Mock Printz Award
The Memory Book by Lara Avery
Mock Honors:
Character Driven by David Lubar
The Memory of Light by Francisco X. Stork
The Rebel of the Sands by Alywyn Hamilton
The Reader by Traci Chee
The Memory Book and Character Driven were virtually tied and the students had to debate and vote and re-vote until The Memory Book moved into a 51% majority. Students loved both books and finally decided that a book's cry-worthiness was the deciding factor. Ha!
As we discussed all the titles we read this year, no one wanted to talk about The Passion of Dolssa. When I told them it was my favorite book, the group started teasing me about it. No one in the room had finished it except me. I didn't even bother mentioning that this book has been getting lots of love on the blogosphere because, umm, clearly they didn't. They also weren't so sure if they liked We Are the Ants, which was the favorite book of my partner teacher. We both decided to keep our mouths shut because clearly we were not influential on the process. It became a joke as the afternoon wore on.
I was very impressed with the thoughtful comments that students made in defense of their favorite titles. Even if these titles don't win actual Printz Awards, the authors who penned these titles should feel proud of winning the GK-Mock Printz Award for 2017. You have written a book which teenagers actually love and they want others to know just how great they are.
Now we wait to see what the Real Printz committee thinks. I bet their discussion won't be nearly as spirited and enthusiastic.
Anne
My students picked The Passion of Dolssa for our book club read this month. THEY picked it. I was the only one that read it.... I liked it, but I even said in my review, it's not a book with wide appeal to teens. In my opinion. I haven't read any of the books your kids picked! My club seems to be very interested in fantasy/dystopian stories, although individually some of them read contemporaries. Interesting choices.
ReplyDeleteWhat were your Honor book titles? I'm curious how your kiddos picked Dolssa without reading it. I think mine couldn't get past the length.
DeleteNo, we aren't doing the Mock Printz. This was just for book club. They pick a book to read to discuss every month.
DeleteI finished The Reader and I liked it for the most part. The repetitiveness of "it's a book" got on my nerves and the stories with the stories actually took me out of the book. I'm willing to read the second book since I liked the core characters but I didn't love it liked I hoped.
ReplyDeleteNor did I love the book. The students by-and-large decided on the books that they liked or that other's liked or that had a seemingly good message. The Reader appealed to them because it was about books and the kids at the workshop are the book lovers at the school.
DeleteAnne, I LOVE, LOVE what you do with and for these kids. They are enriched by your encouragement and activities to promote reading. What a huge difference you are making in their lives!!
ReplyDeleteI love that you do this process with the students. The results don't really matter in the end, it's the fact that they are reading, loving it, and debating books. I am sad to say I've only read one book on your list: the Memory of Light, which I really liked
ReplyDeleteHmm, I'm not familiar with Character Driven, but I will be looking it up!
ReplyDelete