1. Outstanding Books Challenge 2015 Take the challenge!

2. What is the Outstanding Books Challenge? The Outstanding Books Challenge is a program that rewards you for reading books! reading books.

3. What books do I have to read?  Outstanding Books for the College-Bound and Lifelong Learners.  Contemporary, not “classics.”  Selected for their interest and value to college- bound high school students. That means you!

4. Q: What are the books about? A: Everything in the world! There is something for everyone in each of the five categories! Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biography…

5. The categories Arts and HumanitiesMusic, arts, comedy, photography, religion, dance, sports, movies… History and CulturesIncludes historical fiction and biography. No history textbooks or anything like them! Literature and Language ArtsNovels and poetry, plus non-fiction about writing and language. Science and TechnologySpace, medicine, brains, dinosaurs, computers! Includes some science fiction. Social SciencesGreat variety of topics! Identity, economics, social issues, etc.

6. Each category contains about 25 books. Here are just a few…

7. Books You Might Already Have Read Arts & Humanities

8. Books That Might Surprise You History & Cultures

9. Books You Might Already Have Read Literature & Language Arts Graphic Novel! Author of Eleanor & Park! Popular author!

10. Books That Might Surprise You Science & Technology Underdog high school robotics team! Concussion crisis! Murder! Mayhem! Forensics!

11. Smart Books! Social Sciences

12. How many books do I have to read? Bronze level: 1 book from each of the 5 categories= 5 books Silver level: 2 books from each of the 5 categories= 10 books Gold level= 3 books from each of the 5 categories= 15 books.

13. Do I have to attend meetings? No. Once you sign up, you will receive updates and reminders through the email address you use to sign up on TurnItIn.com Those who finish the OBC are expected to attend a brief award ceremony.

14. How will you know I read the books?  For each book you read, you will write a 250-500 word review and submit it through TurnItIn.com.  All reviews must be original and must follow the directions posted on the Library website.

15. Reviews must contain a minimum of 250 words and demonstrate to the librarian’s satisfaction that you have read and understood the book Your review should contain no more than 1/3 summary. The rest is your ideas, reactions, questions, and opinions. All reviews must be submitted through TurnItIn.com. Use a heading with your name, the title of the book, and the category. No late reviews will be accepted Spelling and grammar do not count, but reviews so poorly written that I can’t understand them will not be accepted. Rules

16. Guidelines The questions in the Response guidelines are just ideas to help you get started! You DO NOT have to answer all of them! FictionNon-fiction Summary Describe the setting, the point of view, and the main characters. Then, give a brief summary of the plot, including the major events of the book. Give an overview of the author’s topic, thesis, and main points. What conclusions does the author draw? Response (choose a few questions to address) Discuss the theme(s) of this book. What is this book trying to say, and do you agree or disagree with it? Did you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view, thesis, or conclusions? How convinced are you? Explain. What is your overall response to this book? Did you love it? Hate it? Find it interesting? Provocative? Boring? Explain What are the strengths and weaknesses of this book? Would you recommend this book? Why or why not? How would you evaluate this author’s writing? Did this book challenge your assumptions or change your mind about anything? Discuss. What interesting questions did this book leave you with?

17. Good News for Previous OBC Winners: Those who completed the Outstanding Books Challenge last year may choose books from previous lists or off the list, but off-list choices must be discussed with the librarian in advance.

18. New This Year—OBC Book Club Stay motivated by joining the local public librarians and Northern Highlands students for a discussion of these three OBC books. Feb 25Nov. 12 May 20 optional

19. Also New This Year—OBC Social Media!  Follow OBC on Twitter @OBC_NHRHS. Ask questions, share reviews, check in!@OBC_NHRHS  Join our GoodReads Group—Read and share reviews, find out what books other people love!GoodReads Group optional

20. What do I get for doing this? You get the usual rewards of reading good books:  Improved vocabulary and comprehension!  Better scores on the SAT Critical Reading section!  Broadened horizons!  Exposure to new ideas and new points of view!

21. Okay, but what else? 1.An award certificate (useful for your college application on the section that says “Academic Awards or Honors”) 2.An end-of-the-year celebration! 3.A prize! Usually, a Barnes & Noble gift certificate for a respectable sum, sponsored by HASA.

22. When are the reviews due? All reviews are due by Monday, May 4, 2015. No late reviews will be accepted! If you plan to participate, please sign up no later than December 1 on TurnItIn.com with a valid email address.

23. How do I sign up? Complete instructions for signing up through Turnitin.com, writing the reviews, and everything else are available on the Outstanding Books Challenge section of the Library’s website. You can also stop by the Library and ask Ms. Goldberg for more information.

24. Why Should I Do This? 1.The more good books you read, the smarter you get. 2.OBC looks great on your college application. 3.You get a prize! And cake! 4.Your family will be proud of you. 5.Your English teacher will be impressed!

25. Take the Challenge!