Something for everyone

I decided to combine different genres of books together so there is something for everyone here.

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tale of Despereaux. 2003. Newbery Award.

Despereaux is a mouse and not just any mouse but a very tiny mouse. But this tiny mouse is awash in imagination, music, hope and ultimately adventure. Through music he meets Princess Pea and thus he meets with the rat Roscuro who lives in the dark dungeon but longs for life in light. Their lives become intertwined with that of Miggery Sow whose father sold her for a red tablecloth. They all meet up with their destiny in the dark dungeon of the castle where they all live. Read The tale of Despereaux for a tiny tale of adventure.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. 2002. Newbery Honor Book.

Where do you belong? Hollis Woods’ pictures show you where she would like to belong; with the Regans, her last foster family. But something happened there and now she lives with Josie, a retired art teacher. Hollis and Josie form a close bond but Hollis worries about Josie and her forgetfulness. Will she be forced to move to yet another foster family and have her hopes of a family dashed twice in a row? Read Pictures of Hollis Woods to learn what happened to her and both the foster families that love her.

Latham, Jeanlee. Carry on Mr. Bowditch. 1955. Newbery Award.

Nathaniel Bowditch a young man who yearned to go to the university but in the 18th century sailing town of Salem that was impossible for a young man in his position. Instead he was apprenticed and hones his talents in mathematics at night. After his indenture is complete he goes to sea and realizes that navigational information is incomplete and inaccurate. Nathaniel Bowditch complies a new book (the American Practical Navigator) of navigational information that is so accurate, it is still used today. Nathaniel Bowditch is a hero to the sailing community for his Sailor’s Bible, read Carry on Mr. Bowditch for an amazing story of a life well lived.

Bauer, Marion Dane. On my honor. 1986. Newbery Honor Book.

On his honor Joel promises his father he will be careful when he and his best friend Tony ride out to Starved Rock. But the boys don’t ride all the way to Starved Rock, instead Tony decides to go swimming in the river and Joel is angry at Tony’s lack of common sense. The river is dangerous and dirty so he dares Tony to a race. Joel arrives safely at the other side, Tony does not. Now Joel, a 12-year-old has to come to grips that his best friend is not only dead but he had a part in his death. Read On my honor to find out how Joel responds and deals with other people, including his father and the guilt that consumes him.

Lockhart, E. The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks. 2008.
National Book Award Finalist.

How do you describe Frankie at fourteen? She travels in her older sister’s shadow and has no real friends.How do you describe Frankie at fifteen, after she has grown up and out in all the right places? She’s pretty, sharp-tongued, has a popular boyfriend and realizes that she is smarter and more cunning than him or any of his friends.What does she do with her cunning, analytical mind? Since she is attending a prestigious boarding school with an all-boys secret society which her boyfriend is co-president, she takes over the all-boys secret society without their knowledge!Read how she does it and what mayhem ensues at the school in The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks.

Curtis, C.P. Bucking the Sarge. 2004.

The Sarge is Luther’s slum load mother and Luther is her 15 year old son who manages one of her halfway houses, drives elderly residents around in a van with an illegal license and does other work for his hard as tacks mother. Luther, though, is concerned about winning first place in the science fair, thinking about the beautiful girl in class and leaving Flint, Michigan for college. But Luther realizes that unless he does something, he might end up cleaning toilets in his mother’s tenements for the rest of his life. What Luther does while Bucking the Sarge is inspired and shows that good guys do finish first.

Green, John. Looking for Alaska. 2005. Printz Award.

Alaska is beautiful, adventurous, self-destructive and every boy at the Birmingham, AL board school where she attends is in love with her. Miles also falls in love with her as soon as he meets her. His roommate, Chip, is her best friend and the three friends hang out together, drink together and plot pranks together. Except for the growing unhappiness of Alaska, life is good and interesting for Miles at last. Unfortunately, this is the “before” time, it is the “after” time that Miles learns about real friendship and that unless someone lets you in, you can’t really know someone.