Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Caudill and Lincoln Program 2011

The Readers' Choice Program at Highland is underway for this school year. While many of the eighth grade students have reading requirements from these book lists, there is enthusiasm and wide-spread participation among many other students in the school as well.

The Caudill Award is an annual award given to a book by 4th - 8th grade students from around the state of Illinois. Each year there is a new list of twenty Caudill nominated books. We've also added ten of the books from this year's Lincoln list into the mix of the program at Highland.

In order to be eligible to vote for the award, students must read three of the nominated Caudill titles before the end of February.

We have some extra rewards students can earn at Highland. For reading ten of the books on the list, students will earn a free lunch. And for reading twenty of the books on the list, students will earn the grand prize.

Happy Reading!

Hunger Games Fever

I just had a conversation with a couple eighth grade guys who were wondering about the length of the hold list for Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. (Currently, there are 22 students waiting for one of the four library copies of Mockingjay.) Her trilogy, which begins with The Hunger Games, is definitely the hottest series at Highland this fall. It appeals across grade levels and genders. It really does have something for everyone action, adventure, violence, romance, psychological struggle.

I first read Hunger Games several years ago (long enough that I had to wait a year for book #2, Catching Fire, to be released), and I was hooked. I've read lots of dystopian fiction since then. I thought I'd share a couple favorites. We've also got a read-alike list in the library's catalog if you are looking for some suggestions.

Here are some standouts if you are looking for a series after Hunger Games or while you wait for one of the books:
  • The Maze Runner by James Dashner  - finished it last night and am now anxiously awaiting The Scorch Trials (out October 12)
  • Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  • Gone by Michael Grant  - I read book three this summer and was suprised the series stayed fresh and took some interesting turns
  • The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - I'm anxiously awaiting book three
If you have suggestions of other books I should pick up, I welcome them!