Virginia Readers Choice Elementary List 2020/2021
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Virginia Readers Choice Elementary List 2020/2021 Survivor Diaries: Avalanche by Terry Lynn Johnson. 2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 978-0-544-97118-9 A fast-paced narrative about twins, Ashley and Ryan, who are trapped by an avalanche on a family ski trip. While struggling to survive in the cold, they witness a fight between a bear and a wolverine. This adds to the already established tension of the story. The author has seventeen years of hands-on experience and training in remote area survival. Although fiction, the reader learns real skills needed to survive a disaster. Included are survival tips from the National Avalanche Center, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Park Service. Lots of avalanche facts including vocabulary. Also, facts about how to react if confronted by a bear. End notes link to avalanche informational websites. With full page illustrations, this book is well written which makes it an excellent choice for the reluctant reader (and just the right length- 84 pages). The Survivor Diaries series is similar to the I Survived series. Other books in the Survivor Diaries series: Overboard!/ Lost!/ Dust Storm! (realistic fiction) A.R. 4.2 / Lexile 610L Because of Rabbit by Cynthia Lord. 2019. Scholastic. 978-0-545-91424-6. After being homeschooled, Emma is nervous about attending public school. Her game warden father invites her to go along on a call to rescue a rabbit. Instead of a wild rabbit like they expected, the rabbit appears to be a pet. Her father agrees to allow Emma to keep the rabbit until the owner can be found. Entering public school in fifth grade, she discovers that friendships and cliques have already been established. Navigating the social structure is difficult. Where does she fit-in? Enter a boy named Jack. He is in Emma’s class and is not accepted by the other students. Jack and Emma are “paired” to complete a school project. A friendship forms. Emma worries that her friendship with Jack will cause her to be viewed, too, as “different”. Themes of loving care for pets, feeling excluded and wanting to fit in, and nurturing empathy for people who seem unlike ourselves are woven into the story. Throughout the story there are the memories of her French-Canadian grandfather telling her tales of the trickster, Monsieur Lapin. It is fun to observe how Emma views her emotions as racing each other. “Is excited or scared winning the race?” Written in a first-person narrative, Emma has to make some difficult choices. Note that each chapter heading is a rabbit fact. The author uses her own personal background to tell this story. Her son is on the autism spectrum, she homeschooled her children, and the family fostered rabbits. (realistic fiction) A.R. 4.3 / Lexile 660L 1 Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Pierce. 2019. Crown Books. 978-0-545-91424-6. The story about a kid being raised in medieval times by an uncle, who is an unsuccessful troubadour. Max is expected to follow in her uncle’s footsteps but Max dreams of becoming a knight. With lots of illustrations, this book is not completely a graphic novel. More a mix of prose and comics. This book is perfect for that transitionary stage from picture to chapter books. The format of the book will give readers a confidence boost in their abilities to handle a “big” book. There is one character, Kevyn , who uses fancy words. Kevyn’s words could be a springboard to vocabulary development. The entire book is slap-stick and groan worthy humor. WARNING: There are fart jokes. (humor fiction) A.R. 3.3/ Lexile GN490L (graphic novel) Pay Attention Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt. 2019. Clarion Books. 978-0-544-79085-8. Upon the death of their estranged grandfather, a military family is bequeathed a British butler. The family is a bit broken. Especially, Carter, who is dealing with grief and anger. Throughout the story, he learns that this burden may be lighter if shared. Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, the butler, is very British and very old-fashioned. This book has the feel of “Mary Poppins” without the magic. Amid the themes of loss and change, the author mixes just the right amount of humor. A good example is when the butler persuades Carter to write about the American Revolution from the British perspective. Be ready to learn everything there is to know about the game of cricket. Each chapter is preceded by a brief entry explaining cricket terminology and rules. Note that these chapter headings link to the chapter’s events. Advice from the butler: "Make good decisions and remember who you are." (realistic fiction) A.R. 5.3/ Lexile 840L BOB by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead with Illustrations by Nicholas Gannon. 2018. Feiwel and Friends. 978-1-250-30969-6 A story of magic and friendship with a touch of a fairy tale. It has been five years since Livy has visited her grandmother in Australia. She has little memory of her last visit until she discovered BOB in the closet where she left him. He is a short, greenish creature who is dressed as a chicken. He can’t remember who or what he is and where he came from. BOB reminds Livy that, five years ago, she promised to help him. The one thing they do know is that BOB is not a “zombie, fake chicken”. BOB has a sarcastic sense of humor that will make you smile. The chapters alternate between Livy and BOB’s individual perspectives. BOB has amazing vocabulary skills because he knows how to use a dictionary. Behind all this mystery is the drought gripping the region where Gran Nicholas lives. Crops will not grow, and Gran is on the brink of having to sell her property. The illustrations of Nicholas Gannon add narrational value to the story. BOB is not about fairies, elves, or unicorns. BOB is altogether something new! The book is a joint collaboration between Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. It appears that Stead wrote the Livy chapters, and Mass wrote the Bob chapters. And, don’t miss the My Favorite Words by BOB section. This is a thought-provoking book about childhood friendships, change, growing older and figuring out who you are. A story about the magic of being a kid. fantasy fiction) A.R. 3.9/ Lexile 640 2 Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott with illustrations by Geneva B. 2018. Random House. 978-1-5247-7048-8 Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a lady whom he thinks is his grandmother, Ma. Turns out that cantankerous, old Ma is not his grandmother or anyone’s grandmother. She is a witch who wants to retire but has one more mission to accomplish. Thus, Jaxon is caught up in the job of delivering baby dragons to a mystical realm where they will be safe. This is when the magic begins. (Including an invisible man!) Along the way, the reader discovers the magic in the world is in danger of disappearing due to the lack the trained witches. Rich in Brooklyn culture, the wonder of magic is very real in this story but approached in a way that feels authentic. The Brooklyn setting is well described, especially Prospect Park. Attractive illustrations supplement the story. With themes of friendship, loyalty, courage, honesty, and family, this book is a perfect “gateway” chapter book. Sequel: The Dragon Thief (urban fantasy fiction) A.R. 4.7 / Lexile 740L Thirty Minutes over Oregon by Marc Tyler Nobleman with illustrations by Melissa Iwai. 2018. Clarion Books. 978-0-544-43076-1. During WWII, a Japanese pilot flew bombing missions over Oregon. On September 9, 1942, a Japanese pilot named Nobuo Fujita was catapulted into the air from a submarine off the coast of Brookings, Oregon. His mission was to ignite a fire that would destroy the forests and near-by towns. In total, he attempted two bombings. Both failed. Fast forward to 1962, the Brookings Jaycees invited Fujita to their Memorial Day festival. In spite of being skeptical about attending, he went. A friendship began between the people of Brookings and this pilot who is struggling with guilt. It is interesting to note that Nobuo donated large amounts of money for the Brookings town library to purchase children's books that celebrate other cultures. “He wondered if WWII would have been different had his generation grown-up reading books like these.” This remarkable true story, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, is an important and moving account of forgiveness and reconciliation after war. A detailed author's note in the back matter relates more about World War II and Fujita -- including the fact that he was known as the "only foe to bomb America". Of a sensitive note, there are a few mentions of kamikaze missions and the main character does contemplate traditional Japanese suicide, seppuku, for a shamed person. (biography picture book) A.R. 5.7 / Lexile 970L Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth. 2019. Penguin Workshop. 978-15247-8720-2. Because of his ruthless rule, the evil alien warlord, Klawde, is banished from his planet to Earth. Here he meets Raj, who has recently moved from New York city to a small town in Oregon. Although a bit untrusting of each other, Klawde and Raj become the strangest of allies. Raj has to endure Nature Camp, and Klawde has to endure the indignities of being a cat on Earth. The “cat insights” from Klawde are laugh-out-loud funny. The story is written in first person point of view alternating between Raj and Klawde.