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Today I'm wrapping up my Printz-themed week -- and my book donation project.
I haven't read all the Printz books from the last eleven years. I counted -- I've read about a dozen of them. Here are three recent ones I'd recommend:
I haven't read all the Printz books from the last eleven years. I counted -- I've read about a dozen of them. Here are three recent ones I'd recommend:
Ship Breaker
by Paolo Bacigalupi
May 1, 2010
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: library
Printz Winner 2011
You can read his acceptance speech here.
Ship Breaker is a gripping post-apocalyptic tale. The book takes place in the future, on the now flooded Gulf Coast, where hard luck kid Nailer wriggles inside grounded oil tankers, stripping out components that can be sold. One day, he and a friend find a beached clipper ship. They think they've won the scavengers' lottery, until they discover that the ship's most valuable prize is inside: a "swank" rich girl who was abandoned with the ship. Nailer will have to decide if he's a hero or just out for himself.
by Paolo Bacigalupi
May 1, 2010
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: library
Printz Winner 2011
You can read his acceptance speech here.
Ship Breaker is a gripping post-apocalyptic tale. The book takes place in the future, on the now flooded Gulf Coast, where hard luck kid Nailer wriggles inside grounded oil tankers, stripping out components that can be sold. One day, he and a friend find a beached clipper ship. They think they've won the scavengers' lottery, until they discover that the ship's most valuable prize is inside: a "swank" rich girl who was abandoned with the ship. Nailer will have to decide if he's a hero or just out for himself.
Ship Breaker takes place in a richly imagined world that has suffered both drastic climate change and dramatic social stratification. The author is also a prize-winning science fiction writer, so the story features some cool sci-fi touches, like the "halfmen," engineered animal-human hybrids. All the characters are memorable, and the action will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
October 18, 2011
Scholastic Books
Source: library
Printz Honor Book 2012
Back in November I recommended The Scorpio Races here on the blog. It's a book with a strong mythical/fairy tale quality. On the island of Thisby, carnivorous wild horses emerge from the ocean, and the bravest of the island residents race them on the beach. Scorpio Races is a beautifully-written story with an unforgettable setting. The tale focuses on two racers: Sean, the returning champion, and underdog Puck, who's determined to win so that her family can keep their house.
Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta
Harper Collins
March 9, 2010
Source: my book
Read her acceptance speech here
My regular readers know how much I love Melina Marchetta's books. As in the book Where Things Come Back, Jellicoe Road is a book that skillfully weaves seemingly disparate events together. The book describes a terrible car accident and a set of orphans. Then the action switches to Taylor, a student at a boarding school. Every year, the school's students engage in territory wars with two other groups: the Townies and the Cadets. Taylor knows Jonah Griggs, the leader of the cadets, from the time she ran away to try to find her missing mother. The book requires patience and a memory for detail, but the results are well worth it. And Jonah Griggs? If you've read the book, you know that all other YA guy characters have a hard time measuring up.
Printz Trivia:
This Printz Honor book was loosely based on a real 1906 murder case that also inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy as well as A Place in the Sun, a 1951 movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.
by Maggie Stiefvater
October 18, 2011
Scholastic Books
Source: library
Printz Honor Book 2012
Back in November I recommended The Scorpio Races here on the blog. It's a book with a strong mythical/fairy tale quality. On the island of Thisby, carnivorous wild horses emerge from the ocean, and the bravest of the island residents race them on the beach. Scorpio Races is a beautifully-written story with an unforgettable setting. The tale focuses on two racers: Sean, the returning champion, and underdog Puck, who's determined to win so that her family can keep their house.
Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta
Harper Collins
March 9, 2010
Source: my book
Read her acceptance speech here
My regular readers know how much I love Melina Marchetta's books. As in the book Where Things Come Back, Jellicoe Road is a book that skillfully weaves seemingly disparate events together. The book describes a terrible car accident and a set of orphans. Then the action switches to Taylor, a student at a boarding school. Every year, the school's students engage in territory wars with two other groups: the Townies and the Cadets. Taylor knows Jonah Griggs, the leader of the cadets, from the time she ran away to try to find her missing mother. The book requires patience and a memory for detail, but the results are well worth it. And Jonah Griggs? If you've read the book, you know that all other YA guy characters have a hard time measuring up.
Printz Trivia:
This Printz Honor book was loosely based on a real 1906 murder case that also inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy as well as A Place in the Sun, a 1951 movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.
Thank you for the suggestions! I just requested "Ship Breaker" from my library!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how you liked it!
DeleteI'm donating Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci because you left this comment :)
Great recommendations. I really need to read The Scorpio Races. I have heard such awesome things about it.
ReplyDeleteIs the answer A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelley
Yes, it is the correct answer!
DeleteI really liked Scorpio Races. It was nothing like the Mercy Falls series, but it was beautifully written and really unique.
Donating Zombie by JR Angellella for you cause you like that gory stuff.
Ok...so I LOVE Maggie's writing and I of course ordered this book and when it arrived, I was so excited to start it. And then...there is sat on my TBR stack and I never got to it. I have no idea why. Considering how much I love her writing, there is no excuse!! I'm so glad you posted about this book because now I will definitely be reading it very, very soon!
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think.
DeleteDonating The Wish by Gail Levine!
Just wanted to thank you again for all the wonderful books you're donating! It's awesome :-)
DeleteHa -- my family is just like, "would you please get that giant stack of books out of the dining room!"
DeleteI took a picture of the stack and hope to get some photos at the event to run on the blog :)
I loved The Scorpio Races. Brilliant, and I am so happy it won a honor Printz! That is just amazing. <3
ReplyDeleteI think I'm the odd one out because I didn't really like Ship Breaker. And I don't know why the hell not because I freaking LOVE SF and Ship Breaker is pure science fiction. I did really like the world, though. I think it might've been the characters. *shrugs*
great reviews!
Sometimes I just don't connect to a book either. It happens :)
DeleteI wish I had sci-fi to donate for you, but don't.
Who Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin
I love all books by melina marcheta. I have not read The Scorpio Races yet but I have read Ship Breaker.
DeleteHuh! Your comment got put in spam and I have no idea why. But I fished it out. Melina Marchetta -- XOXOXOXO
DeleteDid you like Ship Breaker??
Donating The Baby Sitter's Club: The Summer Before by Ann M Martin!
I did enjoy reading Ship Breaker. When I first got the book, I didn't think it would be a page turner but I was still interested in reading it and I'm glad I did.
DeleteI read the Scorpio Races (really liked it and I also liked that it was different from the wolves series), but not the other two. I'll have to add them to my list. I didn't really read novels for about ten years through college and my first couple of kids being born, so I have a lot of catching up to do. It's been great seeing you spotlight these books this week!
ReplyDeletethought Scorpio Races was great-- refreshingly different.
DeleteAnd I hear you on the catch-up. It's hard to get anything done with little kids underfoot!
Here's a little kids book for donation:
Corduroy by Don Freeman
I can't tell you how many times I've picked up Ship Breaker at the library, but for some reason I always end up putting it back. I don't know why cause it sounds so good! The other two are also already on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteI have read A Northern Light though =)
I have been meaning to read that book by Jennifer Donnelly because I loved Revolution so much--but I have really not heard as many good things about that one. :( But I will probably give it a try. I think next year I am going to do a challenge to read a Printz winner a month. I should be able to catch up quickly that way right?
ReplyDeleteShanan
http://thebookaddictnet.blogspot.com
I listened to the audio of Northern Light, which was read by Hope Davis. It was definitely a more contemplative book, which is suprising, given that it is ostensibly about a murder. But Donnelly uses that murder as a sort of lens through which another young girl looks at the different choices facing woman at that time (the early 1900s). It's subtle.
DeleteDonating The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman
What a great idea to read books that have bee awarded. I think I will do this too.
ReplyDeleteThere are a LOT of Australian winners. I was going to make that a trivia question in of itself. I think 7 authors in all!
DeleteAnd that wraps up my donation project! Last donation: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead!
I've been meaning to read Jellicoe Road for quite some time now. I think I'll stop by my library and see if they have it and if not I'll request it.
ReplyDeleteBefore I read Mercy Wolves by Maggie Stiefvater, I heard of Scorpio Races and I've been really interested in it. However, I couldn't stand the second and third Mercy Wolves and I really struggled through them because I didn't care at all for Isabelle and Cole, so I don't know if I want to give her novels a shot if they follow the same style. I don't mind novels with different POVs but I just don't know with her.
I'll probably pick it up if it's at my library and read the first chapter or so and get a feel for it before I decide if I'd want to take it home.