PSLA Young Reader Choice Awards

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PSLA Young Reader Choice Awards

• 2004 / 2005
• Grades 5 and 6

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Previous Winners

• Purpose Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
• Promote reading of quality books
• Promote teacher and librarian
• involvement in children's literature
• Honor authors whose work has been recognized by
  the children of Pennsylvania

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The Legend of Freedom Hillby Linda Jacobs Altman

• In the 1850s, during the time of the California
  Gold Rush, Rosabel and Sophie become best friends
  because they are both outsiders. Rosabel is
  African American and Sophie is Jewish. Rosabel
  has freedom papers, but her mother, Miz Violet,
  is a runaway slave. They have escaped to
  California, where slavery is against the law. But
  Miz Violet is not completely safe. The Fugitive
  Slave Act allows runaway slaves to be captured
  and returned to their owners.

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The Tale of Despereauxby Kate DiCamillio

• How scary to be such a small, unloved creature as
  a mouse and want to do things that would frighten
  even brave, powerful men. Would you have the
  courage and persistence to work for things you
  wanted despite being told that these things
  couldnt happen for you? If so, then you will fit
  right in with these characters. Come, Reader. Be
  a part of this book

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Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

• Boys dont write poetry- girls do! At least
  thats Jacks opinion when Miss Stretchberry
  introduces the class to writing poetry at the
  beginning of the school year. He just doesnt get
  it. The poems she reads to the class make no
  sense to him, but as he listens and writes more
  of his own poetry he begins to appreciate the
  rhythm of the words. Jack begins to notice
  connections as he relates themes to his own life.
  Finally, through poetry, he is able to express
  his emotions about the pet dog he loved so much.

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The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black
In this one Fudge is obsessed by money. He has
plans to buy Toys R Us as well as the entire city
of New York. His family is so embarrassed,
especially his older brother, Peter, who's
starting 7th grade. Besides that, the Hatchers
meet their long lost relatives, including twin
cousins and their weird little brother. When
Fudge discovers he's not the only Farley Drexel
Hatcher in the world well, watch out!
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Pictures of Hollis Woods By Patricia Reilly
Giff Artistically talented Hollis Woods, age 12,
has made a habit of running away from foster
homes, but she s found a place on Long Island
where she wants to stay for a while. She
immediately bonds with Josie, her new guardian,
who is a slightly eccentric
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Young Tia loves music and finds it at the house
of an elderly lady. She takes a job as a maid in
exchange for piano lessons. When Miss Hartwells
hands are too stiff and sore to give Tia her
piano lessons, Tia uses her mothers remedy of
warm salty water to soothe her hands. One day
after doing her own work as well as the servant
boys, Miss Hartwell discovers Tias sore hands
need that same magic remedy.
A seven-headed bird is making life miserable for
the inhabitants of Guadeloupe, and the only way
the king can save the island is to sacrifice his
beautiful daughter, Marie. Of course, he refuses.
But, Marie, anxious to end the misery of her
people, secretly goes to where the Bird of
Darkness broods. Immediately, she is snatched up
in its mighty claws and carried off. as you read
this story to discover if Salacota the evil
succeeds
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What happens when the mightiest of mortals take
on the greatest of gods in an apocalyptic
basketball showdown? Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and
the rest of the Gods' squad have all the powers
of the universe at their disposal-which makes for
a deadly defense and an unstoppable offense. But
those "pesky Mortals" are always causing trouble,
and with hunky Hercules at the top of his game
and Achilles' heel healing nicely after his
surgery, the Mortals manage to stay alive until
halftime. Who knows what mythological magic the
Gods will have to conjure up to win this Hellenic
heart stopper?
Kevin O'Malley's Mount Olympus Basketball makes
learning about ancient Greek myths more exciting
than March Madness
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Baseball fans will love this look at the history
of baseball which focuses on the pioneers and
legends of Latino baseball. As far back as 1900,
the Latino players were playing ball and making
history. Set up to look like baseball cards, this
book presents the history of each player and the
important part they played in the sport. Come
meet such stars as Martin Dihigo, Pancho Coimbre,
Roberto Clemente and Felipe Alou. This is a must
read for true ball fans!
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Fossil Fish Found Alive Discovering the
Coelacanth By Walker, Sally M

• Calling all scientists! If you like exploring the
  deep, dark oceans in search of creatures who were
  alive at the time of the dinosaurs, then this is
  the book for you. Find out how J. L. B. Smith
  felt when he realized that the fish caught in a
  fishermans net in 1938 was really a Coelacanth,
  a fish believed to have been extinct for 70
  million years. News of the discovery sparked the
  interest of fisherman and scientists who hoped to
  find the next specimen of the living fossil.
  For decades this fish has been hunted, but few
  have been found. Are there other species of the
  Coelacanth elsewhere in the world?