The Watermelon Seed By: Greg Pizzoli

The Watermelon Seed

By: Greg Pizzoli

Pizzoli, G. (2013). The watermelon seed. New York: Disney Hyperion.

2014 Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal Winner

Note: This award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year.

Summary: Have you ever swallowed a watermelon seed?  In Greg Pizzoli's story a watermelon loving crocodile does just that.  He chomps away at a piece of watermelon and is thoroughly enjoying himself until he realizes he has swallowed a watermelon seed.  The crocodile begins nervous and believes he can feel the watermelon seed growing into a watermelon inside of him.  He vows never to eat another watermelon again until he lets out a large burp and the watermelon seed.  He looks at the watermelon and decides that one more bite can't hurt and begins to chomp away again at what he loves the most, watermelon!

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One Came Home By: Amy Timberlake

One Came Home

By: Amy Timberlake

Timberlake, A., & Homer, D. (2013). One came home. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

2014 Newbery Honor Award
Award Link

Note: This award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Summary: It is 1871 and Georgie Burkhardt is a young teenage girl that is anything but typical in Wisconsin. Georgie opens her mouth and upsets her sister Agatha by ruining her engagement and this spurs Agatha to flee their Wisconsin town with a band of pigeoners.  The sheriff goes out to bring Agatha back but instead brings back an unidentifiable body.  Georgie does not believe that this is the body of her sister and in turn heads out herself to uncover the truth about Agatha.  Georgie runs into all kinds of trouble along her journey and even ends up shooting her gun.  Georgie does uncover the truth but I won't tell you here, read the book and find out!

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"The President has been Shot!" The Assassination of John F. Kennedy By: James L. Swanson

"The President has been Shot!" The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

By: James L. Swanson

Swanson, J. L. (2013). "The President has been shot": the assassination of John F. Kennedy. New York : Scholastic.

2014 Finalist for the YASLA Excellence in Nonfiction

YASLA Award Link

2014 YASLA Winner Announcement

Note: This award honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults.

Summary: James Swanson takes you back with detailed historical accuracy to the beginning of John F. Kenned's political career. You embark on a journey through the youngest president in history's election and inauguration; detailing how JFK dealt with the failed Bay of Pigs, Cuba Invasion, prevented a Russian Missile Attack, made landing on the moon possible, Nuclear test ban treaty, and his fight against communism and racial inequality.  Swanson then switches back and forth between JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald (the man who shot JFK) actions the few days before the assassination and the days following.  Swanson enlightens us with the numerous coincidences that lead to Oswald being able to carry out his assassination plan, such as Oswald taking a job at the book depository just a short time before the decision that the President would travel to Texas and follow a route that would take him past the book depository.  There is no sugar coating to the gory details and spends time connecting us to Jackie Kennedy's emotional roller-coaster that left her scared for life.  The novel is written with a sense of urgency and is depicted through Swanson's words and archival black and white photographs, diagrams, source notes, and a bibliography.

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Charm and Strange By: Stephanie Kuehn

Charm and Strange 

By: Stephanie Kuehn

2014 Winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award

Note: The Morris award is given to a first time author writing for teens.

Morris Award Link

Summary: Charm and Strange details the life of a young boy, Andrew Winston Winters, or known throughout the book as either Drew or Win.  As you enter this novel you go from reading about his past to reading about the present.  You are thrown into the life of an overly aggressive and sometimes violent boy when spending time with his family to the isolated and lonely boy who hides himself from every other student at his boarding school.  Stephanie Kuehn takes you on an emotional journey through Andrew's life and the secrets he buries inside of himself and lets out only when he becomes the "wolf" predator he contains inside.  The story will keep you guessing from page to page as you weave together the pieces of brokenness that somehow are keeping Andrew from completely breaking apart.  Within the last few pages you get complete clarity of Andrews mind, emotions, and soul.  It is heartbreaking and upon its completion I could only sit in utter silence and playback the words that I had read.  I will not tell you Andrews secret, for you need to read and in a way walk through Andrews shoes, to truly feel what Stephanie Kuehn so eloquently and cryptically put together. 

Kuehn, S. (2013). Charm & strange. New York: Macmillan.

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