The Book Challenge!

It’s that time again.  Time to read all the great books that are nominated for the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award. 

The Sequoyah Children’s Book Award has been honoring great books and authors in since 1959.  It’s named after a famous Oklahoman named Sequoyah who created the Cherokee syllabary. This award is sponsored by the Oklahoma Library Association

In addition to the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award, there is a Sequoyah Intermediate Award for Grades 6-8, the Young Adult Award for grades 9-12, and a Donna Norvell Award for easy reader books for Pre-K through 2^nd Grade. 

The exciting part is students get to vote on their favorite book!  Oklahoma students in grades three through five get to vote on their favorite nominee in the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award category.  Voting takes place in February and the winners are announced sometime in May. 

I have been challenged by one of my fifth grade students to read ALL of the nominated books in the Grades 3-5 category (see list below).  I accept.  Actually, I would have done it anyway.  But, I didn’t tell him that.

Here's a stack of the nominated books.  I think I'll start with The One and Only Ivan.

Here’s the list:

Children’s (Grades 3-5)

Sailing to Freedom  -Martha Bennett Stiles

Little Dog Lost - Marion Dane Bauer

Adventures of Beanboy - Lisa Harkrader

King of the Mound - Wes Tooke

Freaky Fast Frankie Joe - Lutricia Clifton

Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy - Nikki Loftin

Seven Tales of Trinket - Shelley Moore Thomas

Hiss-s-s - Eric A. Kimmell

Capture the Flag - Kate Messner

The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate

Secret Chicken Society - Judy Cox

Double Dog Dare - Lisa Graff

Kizzy Ann Stamps - Jeri Watts

Brothers at Bat - Audrey Vernick

Alex the Parrot - Stephanie Spinner

I’ll give you updates as I read them.  Take the challenge with me!  Leave a comment if you read a book and let me know how you like it!

-Karen