The fifth graders at our elementary school are challenged every year to read all the books listed on the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. I really love this book list because it has a variety of newly published and slightly older books such that you can actually find the books on the library bookshelves. Our school librarian also makes a point of making a special display and buying multiple copies of these books.
I’ve also discovered gems on the list from years past. The list doesn’t necessarily feature Massachusetts’ children’s authors but it was how I found Mitali Perkins’ Rickshaw Girl eight years ago!
Does your state have a book award too? How does it work?
Third Grade and Low Fourth Grade Books
This is the first part of the Massachusetts Book Awards which I’ve divided by suggested grade level. Part I covers Third Grade, Low Fourth Grade, and Fourth Grade Books. At the next Kid Lit Blog Hop in two weeks, I’ll cover Part II which covers Fifth and Sixth Grade.
We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) by Andrew Clements
The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin
Emma on Thin Icing (Cupcake Diaries) by Coco Simon
I Survived: Hurricane Katrina, 2005 by Lauren Tarshis
Dragonbreath #1 by Ursula Vernon
My son really liked this series in second and third grade. He thought they were very funny adventures of a dragon and his friend.
Fourth Grade Books
Perfect Game by Fred Bowen
Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
Tango: The Tale of an Island Dog by Eileen Beha
The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee T. Frazier
Welcome to the 47th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children’s books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!
We are pleased to be formally welcoming Stanley & Katrina, authors of the newly released The Observations of the Obstreperous Animals (Stanley & Katrina Book 2), as permanent hosts on the Hop. Also, a big welcome to our co-host this week, Kimbra, the blogger behind The Barefoot Librarian. Welcome to Stanley & Katrina and Kimbra!
Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!
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Co-Host:
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Just an FYI: you\’ve posted the 2013-14 list for Massachusetts Children\’s Book Award through Salem State and also erroneously referenced / hyper-linked the Massachusetts Book Award which is something very different! Here is the link to the MCBA 2014-15 list that the kids are reading from now: salemstate.edu/mcba/
Thanks for all your posts ~ I\’ve found a few gems from you too!
Best,
Carol Bender
Children\’s Librarian / Rockport Public Library
Thanks Carol! I’m fixing it right now!
I didn’t know MA had book awards and I I think I would like to read Rickshaw Girl.
Hi Ann,
The Rickshaw Girl is great! I think your kids would love it. It’s by Mitali Perkins who used to live in Newton, MA. She moved recently to San Francisco but she raised her kids in Newton. She’s such a lovely and gracious person too! She came to our first bookclub ever when we did The Rickshaw Girl even though I was a complete stranger to her and I wasn’t even blogging back then!
Wow! This is great. I have no idea if Pennsylvania has book awards – probably they do – I will have to look. Thanks for sharing those in MA. Thanks for hosting the KidLitBlogHop!
Thanks so much Cool Mom! I’ll bet that PA has a book award too! I’d love to compare what books our states choose; I wonder if they ever pick a bunch of the same ones.
I love the cover of Small as an Elephant.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
There is something dreamy and beckoning about the cover of Small as an Elephant, isn’t there?! I haven’t read it yet.
Fun list! In Connecticut we have the “Nutmeg” awards, both middle grade and YA. Chosen by librarians, the lists widely circulate in the schools and kids are often encouraged to read “all the Nutmegs” to earn school-based prizes. I know the Nutmeg section of our local bookstore is always a go-to for my kids.
Hi Nancy,
How did they come up with the Nutmeg award? I love that name! I like how Connecticut has incentives to get kids to read the books on the list! That’s very motivating! We don’t do that, unfortunately, in Massachusetts that I know of.
Do you mean how did they come up with the name? CT is known as the “nutmeg state,” I think based on early CT peddlars who travelled around selling nutmegs.
Other than that, I’m not sure how it all started. But, the awards website (www.nutmegaward.org) says: “The Nutmeg Book Award (NBA) encourages children in grades 2-12 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles. The NBA is jointly sponsored by the Connecticut Library Association (CLA) and the Connecticut Association of School Librarians (CASL). The Nutmeg Committee is comprised of members of these two entities.”
It’s a real honor for authors, in my opinion, based on who does the voting!
Hi Nancy,
Oh, I didn’t know Connecticut is the Nutmeg State!! My son and I are learning about states. That’s a fun one! I think all the state book awards are great and I’m glad to learn about yours!