And the winners are….

Did you know that the Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz awards were recently announced?  

A quick reminder:  

• the Caldecott Medal is awarded for the most distinguished American picture book for children;
• the Newbery Medal is awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature;
• the Printz Award recognizes excellence in literature written for young adults.

The 2013 winners are:

Caldecott Medal - This Is Not My Hat illustrated and written by Jon Klassen

Newbery Medal -  The One and Only Ivan by **Katherine Applegate** 
**Did you know that Katherine Applegate is a former Duke School parent?**

Newbery Honors –

• Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
• Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
• Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Printz Award - In Darkness by Nick Lake

Printz Honors –

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
• Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
• Dodger by Terry Pratchett
• The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna

Some of the winning books are on display in the library and available for checkout. 

Did you know that there are more than a dozen additional awards given by the American Library Association (ALA)?  Examples include the Coretta Scott King Award (recognizing an African American author and illustrator), Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (author or illustrator with a substantial and lasting contribution to children’s literature), Margaret A. Edwards Award (lifetime achievement in writing for young adults), Pura Belpré Award (honoring a Latino author) and Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award (most distinguished informational book).  

To see a complete list of the winners, go to the ALA website.

Have you read of any of these books?  We would love to hear your thoughts and impression of the books.  Please comment below.

New Books are Here!

Do you feel like you’ve already read EVERYTHING in the Duke School library? 

Or maybe you couldn't find just the right book the  last time you stopped by.

Well, you’re in luck - we’ve just added dozens of new books to the collection!

We have realistic fiction, fantasy, non-fiction, graphic novels, picture books for everyone, historical fiction, origami and more!

Here are a few sample titles.  

• Witches! : the absolutely true tale of disaster in Salem.  Schanzer, Rosalyn.  133.4 SCH.  

An illustrated history of the witch hunts that took place in colonial-era Salem, Massachusetts, featuring primary source accounts, and describing the victims, accused witches, corrupt officials, and impact of the events on society.

• A diamond in the desert. Fitzmaurice, Kathryn. F FIT.  

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thirteen-year-old Tetsu and his family are sent to the Gila River Relocation Center in Arizona where a fellow prisoner starts a baseball team, but when Tetsu's sister becomes ill and he feels responsible, he stops playing. 

• Anya's ghost. Brosgol, Vera. GC F BRO.  

Anya, embarrassed by her family and lacking confidence in her body and her social skills, finally finds a friend after falling down a well, but quickly learns there are drawbacks to having a ghost for a friend.

• A web of air. Reeve, Philip. F REE 

In Mayda, a post-apocalyptic city off the coast of Portugal, a brilliant young engineer and a mysterious recluse race to build a flying machine, unaware that powerful enemies will kill to possess--or destroy--their new technology.

Please come in and take a look.  We're pretty sure one of these new titles will be perfect for you.  Let us know what you think of the next new book you read.

HINT: Look for the display!

Sample the (fun) parts of the Hunger Games lifestyle...

Such much hype this week, but it's just T minus 15 hours and the Hunger Games movie will be in the theaters!

To fortify yourself before the movie, how about enjoying Peeta’s burnt nut and raisin bread?  Maybe District 12 ration grain drop biscuits will get you in the mood?  Upgrade your snack to Capitol-level quality by adding pale purple melon!  Check out this fictional food website for more ideas and recipes.

But wait – you really need your very own Hunger Games name.  The website HungerNames.com provides you your own Hunger Games identity.  Or use it as inspiration and write yourself into the plot as you see fit.

Don’t forget to let us know what you think of the movie…