John Newbery Award

I worked with 6th graders last week to talk about the John Newbery Award for children’s literature. Students enjoyed hearing about the history of the award and looking at the books that won the award in the 20s and 30s. I showed them a poster with all the winners from 1922 to 2010, talked about the runner’s up books called Newbery Honor winners, and did booktalks on When You Reach Me (2010 winner) and The Graveyard Book (2009 winner). I showed book trailers for them too. I ended the lesson with a challenge. Only five authors have won the Newbery Award twice. Who are they?

The Newbery Award – PPT

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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009 Newberry Medal Winner

While an assassin stealthily slips from room to room, slaughtering his family, a toddler escapes from his crib, “bottom-bumps” his way down the stairs, and wanders out into the nearby graveyard where a ghost, Mrs. Owens, sensing danger, decides to adopt him. The rest of the ghosts, all from different historical time periods, debate the wisdom of this idea. But when the mysterious visitor, Silas, who can enter into the world and return, agrees to be the boy’s guardian and provider, the ghostly assembly grants the child the freedom of the graveyard.

Good book

Can’t see video below? Try this link.

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Recommended Reading List

So many students approach me during the year looking for a good book.  I decided to dedicate a post to books from our middle school library collection that I have read this year and recommend to my students.  I will continually add to the list so make sure to check back often.  I welcome suggestions for me to add to the list◊

Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E. L. Konigsburg
Storm Thief by Chris Wooding
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
So B. It by Sarah Weeks
Tangerine by Edward Bloor
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Framed by Malcolm Rose
Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Book Trailer
Pigman and Me by Paul Zindel
Peak by Roland Smith
The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Silver Child by Cliff McNish
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Savvy by Ingrid Law
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Flight #116 is Down! by Caroline B. Cooney

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