A librarian I know who leads a book club for kids at her school recently told me about a Newbery Club that several schools in the district participate in. Here’s what she had to say:
“There are over 10 schools where we collaborate and all lead Newbery Clubs. We love getting together as adults and discussing/reviewing books. We then bring them to the students who narrow down the selection and begin reading and also blogging between schools about the books. It is my favorite program I participate/manage.
“Their favorites this year were:
- The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart—fabulous mystery, long read but the kids loved it. Enjoyed the surprises.
- The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt—my favorite, laughed all the way through. Historical fiction. I was thrilled to see this win the Newbery Honor.
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick—impressive visual book, won the Caldecott recently.
- Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass—very interesting realistic fiction book, enjoyed the adventures and discussions that came from this one.
- Peak by Roland Smith—excellent adventure. The boys liked this one quite a bit, girls almost as much. This led to reading Into Thin Air which is a great biography.”
Thanks to Deborah Alvarez for the recommendations. This also sounds like a good way for mother-daughter book clubs to pick books. Particularly since there are so many titles to choose from. To check out what’s on the list, visit the American Library Association’s Newbery Medal Home Page.
