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fiction

SILENT MUSIC: A STORY OF BAGHDAD

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Rumford
Author's First Name: 
James
Publisher: 
Neal Porter
Publication Date: 
2008

Ali, a contemporary boy in Baghdad, loves calligraphy and, just as his hero, Yakut, did in the 13th century, finds creating beauty to be a refuge from the trials of war.  Stylized collage illustrations evoke the elegance of Arabic art.

PEAK

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Smith
Author's First Name: 
Roland
Publisher: 
Harcourt
Publication Date: 
2007

Caught in the act of scaling a skyscraper, 14-year-old Peak goes to Thailand with his mountain-climbing father, a man determined to lead the youngest-ever climber to the top of Mount Everest.  Nail-biting suspense and terrific climbing details abound.

THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Selznick
Author's First Name: 
Brian
Publisher: 
Scholastic
Publication Date: 
2007

Alternating sections of words and bold pictures show how orphaned Hugo, hidden above a Paris train station in 1931, discovers the secret of a broken automaton and its surprising connection to the history of early movies.

GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Schlitz
Author's First Name: 
Laura Amy
Illustrator's First Name: 
Robert
Illustrator's Last Name: 
Byrd
Publisher: 
Candlewick
Publication Date: 
2007

Nineteen monologues, two dialogues, and six explanatory interludes bring to life the world of young people in a medieval manor in England in 1255. Pen-and-ink drawings reminiscent of manuscript decoration illustrate this useful and engaging read.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WORSE THAN MEATLOAF: A YEAR TOLD THROUGH STUFF

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Holm
Author's First Name: 
Jennifer L.
Illustrator's First Name: 
Elicia
Illustrator's Last Name: 
Castaldi
Publisher: 
Ginee Seo
Publication Date: 
2007

“Stuff,” including post-it notes, school assignments, to-do lists, diary entries, and more reveal Ginny’s navigation through a typical bumpy year of seventh grade. This “graphic fiction” will intrigue readers who enjoy piecing together a story.

ELIJAH OF BUXTON

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Curtis
Author's First Name: 
Christopher Paul
Publisher: 
Scholastic
Publication Date: 
2007

Elijah, the first child born in a settlement of former slaves in Canada, finds his uneventful life disrupted when he attempts to locate the corrupt preacher who has stolen funds intended to purchase a family’s freedom.

REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Compestine
Author's First Name: 
Ying Chang
Publisher: 
Henry Holt
Publication Date: 
2007

In this novel set during the Chinese Communist Revolution and based on the author's own experiences, a young girl discovers within herself a steely core of self-respect after losing almost everything she ever knew, including her family.

DON'T CALL ME ISHMAEL

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Bauer
Author's First Name: 
Michael Gerard
Publisher: 
Greenwillow
Publication Date: 
2007

Unlike underdog Ishmael, new student James—quirky and independent—turns the tables on the class bully instead of avoiding him. An intrepid English teacher and some unlikely comrades round out this cheeky but touching Australian tale.

Word after Word after word

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
MacLachlan
Author's First Name: 
Patricia
Publisher: 
HarperCollins
Publication Date: 
2010
2013 Nomination (not yet selected): 
A book about the power of words and the power of teachers. This is similar to Love that Dog in terms of encouraging student writing, but follows the response of 5 students in a fourth grade class as a writing teacher comes into the class to share some special lessons.
A short read about how one visiting teacher helps students to find their "words" and discover more about themselves and their lives. This is a simple story with lots to discuss.

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT

Author Information
Author's Last Name: 
Urban
Author's First Name: 
Linda
Publisher: 
Harcourt
Publication Date: 
2007

Zoe wants to play at Carnegie Hall, but first she must convince her parents to provide both piano and lessons. The would-be prodigy faces multiple surprises in this warm, funny chapter book.

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