visit him at
http://brandonsanderson.com/
Classroom Activities:
 http://riteenbookaward.org/node/493
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sC9NtpXLH4
Related Subjects:
Adventure
Guerrilla warfare
Heroes
Revenge
Science fiction
Supervillains
Similar titles to Steelheart:
The supernaturalists by Eoin Colfer
Warbound (Grimnoir Chronicles, #3) by Larry Correia
The Vindico by Wesley King
Promise of blood (Powder Mage, #1) by Brian McClellan
The dangerous days of Daniel X by James Patteron
Captain America: dark designs by Stefan Petrucha
63 I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and
Was Shot by the Taliban
Author: Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb
Publication Release: from the publisher Little, Brown &
Company ISBN: 9780316322409
About the Book [Autobiographical]: When the Taliban took
control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out.
Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her
right to an education. On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when
she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was
shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus
home from school, and few expected her to survive. Instead,
Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an
extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United
Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest
and the youngest nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is the remarkable tale
of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who,
himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend
school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that
prizes sons. This story will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to
inspire change in the world. [Pages: 327]
Contents: The Day My World Changed -- Before the Taliban. A daughter is born ; My
father the falcon ; Growing up in a school ; The village ; Why I don't wear earrings and
Pashtuns don't say thank you ; Children of the rubbish mountain ; The mufti who tried to
close our school ; The autumn of the earthquake -- The Valley of Death. Radio Mullah ;
Toffees, tennis balls, and the Buddhas of Swat ; The clever class ; The bloody square ;
The diary of Gul Makai ; A funny kind of peace ; Leaving the valley -- Three Girls, Three
Bullets. The Valley of Sorrows ; Praying to be tall ; The woman and the sea ; A private
Talibanization ; Who is Malala? -- Between Life and Death. "God, I entrust her to You”;
Journey into the unknown -- A second life. "The girl shot in the head, Birmingham”;
"They have snatched her smile" -- One child, one teacher, one book, one pen-- -Important events in Pakistan and Swat.
Accelerated Reader: 7.1 Interest Level UG 9-12 Point Value 16 Quiz 163041EN
Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level:
Z
Lexile Measure: 1000L
About the Author: Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan.
As a child, she became an advocate for girls' education, which resulted in the Taliban
issuing a death threat against her. On October 9, 2012, a gunman shot Malala when
she was traveling home from school. She survived, and has continued to speak out on
the importance of education.
64 She was nominated for a
Nobel Peace Prize in 2013. In
2014, she was nominated
again and won, becoming the
youngest person to receive
the Nobel Peace Prize.
Visit her at http://www.malalayousafzai.com/
Classroom Activities:
 https://malala.gwu.edu/sites/malala.gwu.edu/files/OVPR-Malala.pdf
 http://libguides.library.ncat.edu/content.php?pid=600025&sid=4948446
 http://littlebrownlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PR3912_IamMalala_EG.pdf
 http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/malala-yousafzai-pakistan-talibanrights-discussion.shtml
 http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/14-non-fiction/9457-i-am-malalayousafzai?start=3
Related Subjects:
Central Asia (history)
Sociology
Children’s rights—Pakistan
Young women—education—Pakistan
Education
Women
Human rights
Similar titles to I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot
by the Taliban:
Malala Yousafzai and the girls of Pakistan by David Aretha
Rosewater: a family’s story of love, captivity, and survival by Maziar Bahari
Malala Yousafzai by Stuart A. Kallen
Half the sky: turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide by Nichlas D.
Kristof
Malala Yousafzai: teenage education activist who defied the Taliban by Cathleen Small
65