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Meet our newest guest librarian! Mitch Berman is the Teen Librarian at the North Chicago Public Library. Mitch works with the sixth through twelfth graders in North Chicago, connecting them with literature and other cool things! His favorite part of working as a teen librarian is seeing a kid who is not a big reader get into reading, and keep coming back for more books!
It is now book award season and Mitch will be highlighting some of the books that are nominated for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award for fourth through eigth graders. Mitch is currently working with the middle school librarian in his community on a collaborative project with these titles. Below are the first five titles Mitch chose to highlight for this month.
2018 Rebecca Caudill Nominees
Roller Girl
Roller Girl follows the story of Astrid, a girl who is about to enter Jr. High, find her true self while participating in a roller derby league. Based on Jamieson’s real experiences as a roller girl, Roller Girl highlights the ups and downs about being a teenage girl and being part of a wild and crazy sport!
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Fuzzy Mud
What is the in the mud? That is the burning question for the students at Woodridge Academy. When the school bully, Chad, challenges Marshall to a fight, he ends up taking a shortcut home with his best friend while his best friend Tamaya follows behind him and nothing is ever the same again. The author of Holes takes the reader on a wild ride complete with scientists, conspiracy theories, and mud that does crazy things!
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The Boy on the Wooden Box
The memoir The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson tells the unforgettable story of when Leyson was 10 years old, the Nazis had taken over Poland. Leyson was sent to the Krakow ghetto, where inevitably he was saved by Oskar Schindler who put his name, his mother’s name, father’s name, and two of his four sibling’s names to the now famous Schindler’s List which saved their lives. This is a must read for those who are interested in the holocaust or history in general.
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Hour of the Bees
Nothing is worse than having to spend your summer in New Mexico! Twelve- year-old Carol is forced to go with her family to help move the grandfather she has never met into a home for people with dementia. As Carol gets to know her Grandfather Serge, she becomes captivated by his stories and starts to figure out where she belongs. Eagar paints a picture in this novel about family and figuring out your roots!
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Goodbye Stranger
In 7 th grade, everything changes for friends Bridge, Emily, and Tab. Long ago they made a pact to never fight, but when Emily’s curves attract attention from boys, Tab becomes part of a Human Rights Club, and Bridge wears cat ears, they seem to be moving apart. Can these best friends still grow up and not move apart? Newbery Winner Rebecca Stead tells a true to life coming of age story in a very tricky time in any young adult’s life.
North Chicago Public Library
2100 Argonne Drive, North Chicago, IL 60064
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