Another Rebecca Caudill 2010 Nominee and another awesome book. What a great list this year! This book was about Jeremy Fink and his 13th birthday. He receives a mysterious box that has no keys that supposedly holds "the mystery of life". He is supposed to open this box on his 13th birthday - the box was made for him by his dad before his death. With the help of his friend Lizzy, he starts a race against time to find the keys and solve the mystery of the box before his 13th birthday. Does he succeed? Read and find out!!!

Ok, in my last post I said that Crossing the Wire may win this year's award...but now there is another strong contender..."Home of the Brave". This heartwarming, beautifully written book is about a boy named Kek who comes to Minnesota aftering being in a refugee camp in war-torn Sudan. His life is turned upside down as he learns English, adjusts to our culture, and worries about his mother who is still missing...he does not know if she is dead or alive. The book is written in prose but the author, Katherine Applegate, is an amazing storyteller and the words seeme to dance off the page. This book is just a beautiful story and I really enjoyed reading it.

Some background info on Sudan for any students who are interested in this book:
Since 1956, there have only been 11 years peace in this nation. Over 2 million people have died in this horrible, civil war. Between 1998 and 2003, more than 27,000 young boys were orphaned. They were known as the "Lost Boys" and many came to the United States to start a new life.

Parents, teachers, students...everyone will love this book!

"Crossing the Wire" is one of the 2010 Rebecca Caudill Nominees and I read this book waiting in a 3 hour line to get Scott Posednik's (Chicago White Sox) autograph! The book was so good and I was so involved in the storyline that I didn't realize I was standing for 3 hours, in the heat...I just kept reading! "Crossing the Wire" is about a boy's journey to try to sneak over the U.S. border from Mexico. It proves not to be an easy task and he is faced with numerous challenges and obstacles. The story is also about friendship and growing up, but also leaves the reader thinking about U.S. policies and the desperation of the immigrants who try to cross the border illegally. It was wonderfully written and I truly enjoyed this book.

I wouldn't be surprised if this book was the winner of the 2010 Rebecca Caudill award!

Frankie is having a hard time adjusting...her dad has a girlfriend, her brothers are trouble-makers, and her best friend is mad at her! She gets tangled in a web of lies and has to find her way out. I loved "The Naked Mole Rat Letters" and really enjoyed the diary format. I also really liked how the diary entries are seperated by emails - the format was very different! The book was funny but also heartwarming - the underlying lesson being "don't judge a person before you meet them". I think all students would like reading "The Naked Mole Rat Letters" especially kids who like books that are funny!

"The Mozart Question" is a 2010 Rebecca Caudill Nominee and a story about a famous violinist's recollections about the Holocaust. A young reporter gets the once in a lifetime opportunity to interview the violinist but is told not to ask "the Mozart question". An untold story unfolds about the brutality of the Holocaust and I had never heard this aspect of the story before. I loved how the book had beautiful pictures that helped tell the story.

This was the second book on this year's Rebecca Caudill Nominee list that was focused on the Holocaust. Both books told of different groups who were targeted during this horrible part of history. I would definitely recommend both books to students. "The Mozart Question" was more appropriate for lower grades (3 - 5) and "Someone Named Eva" is more appropriate for higher graders (6+).

This book, written entirely in prose, is the reflections and struggles of a girl who loses her arm in a shark attack. The beautifully written poems talk about her grief about losing her arm, the struggle within herself to not give up, her sadness because she can't draw anymore, and her family's support to help her overcome this injury. It was a very interesting book and definitely would be a great read for students with emotional intelligence - that means if you are really good at tuning into to and understanding other people's feelings.

I absolutely loved this book. "Dragon Slippers" is a fantasy story about a girl who outsmarts a dragon but ends up with slippers that do nothing but cause trouble. This isn't your average Cinderella-like fairy tale. The heroine in the story is a bold, intelligent, brave girl. The story is exciting and full of wonderful characters. If you love fairy tales you'll love this book!