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As you may remember from last year Tandem Library Books was eager to promote the Cybils’ freshman year to our customers, including the fact that one of our own, a longtime book blogger Mindy, was involved as a panelist and an administrator. 

Mindy and the entire Cybils Team did it again and we are thrilled to highlight this year’s Cybil winners, which were announced February 14, 2008.

The 2007 Cybils Winners are:

Boy Toy
Young Adult Novels Winner

The Professor's Daughter
Graphic Novels Winner--Young Adult

Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel
Graphic Novels Winner--Elementary/Middle Grade

Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood
Nonfiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books Winner

A Crooked Kind of Perfect
Middle Grade Novels Winner

The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County
Fiction Picture Books

Lightship
Nonfiction Picture Books Winner

The True Meaning of Smekday
Fantasy & Science Fiction Winner--Elementary/Middle Grade

Book of a Thousand Days
Fantasy & Science Fiction Winner--Young Adult

This Is Just to Say
Poetry Winner     

                                                                                            Don't miss your chance to be involved with this one-of-a-kind award by nominating your favorite titles of 2008 this Fall at www.cybils.com!

                                                                     Here  are  all  62   honored   titles  from   2007.

In the past, comments from teachers on Oggie Cooder’s report cards have included words such as “unique,” “quirky,” “one-of-a-kind,” and “marching to his own drummer.”  His peers have been satisfied calling him “weirdo,” “dork,” “doofus,” “dweeb,” and “loozer.”  One description for Oggie readers of Sarah Weeks delightful middle-grade novel won’t be able to deny is leader.  But it isn’t until partway through Oggie’s fourth-grade year that anyone would dare follow this natural-born leader.  What turns things around?  He doesn’t begin to care about the clothes he wears or the games he dreams up.  He’s not suddenly interested in being friends with only the most popular kids in school or what all the people in Hollywood are doing.  It is Oggie’s unusual talent for charving cheese that unknowingly puts him on the path to fame and fortune.  Suddenly he’s the star of Truman Elementary School, his home town of Wauwatosa, and beyond--just being himself.

Oggie’s zany lust for life, along with an interesting story with true boy appeal, will strike a goofy chord with readers in grades 3-6 who have encountered changes and new experiences, as well as worries about friends and friendship.  After spending some time with Oggie, we all can look to the beat of our own drummer for inspiration.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone from Tandem Library Group!  In the spirit of the holiday we've put together three title lists to inspire you and your students to celebrate Valentine’s Day all year long.

Celebrate Valentine's Day K-5

Celebrate Valentine's Day 6-8

Celebrate Valentine's Day 9-12

Besides being a great read-a-loud or book to read independently our Book of the Week, The Year of the Rat, can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom.  Ideas are not limited to:

Introducing a unit on parables- Throughout The Year of the Rat, Pacy’s mom and dad share meaningful anecdotes which connect Pacy to her Taiwanese heritage and serve as lessons.  An example to discuss as a class or small groups is her mom’s school lunch story from chapter 27.  There are many wonderful picture books which would work as well in a lesson on proverbs and parables for an elementary-aged audience.  Three titles that come to mind are all by Jon J. Muth.   

Teaching the popular origin myth about the Chinese New Year-  Pacy’s dad tell the Nian Monster story in chapter 34 which explains the reason Chinese New Year is celebrated.  There are many fantastic children’s websites to get students excited about the New Year, one such link is a Countdown to New Years from PBS Kids.

Explaining similes and how the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are used as symbols- Students can research their own animal sign along the other zodiac animal signs to see which best represents them. A challenge would be to write a persuasive essay describing why that sign fits them best.  Students should avoid using physical characteristics alone to describe themselves (ie. eye color or height) while striving to include qualities (ie. a people person, trustworthy, or adventurous) to describe themselves.  Here’s a list of picture books which outline the Chinese zodiac.

Reviewing student’s resolutions made for the new year-- Using Pacy’s experience in the book, can students communicate which resolutions may really be wishes or which of their resolutions rely more fate or destiny?

The Chinese New Year starts February 7, 2008 and goes through January 25, 2009.  First in the cycle of twelve animal signs, the Year of the Rat will be a time of hard work, activity, and renewal.  Some may find it a good year to begin a new job, get married or make a fresh start.

The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin is the sequel to The Year of the Dog and Pacy is not happy about the big changes the Rat Year has in store.  Students in Grades 3-5 will find it easy to relate to Pacy as throughout the year she finds the courage to face up to one change after another.  Near the end of the book Pacy’s attitude towards the Rat Year improves after she chooses to be ‘brave like a tiger’.  By reflecting on the changes through the year that had made her uncomfortable or nervous Pacy finds how much she's grown up during the Rat Year.  What's more, she finds she has the power to shape her own future and appreciate the differences between fate and destiny as well as wishes and resolutions.

What will the Year of the Rat bring for you?

One great book recommendation deserves another and another.  Check out these titles:
Great Picture Book Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great Elementary School Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great Middle School Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great High School Titles with Asian-American characters 

As promised in our Book of the Week post from November 20, 2007 we’ve prepared a movie review for The Golden Compass which is still in theaters.

Our group left the theater happy and has had time mull over how well the movie compared to the book.  Many had recently read / re-read all or some of the trilogy before seeing Philip Pullman’s fantastical parallel universe brought so beautifully to the big screen and overall were very satisfied.  As is so often is that case with books made into movies, there are deviations from the book.  This includes a happy ending where there wasn’t one, but overall New Line's production kept with the integrity of the classic novel’s plot and characters.  Even Mrs. Coulter’s character with her dark hair, eyes and personality, whose impression has stayed with so many readers young and old through the years, came through equally as wicked as Nicole Kidman’s fair completed characterization in the movie.

We drew a stalemate concerning what age movie goers would appreciate the fantasy epic’s adaptation. We agreed the movie may not show as well to a person under the age of 10 and it could enchant viewers up into adulthood with its complex characters and a fascinating, and at times all too familiar, plot.  References to philosophy and literature are abundant which count as a draw for many, while perceived anti-Catholic and atheistic themes may have kept some away hurting the chances for cinematic adaptations of Subtle Knife or Amber Spyglass. 

We hope, as did other younger movie goers in nearby seats, we’ll have the pleasure of seeing more of Lyra’s world on the silver screen and that Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials will continue to enchant an ever growing audience of readers.

There are some pretty amazing friendships out there.  We’ve managed to round up six tremendous examples of unlikely friendships that have left a lasting mark on readers this year.

Although Cowboy and Octopus have different opinions about beans and knock-knock jokes, their friendship grows in these seven humorous mini-stories.

Owen & Mzee bonded with one another despite some pretty unimaginable differences. Owen, a baby hippo was separated from his mother during the devastating 2004 tsunami, and Mzee, a 130-year-old giant tortoise invited the inspiring, inseparable friendship.

After conquering the unknown beyond his nut tree in 2006, Scaredy Squirrel is ready to socialize in Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend.  Once he's spotted a perfectly safe candidate (with no teeth), will he be able to make the Perfect Friend?

                                                    The moment they saw each other, Ivy & Bean knew they wouldn't be friends. But when Bean pulls a trick that goes wrong, Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people who never meant to like each other.

Graystripe and Millie are from two different worlds, but that doesn’t stop the feisty kittypet Millie and second-in-command of ThunderClan Graystripe from becoming the best of friends.  Lost Warrior is the first of a new graphic novel series based on the incredibly popular Warrior series.

Lincoln and Keckley star in An Unlikely Friendship, a fictionalized dual biography by one of the premier writers of historical fiction for young readers. Find out how two women--one who grew up in a wealthy Southern home and became the wife of the president of the United States, the other who was born a slave and eventually purchased her own freedom--come to be such close companions.

*Keep your eyes peeled for Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach April 2008.
*That goes double for Warrior's Refuge at the end of December 2007 and Warrior’s Return in April 2008.
*We can’t forget about Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter in April 2008.

Every year we see more and more Hanukkah books for children.  We’ve compiled a list of Hanukkah-themed titles for elementary-age readers for the celebration of Hanukkah, which starts at sundown Tuesday, December 4th, and runs through sundown December 15th.  This list features new releases and old favorites with plenty of dreidels, menorahs, latkes, recipes, and fun mixed in.  Enjoy!

Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket voices a very angry latke which may resonate well with an American culture that sees the Christmas season coming earlier and earlier each year.

Celebrate Hanukkah: With Light, Latkes, and Dreidels by Deborah Heiligman overflows with the vivid photography of National Geographic and the joyous celebrations of Jewish people around the world.

  Jar of Fools: Eight Hanukkah Stories from Chelm by Eric Kimmel draws on traditional Jewish folklore to relate Hanukkah stories / antics of the people of Chelm, thought to be--perhaps incorrectly--a town of fools.

Elijah's Angel: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas by Michael J. Rosen tells the story of Michael and Elijah, who are friends, but when Elijah gives Michael one of his special carved angels, Michael doesn’t know what to do.

Check out all of our Hanukkah must-reads.

First-time authors are getting a lot of press lately with The Class of 2k7 and now The Class of 2k8 ready to roll, as well as the new William C. Morris YA Debut Award. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) will announce the first recipient in January 2009. With hundreds of debuts by young adult novelists each year and new ways to celebrate and spread the word about these debuts, we’d like to chime in with our favorites from 2007 that are not to be missed:

Linda Urban’s A Crooked Kind of Perfect is a middle grade novel about what happens when reality doesn’t quite match up with your expectations.  Both funny and heartwarming, A Crooked Kind of Perfect is a potential pick to win the Newbery.

More intermediate level author debuts from 2007

Skulduggery Pleasant is an ace detective, a snappy dresser, a crackerjack sorcerer with razor-tongued wit, and a skeleton. He also happens to be the Tandem Collection Development Team’s Favorite Hero of 2007.  How could he not win an award just for being him? Watch for all of our team’s 2007 Award picks in our upcoming Spring Must-Have Titles catalog, coming January 2008.

More middle school level author debuts from 2007

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr is a great read-alike for Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books.  This incredibly popular 21st century faery tale is void of vampires, and unlike Bella in Meyers’ books, Aislinn desperately wants to stay human.

More high school level author debuts from 2007

Middle schoolers studying slavery and the Underground Railroad or just looking for a solid coming-of-age fiction adventure will be glad they picked up Christopher Paul Curtis’ newest gem Elijah of Buxton. 

Set in 1860, Elijah of Buxton is the story of eleven-year-old Elijah who goes from “fra-gile” to “growed-up” in the settlement of Buxton, Canada.  Teachers will appreciate Curtis’ tremendous historical research of Buxton and its original settlers’ lives and may be pleased as I was that the Author’s Note provides more background on Buxton’s history. 

Young and old will take away the very formidable message of how ultimately every person in Buxton has some relationship to a past of slavery and how it is “something inside so strong that it flies forever.”  High-spirited and humorous, engaging and important, Curtis once again makes the grade.

Here's a list of companion MS novels which complement Elijah of Buxton.