Recent Award Winners in Children’s Books

Winners of the Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards were announced in May at the seventh Children’s Book Week Gala in New York. Rush Limbaugh won author of the year for Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans, while Grace Lee won illustrator of the year for Sofia the First: The Floating Palace. Former Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton was also awarded with the Impact Award for his efforts to instill “a lifelong love of reading in children.”

The winner of Book of the Year, kindergarten through second grade was The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (also a nominee for the 2015 Nutmeg award).

Book of the Year winner for third through fourth grade was Bugs in My Hair! by David Shannon.

Book of the Year winner for fifth through sixth grade was National Geographic Kids Myths Busted! by Emily Krieger, illustrated by Tom Nick Cocotos.

Book of the Year winner for teens was Winner: Allegiant by Veronica Roth.

Children’s book author and illustrator Peter Brown is the recipient of the 2014 Bull-Bransom Award, announced the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Brown was selected for the award, given annually for excellence in children’s book illustration with a wildlife and nature focus, for his 2013 picture book Mr. Tiger Goes Wild.

The Nutmeg Steering Committee has also announced the 2014 Nutmeg Book Award Winners! Almost 20,000 students voted from across the state of Connecticut and here are the books that they voted for:

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is the winner of the Intermediate Award (Grades 4-6)

Divergent by Veronica Roth is the winner of the Teen Award (Grades 7-8)

Paper Towns by John Green is the winner of the first ever High School (Grades 9-12)

 

RT Book Review Announces 2013 Career Achievement Awards

RTEach year, Romantic Times Book Review Magazine honors authors for outstanding achievements over their entire careers.  The staff of more than 50 reviewers and editors carefully choose the winners from a long list of nominees.  The following is a list of some of the  winners of the prestigious Career Achievement Awards.  Winners were awarded statuettes at RT Booklovers Convention in New Orleans on May 16th.

awards

Contemporary Romance Author of the Year – Rachel Gibson

Historical Romance Author of the Year – Eloisa James

Inspirational Author of the Year – Wanda Brunstetter

Mainstream Author of the Year – Mary Alice Monroe

Thriller Author of the Year – Lee Child

Paranormal Author of the Year – Sherrilyn Kenyon

Romantic Suspense Author of the Year – Suzanne Brockmann

Urban Fantasy Author of the Year – Kim Harrison

Young Adult Author of the Year – Tamora Pierce

book awardsBOOK OF THE YEAR – Tear You Apart by Megan Hart

Historical Romance of the Year No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah Maclean

Historical Fiction – The Boleyn King by Laura Andersen

Contemporary Romance – Bungalow Nights by Christine Ridgway

Contemporary Love & Laughter – Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery

Romantic Suspense – Law Manby Kristen Ashley

Paranormal Romantic Suspense – Sleep With The Lights Onby Maggie Shayne

Historical Mystery – The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau

Suspense – The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Young Adult Contemporary – Dare You Toby Katie McCarry

New Adult – Wait For You by J. Lynn

Inspirational Romance – The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis

You can find the complete list of nominees and winners here.

 

Fiction for Young Tech Fiends

Do you have a child that loves the computers and all things internet or computer game related? If you are hoping to get those kids looking at books on paper rather than computer screens, then perhaps some books about computers, the internet, and related games might interest them in  reading a little bit more. Here are some novels that feature computers and related technology in the story.

The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Four fifth-grade students–a geek, a class clown, a teacher’s pet, and a slacker–as well as their teacher and mothers, each relate events surrounding a computer programmed to complete homework assignments.

The Boggart by Susan Cooper
After visiting the castle in Scotland which her family has inherited and returning home to Canada, twelve-year-old Emily finds that she has accidentally brought back with her a boggart, an invisible and mischievous spirit with a fondness for practical jokes.

Mousenet by Prudence Breitrose; illustrated by Stephanie Yue.
Sent to live with her chef father and his wife in Oregon after having stayed with her inventor uncle and scientist mother in Cincinnati, ten-year-old misfit Megan is lonely until she starts working with some computer-savvy mice to try to save Mouse Nation–and the planet.

Snail Mail No More by Paula Danziger & Ann M. Martin
Now that they live in different cities, thirteen-year-old Tara and Elizabeth use email to “talk” about everything that is occurring in their lives and to try to maintain their closeness as they face big changes.

Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori
When their father is kidnapped and danger looms, the Strega-Borgia children, their mysterious new nanny, and a giant tarantula use magic and actual trips through the Internet to bring peace to their Scottish castle.

Even more great computer, video game, and internet based fiction is out there. Here are some more of the titles I would recommend first; Monsters in Cyberspace by Dian Curtis Regan with illustrations by Melissa Sweet, Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian, Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde, The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1 by PJ Haarsma, and Curses, Inc., and Other Stories by Vivian Vande Velde. Do you or your children have a favorite I missed? Please let us know so we can spread the word!

It’s Star Wars Day – May the Fourth be With You!

May 4 is unofficially “Star Wars Day.” It’s the one day a year when Star Wars fans are encouraged to REALLY let their devotion to all things Star Wars out to play. Cheshire Library has got you covered, young Jedis – we have Star Wars items in just about every section of our collection. Here’s a very small taste of what you can find in our corner of the galaxy:

ADULT SCIENCE FICTION:

TEENS:

CHILDREN’S FICTION:

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EASY READERS:

NON-FICTION:

DVD:

 

A Reading List for Divergent Devotees

Do you love Divergent (the book series and/or the movie)? Were you there opening night, or are you still waiting to go watch the movie? Have you already read the series and love it, or are you trying to get your hands on the book and waiting for your turn with a library copy? Well, there are some books with similar themes that might make waiting for the book or movie more enjoyable.

Pulse by Patrick Carman
In the year 2051, when most Americans live in one of two gigantic, modern States, Faith Daniels, part of a dwindling group that lives between, learns that she, like other misfits, has unusual abilities that could help when the inevitable war begins.

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
I’m Trella. I’m a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping inside clean for the Uppers. I’ve got one friend, do my job, and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels. The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to-girl to lead a revolution”

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, she falls in love.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Sixteen-year-old Ruby breaks out of a government-run ‘rehabilitation camp’ for teens who acquired dangerous powers after surviving a virus that wiped out most American children.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Aria and Perry, two teens from radically different societies–one highly advanced, the other primitive–hate being dependent on one another until they overcome their prejudices and fall in love, knowing they can’t stay together.

Legend by Marie Lu
In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-old Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy.

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau
Sixteen-year-old Malencia (Cia) Vale is chosen to participate in The Testing to attend the University; however, Cia is fearful when she figures out her friends who do not pass The Testing are disappearing.

But wait, don’t go anywhere yet! You should no by now I have trouble limiting my lists and have more for you. Here are some more books that I think fans of Divergent will enjoy; The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness,  Matched by Allyson Braithwaite Condie,  Enclave by Ann Aguirre,  Blood Red Road by Moira Young, Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien, Crewel by Gennifer Albin, Breathe by Sarah Crossan, The Line by Teri Hall, XVI by Julia Karr, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Article 5 by Kristen Simmons, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, The Bar Code Tattoo by Suzanne Wey.