P.S. Be Eleven By: Rita Williams

P.S. Be Eleven

By: Rita Williams

Williams-Garcia, R. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. (1st ed.). New York City: Harper Collins.

2014 Author Winner for the Coretta Scott King Award

Note: This award is given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.

Summary: This is the sequel to One Crazy Summer.  The Gaither sisters arrive back home and are jazzed up about having spent the summer with their mother and the Black Panthers.  They arrive home to find their father all giddy over his new girlfriend and their uncle Darnell is back from the war.  Delphine is the narrator of the story and takes us through her eleventh year of life and its ups and downs.  How she struggles with her uncle's PTSD, school and the dance, trying to stay in control of her younger sisters, and getting tickets to the Jackson Five.  As Delphine muddles and weaves through life she writes her mother for advice.  Her mother always responds back with the main point, be eleven while she can.

Rita Williams-Garcia is known for her realistic portrayal of teens of color.  She brings her own life experiences of the 60's to her novels.  Check out her other award winning and recognized books.

2003 Silver Kiss (Bologna Children’s Bookfair)
2003-4 Kentucky Blue Grass List
2003-4 Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award Master List
2002-3 Texas Library Assoc. YA Roundtable List
2002 ALA Best Books
2002 ALA Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults
2002 Children’s Literature Choice List
2002 New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

2011 Coretta Scott King Award Winner

2011 Newbery Honor Book

2011 Scott O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction

2010 National Book Award Finalist

National Book Award 2009 Finalist

LA Best Book of the Decade
1997 PEN\Norma Klein Honor
1997 Texas Library Assoc. YA Roundtable List
1996 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
1995 Best Books – School Library Journal
1995 Best Books – Publishers Weekly
1995 Best Books – American Library Association
1995 Books Recommended for Reluctant Readers – ALA
1995 Horn Books Fanfare Award
1996 CBC Notable in the Field of Social Studies- NCSS

Flora and Ulysses By: Kate DiCamillo

Flora and Ulysses

By: Kate DiCamillo

DiCamillo, K. (2014). Flora & Ulysses The Illuminated Adventures.. New York: Paw Prints.

2014 Medal Winner for the Newbery Award

Award Link

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

Summary: Kate DiCamillo’s novel is fun and different. The characters are quirky and likeable, with the exception of Flora’s mother. Flora and William Spiver are the kids we see that could be said to have old souls hence the SAT style vocabulary they use consistently throughout the novel. George is a heartbroken man that doesn't seem to know where he belongs and Phyllis is so wrapped up in herself and her book writing that she doesn't notice life around her. All of these characters plus the addition of Tootie the next door neighbor and Dr. Meescham the odd neighbor to George keep the reader grounded to the text. The characters are all multi-layered, just like the ones you see in comic books. This is shown through Campbell’s pencil drawn comic panels. Each character shows up in a comic panel throughout the book and this gives them the “superhero” quality that will entice reluctant readers to make their way through a novel. Flora meets each one of these characters, with the exception of her parents, as she goes on a journey to find out who she is and where her home is.  All of this is done with a superhero squirrel!

Activity: One unique feature of this book is the fact that it is written partly as a graphic novel in a comic book style.  After reading this book have students select one of their writings to turn into a graphic novel.  Use the website ToonDoo to create comic strips of their writing.  This is a free website that will allow them multiple ways to create the comic strip.

Ball By: Mary Sullivan

Ball

By: Mary Sullivan

Sullivan, M. (2013). Ball. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt .

2014 Honor Book for the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award

Award Link

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: Mans best friend is the center of this sweet and hopeful picture book.  The little girl in the family plays fetch with the family dog until she has to go to school.  Once she leaves the dog is desperate for someone to play fetch with him.  He tries mom and even the cat but nobody will play fetch.  He finally takes a nap and dreams of his ball.  Finally the little girl returns home from school and immediately plays fetch with the dog.  The illustrations are what make this story so sincere and relate-able.  The dog is drawn with so many facial expressions that his emotions shine through the page!

If you liked this book check out the two below:

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!

Check out the Book Trailer Below!

Words with Wings by: Nikki Grimes

Words with Wings

By: Nikki Grimes

Grimes, N., & Grzeslo, B. (2013). Words with wings. Honesdale: WordSong.

2014 Author Honor Award for the Coretta Scott King Award

Note: This award is given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.

Summary: Words with Wings begins with a young girl, Gabriella who is trying to cope with a new school, making friends, and her parents separation.  Her coping mechanism is her daydreaming.  She explains how just hearing a word can send her deep into daydream land.  Through the story Gabriella struggles to find her own voice and it is not until a special teacher and one new friend help her come together. This short but rather deep story is told through verse as a narrative poem.  It is with the fluid lines and beautifully strung together words that create the imagery that transports us into Gabriella's world.

Activity: This is an excellent book to use for writing class.  After reading the story lead your students in a discussion of how words can bring on all sorts of sensory language.  Demonstrate by writing a word on the board that means something to you.  For me I would pick coffee!  I would then write down all the things I think about when I hear the word coffee; smiles, laughter, cozy mornings on the porch, winter time, catching up with old friends, breakfast with my dad, richness, bold, etc....  After demonstrating have your students choose their own word and brainstorm.  When the brainstorms are complete you can then lead them in using the sensory language to create a narrative poem using short stanzas and lines, resembling Words with Wings.  When all are complete have students present and create a display for all staff and parents to come and enjoy.  

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote By: Duncan Tonatiuh

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote

By: Duncan Tonatiuh

Tonatiuh, D., & Middleton, M. T. (2013). Pancho Rabbit and the coyote: a migrant's tale. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

2014 Author Honor Book of the Pura Belpre Award

Award Link

Note: This award is given to Latin authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. 

Summary: A drought forces Papa Rabbit and two of his friends to leave the ranch and find work elsewhere.  After a few years Papa is supposed to return and they plan a huge celebration but Papa does not show up.  Everyone is worried but thinks he will make it by the next morning.  The oldest son Pancho left in search of his father.  A Coyote offers Pancho help to get to the ranch that Papa was working at.  Throughout their journey the coyote keeps demanding all of the food and drink that Pancho had packed for his father.  When Pancho runs out of food and drink the coyote tries to eat Pancho.  In just the nick of time Papa Rabbit bursts through the door and saves his son.  They all return to the ranch the next day and celebrate. 

If you enjoy this book check out the following stories that also deal with the theme of immigration.

Flora and the Flamingo By: Molly Idle

Flora and the Flamingo

By: Molly Idle

Idle, M. S. (2013). Flora and the flamingo. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books.

2014 Caldecott Honor Book

Award Link

Note: This award is given to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Summary: In this wordless story you follow a curious little girl, Flora as she follows and mimics a flamingo.  The flamingo does not seem to care too much for Flora and her antics.  At one point the Flamingo startles Flora and she tumbles backwards.  This hurts Flora's feelings and the flamingo makes it up to her.  They continue the rest of the story dancing from page to page.  This is a simple by endearing book and is told through soft pastel water colors.  Check out the book trailer below!  I could not have created a better one. Thank you to YouTube for allowing me to share this trailer.