Maud Hart Lovelace Award 2015 2016 Division II

Maud Hart Lovelace Award 2015 -2016 Division II Nominees Sponsored by Minnesota Youth Reading Awards

Who is Maud Hart Lovelace? Maud Hart Lovelace was born in 1892 near Mankato, Minnesota. She became a famous children’s author with her Betsy-Tacy series. They are a well-known example of children’s historical fiction. This is why our state chapter book award is named in her honor.

The 2015 -2016 nominees are. . .

Buddy By M. H. Herlong My name is Tyrone Elijah Roberts. I sure wasn’t expectin’ to get a dog that swelterin’ hot April morning. We was all packed into the car headin’ to church, when “THUMP” daddy hits something. We pile out and find a white and black dog lyin’ smack dab in the middle of the road. Though he was hurtin’ something fierce, he licked my face! His back leg was so busted up that his leg got cut off but we’re best pals. Then Katrina threatens and the Mayor says we’alls gotta leave. That old car of ours hardly holds us, so Daddy says Buddy gotta stay behind. I argue and argue, but in the end he’s locked in the bathroom with a tub of water and a bag of dog food. The storm is bad. We was suppose to be in Mississippi for two days but the levee broke and our home is under water. Months pass and when we is finally allowed back into New Orleans, Buddy is gone. A water-stained scrap of paper stapled to the door says he is rescued but we can’t make out where he is. Daddy says we gotta get the messed-up house right before we spend time searchin’ for a durn threelegged dog…but I have to find Buddy. Will I ever see him again?

Ella and Z have been friends forever, but Z’s always been the “weird kid” in their class. This was okay back in 3 rd or 4 th grade, but by now their other friends have ditched them both. Z doesn’t care, but Ella longs to be part of a group where people won’t make fun of her. When a new boy, Bailey, moves to town, he befriends Ella because they’re the only two black kids in the 6 th grade. Bailey’s popular–popular enough to make Ella cool and give her a wider circle of friends–but only if she stops hanging out with Z. Ella faces a difficult decision: remain loyal to the boy who has been her best and only friend forever…or embrace the opportunity to become one of the popular kids as she longs to be. But Ella’s loyalty to Z–and the secrets they share– runs deep below the surface. Is friendship with Bailey a true solution to her struggle, or just a flash in the pan? Ella’s decision will affect not just her but everyone around her. Can she make the right choice? Camo Girl By Kekla Magoon

Counting by 7’s By Holly Goldberg Sloan Counting By 7 s is the story of Willow Chance, a twelve-year old girl who has been identified at an early age as ‘gifted’. Willow lives in. Bakersfield, California and comes home from school one day to the news that her parents have been killed in a traffic accident. What follows is Willow’s search to find a place where she belongs. In equal parts an exploration of the pain of loss and of the triumph of moving forward, the novel looks at how one person can change the lives of many, often without even trying.

Fourmile By Watt Key Twelve-year-old Foster knows in his gut that Dax Ganey, the man dating his widowed mother, is a bad seed. Then a mysterious stranger arrives at their Alabama farm, a former Army Ranger in Iraq rambling across the country, and Foster believes he has found an ally against Dax. The stranger proves a fascinating mentor, full of wisdom and secrets. And Dax soon has reason to resent not just him and Foster but also Foster’s mother. A spurned Dax will be a dangerous enemy, but Foster is increasingly aware that the stranger is just as dangerous, if not more so.

The Fourth Stall By Chris Rylander Sixth-grader Mac has a real knack for problem-solving. His pal, Vince, is a financial genius. Together, the two are running their own business out of the boys’ bathroom— the fourth stall from the window. They charge schoolmates for test answers, loans, protection against bullies, and solving personal conflicts. But then Fred, a third grader, comes to Mac with a story about how he is being threatened by the legendary drop-out and neighborhood crime boss, Staples. What’s worse, it turns out that Staples is expanding his intramural gambling ring into Mac’s territory! Check this book out to discover if Mac and Vince can solve their own personal conflict!

Lions of Little Rock By Kristin Levine As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. Until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she’s brave, brash and always knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a goodbye, the rumor is that Liz was caught passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn’t matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.

One Came Home By Amy Timberlake In the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie Burkhardt is known for two things: her uncanny aim with a rifle and her habit of speaking her mind plainly. But when Georgie blurts out something she shouldn't, her older sister Agatha flees, running off with a pack of "pigeoners" trailing the passenger pigeon migration. And when the sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body—wearing Agatha's bluegreen ball gown—everyone assumes the worst. Except Georgie. Refusing to believe the facts that are laid down (and coffined) before her, Georgie sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track every last clue and shred of evidence to bring Agatha home. Yet even with resolute determination and her trusty Springfield single-shot, Georgie is not prepared for what she faces on the western frontier.

One for the Murphys By Lynda Mullaly Hunt In the wake of heart-breaking betrayal, Carley Connors is thrust into foster care and left on the steps of the Murphys, a happy, bustling family. Carley has thick walls and isn’t rattled easily, but this is a world she just doesn’t understand. A world that frightens her. So, she resists this side of life she’d believed did not exist with dinners around a table and a “zip your jacket, here’s your lunch” kind of mom. However, with the help of her Broadway-obsessed and unpredictable friend, Toni, the Murphys do the impossible in showing Carley what it feels like to belong somewhere. But, when her mother wants her back, will she lose the only family that she has ever known?

Perfect Game By Fred Bowen Isaac is a serious pitcher. He’s got an awesome fastball and a sneaky changeup. He’s determined to pitch a perfect game: no hits, no runs, no walks, and no errors. He gets close a couple of times, but then a batter gets on base and Isaac totally loses his cool on the mound. He gets so mad that his pitches start missing their mark and he can’t get his head back in the game. Then Isaac learns about a Special Olympics Unified Sports team and meets an interesting athlete who shows him a new way to think about being perfect.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin By Liesl Shurtliff Rump has never known his full name—his mother died before she could tell him. So all his life he’s been teased and bullied for his half-a-name. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. For Rump discovers he can spin straw into gold. Magical gold. Rump must go on a quest to find his true name, along the way defending himself against pixies, trolls, poison apples, and one beautiful but vile-mannered queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor —Rump just might triumph in the end.

Summer of the Wolves By Polly Carlson Voiles Siblings Nika and Randall have been foster kids in California for a while now when a long-lost uncle, Uncle Ian, comes to claim guardianship. Nika and Randall find themselves moving from sunny California all the way up to cold Minnesota. Uncle Ian is a wildlife researcher studying wolves. . One day while out with Uncle Ian, the kids come across a cave. Inside is a dead wolf mother, apparently shot, which is illegal. And in the cave with his mother is the wolf’s cub. Uncle Ian takes the cub and rehabilitates it. Nika is delighted. She and the cub form a bond, and she names him Kahn. Hoping to give Kahn a bit of freedom, Nika takes him on runs through the woods, an action expressly forbidden by Uncle Ian—and for good reason! The poacher who shot Kahn’s mother is still out there.

Zombi Baseball Beatdown By Paolo Bacigalupi The apocalypse begins on a day when Rabi, Miguel, and Joe are practicing baseball near their town’s meatpacking plant and nearly get knocked out by a really big stink. Little do they know that the factory’s toxic cattle feed is turning cows into flesh-craving monsters… The boys’ investigation into the plant’s dangerous practices uncovers a greedy corporation’s plot to sell tainted meat all over the country. With disaster looming, Rabi and his friends will have to bust out their bats to stay alive…and maybe even save the world.

How you get to vote: Students in grades 6, 7, or 8 who read 3 or more of the 12 nominated titles are eligible to vote for their favorite!

Voting will take place near the middle of March. Winner is announced on April 26 th (Maud Hart Lovelace’s Birthday).

MMS Maud Hart Competition Participate! Level 1 - Read 3 books, and attend a party. Level 2 – Read 4 -7 books, attend party and win a small prize. Level 3 – Read 8 -11 books, join party, and earn a medium prize. Level 4 – Read all 12 books, join party and win a special grand prize. MMS Contest begins Monday, October 26 th, 2015 and closes Monday, March 14 th, 2016. 24 weeks of reading!! You need to read 1 book every 2 weeks to complete the collection on time!

MMS Maud Hart Competition Once you finish a book, you must take the AR test, achieve 80% or better, print the test record sheet, and bring it to the media center a. s. a. p. where it will be recorded by Mrs. Swan, Mrs. Bloch, or myself. Bookmarks available. Stay tuned for updates on the special grand prize, and other MHLopportunities during the school year.

MYRA Olympics • Create a team of 4 – must be in the same grade • Amongst you, decide how you will split up reading all 12 books – 3 person • In March, we will have an Olympic Relay Event • You will compete against your other grade level teams to determine which team wins the Gold Medal for that grade • Special teaming events throughout the year to keep you on track!