The 2009 Award for Older Readers: Masterpiece by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Henry Holt). I read Masterpiece in part because it had won this award. It's about an unlikely friendship between a boy named James and a beetle named Marvin. WhileMasterpiece is about art forgery, and Marvin's adventures out in the wide world, at it's heart it is a story of friendship. My review is here. I said "Masterpiece is wonderful! It's the type of book that ought to become a classic over time, set alongside The Borrowers and A Cricket in Times Square... This is a must-read title for children and adults.
The 2008 Award for Older Readers: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). This book is an exciting adventure story, filled with puzzles, for middle grade readers. It's about a group of talented children recruited to work as investigators for a mysterious benefactor. As I noted in my review, the book has a bit of an old-fashioned feel, but it's also funny on multiple levels. My review of this title is here, and of the sequel is here. I am eagerly awaiting book 3.
The 2007 Award For Older Readers: Alabama Moon by Watt Key (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). I read Alabama Moon earlier this year, because one of my blog readers recommended it to me. It's about a 10-year old boy named Moon who is raised alone in the woods by his survivalist father. When his father dies, he has to learn to interact with other people. It's an excellent adventure story, great for boys, one that is also genuinely moving. I think that what makes this book a good read-aloud title is the strength and uniqueness of Moon's voice. My review is here.
Poetry? Edgar Allan Poe, Ogden Nash, even Shel Silverstein. The Highwayman, the old poem by Alfred Noyes joke books, one-minute mysteries, Oh Yuck, the Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty (and similar titles), trivia books Alden Carter's Love, Football and other Contact Sports Chris Crutcher's Athletic Shorts? James Patterson's novels have very short chapters (like 3 pages or something). Alex Cross novels the first 3 chapters of I, Alex Cross (the whole chapter is one webpage!) http://jamespatterson.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-next-alex-cross Ray Bradbury's short stories short story collections Gary Paulsen's My life in Dog Years Chicken Soup for the Soul This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women Read All About It by Jim Trelease Check this out. It's the story of an autistic savant. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126881.800-inside-the-mind-of-an-autistic-savant.html Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
The 2009 Award for Older Readers: Masterpiece by Elise Broach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Henry Holt). I read Masterpiece in part because it had won this award. It's about an unlikely friendship between a boy named James and a beetle named Marvin. WhileMasterpiece is about art forgery, and Marvin's adventures out in the wide world, at it's heart it is a story of friendship. My review is here. I said "Masterpiece is wonderful! It's the type of book that ought to become a classic over time, set alongside The Borrowers and A Cricket in Times Square... This is a must-read title for children and adults.
The 2008 Award for Older Readers: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers). This book is an exciting adventure story, filled with puzzles, for middle grade readers. It's about a group of talented children recruited to work as investigators for a mysterious benefactor. As I noted in my review, the book has a bit of an old-fashioned feel, but it's also funny on multiple levels. My review of this title is here, and of the sequel is here. I am eagerly awaiting book 3.
The 2007 Award For Older Readers: Alabama Moon by Watt Key (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). I read Alabama Moon earlier this year, because one of my blog readers recommended it to me. It's about a 10-year old boy named Moon who is raised alone in the woods by his survivalist father. When his father dies, he has to learn to interact with other people. It's an excellent adventure story, great for boys, one that is also genuinely moving. I think that what makes this book a good read-aloud title is the strength and uniqueness of Moon's voice. My review is here.
Poetry? Edgar Allan Poe, Ogden Nash, even Shel Silverstein.
The Highwayman, the old poem by Alfred Noyes
joke books, one-minute mysteries,
Oh Yuck, the Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty (and similar titles),
trivia books
Alden Carter's Love, Football and other Contact Sports
Chris Crutcher's Athletic Shorts?
James Patterson's novels have very short chapters (like 3 pages or
something). Alex Cross novels
the first 3 chapters of I, Alex Cross (the whole chapter is one webpage!)
http://jamespatterson.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-next-alex-cross
Ray Bradbury's short stories
short story collections
Gary Paulsen's My life in Dog Years
Chicken Soup for the Soul
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women
Read All About It by Jim Trelease
Check this out. It's the story of an autistic savant.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126881.800-inside-the-mind-of-an-autistic-savant.html
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time