Volume I, Issue 4
May 2006
 main page :: kid picks   
Picture books
Middle grade fiction
Non fiction
Young Adult
Fantasy
Movies
Mitali Perkins

Once a month, The Edge of the Forest talks to a group of kids about their favorite books.

This month, Betsy Bird over at A Fuse #8 Production chatted up her homeschool group at The Donnell Central Children's Room in New York City.

Recently the state of New York decided that it was high time kids started getting a say in the children’s books that get professional awards. With that in mind the 3 Apples Book Award was started. The rules, as stated, are simple: “Each year children in grades 3-6 (ages 8-12) nominate their favorite book, creating a statewide ballot of fifteen of the most popular titles. After reading or listening to at least three of the nominated books, the children vote to select one as their favorite. That book and its author are honored with the presentation of the 3 Apples Book Award, and celebrations take place across the state in school and public libraries”. The kicker is that kids don’t have to vote on just the best books of a particular year. They’re voting for the best books EVER! With that in mind I approached my homeschooler bookgroup.

My homeschooler bookgroup was formed a little less than a year ago when I met a concerned homeschooling parent at a local library branch. The parent expressed to me her desire to start a regular bookgroup for some of the homeschooled children she knew in Manhattan and Brooklyn who were between the ages of eight and twelve. And I, newly hepped up from a School Library Journal article entitled, “In a Class of Their Own,” decided that my local library branch should do everything it could to help out the homeschool community. The bookgroup meets weekly at my library branch and so I asked them to all recommend their favorite books for the 3 Apples Book Award.

Not surprisingly, everyone had a different favorite book. Here are some of the books they’ve enjoyed doing in our bookgroup alongside the titles they nominated for the 3 Apples Book Award.

Danny, 8 is a huge fan of the newly republished Freddy the Pig series by Walter R. Brooks. Every week we take a vote on what kinds of books to read together, and every week up comes Danny’s hand, hoping we'll go with a Freddy the Pig title (especially if it’s an obscure one). Danny’s real love, however, lies with the recently republished Bone series by Jeff Smith. Our bookgroup hasn’t done a graphic novel as a bookclub book yet, but Bone may just have to be the first.

Theresa, 11 and her sisters Jessica and Georgia (also 11) tend to enjoy any book that involves animals. Bunnicula by James Howe and Jules Feiffer’s recent A Room With a Zoo have been their favorite two books so far. In their spare time they’ve grown quite attached to The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London. They were also particular fans of Babe by Dick King-Smith when we read it as a group.

Peter, 11 is one of the most advanced readers in the group. When he isn’t devouring the latest chapter in The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud he’s expressed great admiration for Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember. With that in mind we’ve had to balance our books between quick reads (like Jim Ugly by Paul Fleischman) and those that would appeal to Peter.

Jasmine, 9 can be quiet at shy at bookgroups. Recently, however, she expressed affection for Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori. Between the book’s offbeat humor and the melding of magic with technology, Jasmine made sure to let us know that this was one title she had no problem finishing.

Brigit, 10 still reads at a lower level than some of the kids. However, put a copy of Trial by Journal by Kate Klise in her hands and she becomes a reading machine. The eclectic amalgamation of different kinds of writing (letters, newspaper articles, personal notes, etc.) meant that she was able to read a story that took a little more effort than your average prose. Still, what it lacked in cohesion it made up for in reader interest. Everybody was a huge fan of Klise’s work.

As for the other books that have worked well in our bookgroup, there’s no messing with the success of Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. In addition to being a great read (Peter has already gone through the first three books and awaits the fourth eagerly), author Suzanne Collins has a wonderful website that is particularly bookgroup friendly.

For starting a bookgroup of your own, seriously consider checking out the guide to getting started at the Multnomah County Library’s website. It’s a wonderful experience that can provide kids with an introduction to titles they might never have heard of otherwise. Speak to your local children’s librarian about starting one pronto. Failing that, consider seeking out book awards (like the 3 Apples) that allow kids the chance to finally have their say in what books get public recognition.