Scott O'Dell Award

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

In 1982, Scott O'Dell established The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. The annual award of $5,000 goes to an author for a meritorious book published in the previous year for children or young adults.  Scott O'Dell established this award to encourage other writers--particularly new authors--to focus on historical fiction. He hoped in this way to increase the interest of young readers in the historical background that has helped to shape their country and their world. 

If you read my previous post, I told you this was one not to miss.  I love when I am right.

Potpourri

Potpourri - noun \ˌpō-pu̇-ˈrē\ 2. : a miscellaneous collection (Merriam-Webster online)


The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane is the story of 8th grade Molly.  Her father has recently died in an auto accident, her mother is going through the motions of living, and she is just trying to figure out things and cope day to day. To overcome some of her problems, she decides to join the baseball team - the boys baseball team since baseball helps her feel connected to her dad. She only hopes the knuckleball she can throw will help her earn the position. Realistic and memorable.


Legend by Marie Lu is the first novel for this art director of a video game company.  (I can visualize the characters and settings in a game.)  Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, Day is from the slums and is the most wanted criminal in the Republic.  June is a member of the elite, a military prodigy,with nothing but a bright future ahead of her. However, when June's brother is murdered, Day's and June's paths cross when Day becomes the prime suspect.  June sets out to apprehend him and bring him to justice.  But all is not what it seems.  If you like dystopian novels, this is for you. Action, thriller with a sprinkle of romance.


Jack Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt made me laugh out loud. Really. I know many of you (OK, most of you) avoid historical fiction like the plague.  Even though this is historical fiction/non-fiction - because the character's name is Jack Gantos - don't miss this one.  Jack does some pretty dumb things and suffers an summer of grounding for his actions.  One thing that gets him out of the house/yard is helping an elderly lady write the obituaries for the local paper.  His summer is filled with death, gore, fire, Hell's Angels, and nosebleeds. If you think your hometown is weird, you have never been to Norvelt.  Don't miss this one!

2011 Favorite Books

Here is a quick review of your favorite books from September 2011 to December 2011. No surprise - Hunger Games trilogy was at the top of the list!

Ranger's Apprentice

If you have a Kindle, you can download John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice for free. Here is the link to Scribd.

How great is that?

Hunger Games. . . again!

THANKS to Mrs. Cole for the CNN link about the upcoming Hunger Games movie.

Read the article and opinion of the movie, and the book(s), here. Oh, and check out the characters and see if they fit your mind's pictures of Katniss and Gale.

10 Free Online Image Editing Tools

10 Free Online Image Editing Tools

Great tips and tools for teachers from Richard Byrne.

Almost Summer Break

Another debut novel! Memento Nora by Angie Smibert, a contributing author to Odyssey ( a science fiction magazine for the YA crowd) is another novel about a dystopian society. OK, that sounded a bit like a whine. . .it isn't. Is this the nail-biting, suspense, action packed adventure of The Hunger Games? No, but it does have the very controlling society that speaks to how we as members of society are subtly manipulated and controlled. TFC is the Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic where citizens can go to forget their troubles or nightmares. Nora and her mother are at TFC after a bomb attack where Nora and her mother are eye-witnesses. It is Nora's first visit to TFC and all she has to do is swallow the little white pill. But then she sees a guy with the word Memento written on his cast and he quickly shows her the pill on his tongue. Now, she is faced with a choice. What will she choose? Find out what happens to Nora and the guy, Micah.

PS The sequel is being written.

Check out the website!