Our favorite books this September feature some lovable animals and some courageous young adults. These stories about friendship and making good choices will make you laugh, cry and learn life lessons in the process.
Read on to see what books had us hooked this September!
For PreK-K (Ages 3-6):
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach
Bear meets sandwich, adventure ensues. The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch). A sly classic-in-the-making for fans of Jon Klassen, Peter Brown, and Mo Willems.
For 1st & 2nd Grade (Ages 6-8):
My Friend Maggie by Hannah E. Harrison
Paula and Maggie have been friends forever. Paula thinks Maggie is the best—until mean girl Veronica says otherwise. Suddenly, Paula starts to notice that Maggie is big and clumsy, and her clothes are sort of snuggish. Rather than sticking up for Maggie, Paula ignores her old friend and plays with Veronica instead. Luckily, when Veronica turns on Paula, Maggie’s true colors shine through.
For 3rd & 4th grade (Ages 8-10):
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch
Welcome to Hereville, home of the first-ever wisecracking, adventure-loving, sword-wielding Orthodox Jewish heroine. A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, this fun, quirky graphic novel series will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.
For 5th & 6th grade (Ages 10-12):
Booked by Kwame Alexander
In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read.
Grades 7 & up (Ages 13+):
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with . . . Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, and culminating in epic turns-of-heart and the most fabulous musical ever to grace the high school stage. Told in alternating voices from two YA superstars, this collaborative novel features a double helping of the heart and humor that have won them both legions of fans.
The post Monthly Book List: Our Five Favorite Books for September appeared first on First Book Blog.
By
The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation from
Cynthia Leitich Smith's
CynsationsThe Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, in partnership with the
de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi, announced the winners of the 30th annual Ezra Jack Keats Book Award.
Each year, a new writer and new illustrator are celebrated. The 2016 award ceremony will be held April 7 during the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. The winners receive a gold medallion as well as an honorarium of $1,000.
“We are proud to present the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award to the best new talents in children’s illustrated literature each year. These are writers and illustrators whose books reflect the spirit of Keats, and at the same time, are refreshingly original,” said Deborah Pope, Executive Director of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. “This year is Ezra’s 100th birthday! So we are especially delighted to celebrate him by honoring those whose books, like his, are wonderful to read and look at and reflect our multicultural world.”
“The Keats Archives at the de Grummond Children’s Collection is a happy reminder of the joy that Ezra’s books have brought to readers and the impact they have had on children’s book makers.
"Once again, we see that influence in the work of this year’s EJK Book Award winners. We are confident that they’ll join the long list of illustrious past winners whose books continue to delight and make a difference,” said Ellen Ruffin, Curator of the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection.
Lois Lowry, two-time winner of the Newbery Award for
Number the Stars (1990) and
The Giver (1994), will present this year’s Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards.
Michael Cart, columnist/reviewer for Booklist and a leading expert on young adult literature, will deliver the Keats Lecture.
The 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award winner for new writer is:
Don Tate for Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Peachtree)
In the South before the Civil War, it was illegal to teach slaves to read, but George Moses Horton loved words too much to be stopped. He taught himself to read as a child and grew up to be a published poet, while still a slave.
Writing about slavery for young readers is challenging but important, and Don Tate succeeds brilliantly, in an engaging, age-appropriate and true narrative.
Tate said, “Three years ago, I won an Ezra Jack Keats honor award, one of the proudest moments of my career. I never imagined being considered again… this time [for] the top award. There has always been a special place in my heart for Ezra Jack Keats. When he chose to picture brown children in his books, he chose to acknowledge me. I wasn’t invisible to him.
"As a creator of color in a field that sorely lacks diversity, it can be easy to sometimes feel unseen. This award serves as a reminder to me that I am not invisible and that my work matters.”
The 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award winner for new illustrator is:
Phoebe Wahl for
Sonya’s Chickens (Tundra)
Sonya’s dad presents her with three baby chicks to care for, and she does her job well, providing food, shelter and lots of love as they grow into hens. Then one night, Sonya discovers that one of her hens is missing! But as her father explains, the fox stole the hen because he loved his kits and needed to feed them.
The circle of life is gently and exquisitely depicted in Wahl’s rich and colorful watercolor and collage illustrations of a multicultural family’s life on a farm.
Wahl said, “Keats’ work stands out as some of the most impactful of my childhood. I can directly trace the roots of my obsession with pattern, color and my use of collage to my affinity with the lacy baby blanket in Peter’s Chair. Keats inspired me to create stories that are quiet and gentle, yet honor the rich inner lives of children and all of the complexity that allows.
"I am humbled to be associated with Keats’ legacy in being presented with this award, and I am so grateful to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and the children’s literature community for this show of support and encouragement.”
The 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award honor winners are:
2016 New Writer Honors Julia Sarcone-Roach for
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich, also illustrated by Sarcone-Roach (Knopf)
Megan Dowd Lambert for
A Crow of His Own, illustrated by
David Hyde Costello (Charlesbridge)
2016 New Illustrator Honors Ryan T. Higgins for
Mother Bruce, also written by Higgins (Hyperion)
Rowboat Watkins for
Rude Cakes, also written by Watkins (Chronicle)
The Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Criteria To be eligible for the 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, the author and/or illustrator will have no more than three children’s picture books published prior to the year under consideration.
Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone!
You will probably be able to tell instantly by my selection and suggested activities that I am dreaming of spring on this sub-zero day! This book is so fun - I hope you'll enjoy it!
Title: The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
Written & Illustrated By: Julia Sarcone-Roach
Knopf Books For Young Readers, January 2015, Fiction
Suitable For Ages: 3-7
Themes/Topics: humor, mischief, story-telling/tall tale, journey, unreliable narrator
Opening: "
By now I think you know what happened to your sandwich. But you may not know how
it happened. So let me tell you. It all started with the bear."
Brief Synopsis: A bear in search of breakfast falls asleep in the back of a berry truck and ends up in the city. After exploring his surroundings, he ends up in the park... near an unattended sandwich. "
Your beautiful and delicious sandwich. All alone." After the sandwich, it's back to the familiar forest for bear. But the story has a twist at the end that's as delicious as the sandwich!
Links To Resources:
Facts About Bears;
Fun Sandwich Recipes For Kids;
50+ Fun Kids' Picnic Ideas; the narrator in this story is completely unreliable - try making up stories of your own with an unreliable narrator who doesn't give himself away until the very end!
Why I Like This Book: Such a fun story! The bear is so sweet and funny and sympathetic, going along just doing what bears do - eating, sleeping, exploring. Meanwhile, something entirely different is going on. The narrator is just leading you down the primrose path, casual as you please, and it's not until the very end you realize you can't believe a word he says! :) You will have to read the story to find out what REALLY happened to the sandwich :) The art is gorgeous - lush and colorful and filled with fun details... and a clue :)
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit
Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF bloggers please be sure to leave your post-specific link in the list below so we can all come visit you!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! And if you live anywhere near me, stay warm! :)
