1. Caudill Award Nominees 2010
Read three and vote in February for your choice of “the best”

2. Someone Named Eva
Can you imagine being a young girl living in Czechoslovakia during WWII and being taken to a place where you were “turned into a perfect German girl”? That is what happens to the main character in this historical fiction novel. I think if you read it you will learn more about the Holocaust that will surprise you. This story was so scary at the end that it gave me nightmares!

3. The White Giraffe
Animal lovers will be sure to enjoy this novel that takes place in Africa. But how did a young girl from England end up there, living with a grandmother she didn’t even know existed? And why did she have to go there in the first place? Martine’s adventures will seem like fantasy to you, but you will be asking yourself: fantasy or fiction?

4. The Wednesday Wars
Picture yourself as the only Presbyterian in your class of Catholics and Jews who get to leave every Wednesday afternoon to take religion classes while you stay behind to do……whatever is available at the school. Could anything be more torturous than staying behind with the English teacher who is a Shakespeare nut ? Find out by reading this novel.

5. The Thing About Georgie
This realistic fiction novel centers around an older elementary student who teaches us what it is like to have a disability. You may even know someone like Georgie. And I guarantee you that, no matter how different you think you are from Georgie, you have had similar life experiences.

6. A Small White Scar
If 15 year old boys, rodeos, twins, and a sibling with a disability are topics you like to read about, this novel is the one for you. The author does a good job of drawing you into a world you might not ever think you’ll be a part of, but would find very interesting.

7. Shooting the Moon
The Vietnam War era provides the interesting setting for this novel, but the themes of military families and photography may interest those who don’t ordinarily like historical fiction.

8. Shark Girl
An author’s unique free verse style provides the medium for this realistic story about a high school girl who is missing an arm. Read this to get an excellent perspective on how our physical traits sometimes define our lives.

9. Kimchi & Calamari
Being assigned an English project to trace your family history (genealogy) seems pretty common and not that difficult of a task on the surface. But try being a person from Korea adopted by a Caucasian family that has no idea what your history before them is. What would you do?

10. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
The difference between boyfriends/girlfriends and friendboys/friendgirls is explored in this charming story. The guy in the story is faced with a dilemma when his father dies and leaves him a locked box and no key. Mystery lovers and realistic fiction buffs will like this book.

11. Home of the Brave
Following the popular style to write a book in free verse, Katherine Applegate presents a story about a displaced person from the Sudan (Africa) who finds himself in the frigid state of Minnesota. This novel is indeed a moving story about a guy’s struggle to find his place in his new world.

12. First Light
All you fantasy lovers will enjoy the trip to the community under an ice bubble where a family (dad, mom, and son) explore. What they explore will continue to surprise you. Expand your world and read this book.

13. Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree
Emma-Jean’s dad died and she has to find a way to cope without him. That doesn’t sound like a very funny plot for a story, but this book will have you laughing frequently because Emma-Jean is not your ordinary 7th grade girl….or is she? See what you think.

14. Elephant Run
Many students have already enjoyed this adventure book, but if you aren’t one, you may want to give it a try. Although it is set in Burma during WWII, it is a fast-paced and entertaining story of how a young teen faces many enemies after being sent to live with his father during the war. His mother sent him there for safety because their native London was being bombed. What could be more dangerous than that environment?

15. Dragon Slippers
Some “experts” who made the list for the Caudill award said this novel is “children’s fiction” but I would have to disagree. This story of royalty, the poor seamstress Creel, and dragons has sophisticated humor that will keep older kids entertained. The language and concepts are also more appropriate for kids in junior high, than for younger ones.

16. A Crooked Kind of Perfect
Wouldn’t it be a bummer to want a piano and to get an organ instead? The boyfriend/girlfriend theme will keep you realistic fiction readers entertained. The theme of perfection is also a big part of the story.

17. The Mozart Question
I have read many novels and autobiographies set in the Holocaust, but this book taught me information I had no idea about. Read this to find out what a violin has to do with people in Concentration Camps.

18. Freedom Walkers
Russell Freedman may be a well-known author to you, because he is an expert on American history. He showcases real people in his books and tells about their important roles. The authentic black and white photos and other documentation make this a valuable book for a look into our history.

19. All the Lovely Bad Ones
If you’re looking for a funny ghost story, this is the novel for you. The main characters visit a haunted hotel owned by none other than their own grandmother. Will it be strange and mysterious to you?

20. Crossing the Wire
Read this novel about an illegal Mexican teen to gain some valuable insight into all the complicated issues involved when a person decides to run away to America. Will Hobbs is the author, a familiar name to some of you who know him to be a good author of adventure stories that teach good lessons.

21. The Naked Mole-Rat Letters
A funny title for a good story told in, not free verse, but letter form. The main character’s mom dies and her dad starts dating. You guessed it….the main character doesn’t like the girlfriend. The exchange of messages weaves a good story that realistic fiction readers will want to put on their “list to read”.