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Richie's Picks: THE BEST OF 2007 "What are we coming to? I just don't know anymore." -- Gillian Welch doing Radiohead's "Black Star Now that I am a real librarian, I theoretically deal with more than just books. (Not that one could tell from where I'm sitting right now...) Here is a most amazing and entertaining online educational resource to share with students and to think long and hard about ourselves: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ This was such a great year for books. Not that there are any bad years but, even more than usual, there are so many stellar books that I must reluctantly leave off than the short list of my Best of 2007. I'm beginning with picture books this year. No list of superlatives would be excessive in describing my favorite picture book of the year, a perfect, breathtaking, and incredibly essential picture book for older readers: WHY WAR IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA by Alice Walker, illustrated by Stefano Vitale http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/why_war_is_never_a_good_idea.html And the one that has been such a big hit with all the hundreds of students, teachers, and librarians to whom I've read it: PREVIOUSLY by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Bruce Ingman http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/previously.html Graphic novels: Nearly seven years ago, I wrote about how much I loved ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer. I've been booktalking it ever since then. By far, my favorite graphic novel of 2007 is ARTEMIS FOWL: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL. The story doesn't let up for one moment and the artwork and the quality of the finished book are stunning. This one should be in every single school library from elementary up through high school. The other graphic novel that has really stayed with me, a book that will hopefully cause some young readers to become animal rights activists: LAIKA by Nick Abadzis http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/laika.html For young adults, my favorite pair of the year are: MISTIK LAKE by Martha Brooks http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/mistik_lake.html THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/absolute_true_diary_of_a_part_time _indian.html Another pair that have really stayed with me are by longtime favorite YA authors: BEASTLY by Alex Flinn http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/beastly.html WHAT MY GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T KNOW by Sonya Sones http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/what_my_girlfriend_doesnt_know.htm l And one at the young end of YA that really moved me with it's power and relevance: RED GLASS by Laura Resau http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/red_glass.html There is one book that is so easily, hands down, my favorite story of the year, the book that should absolutely win the next Newbery. THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary D. Schmidt http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/the_wednesday_wars.html There are a whole bunch of others from 2007 that I am booktalking constantly. My absolute favorites are: DEMONKEEPER by Royce Buckingham http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/demonkeeper.html REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY by Ying Chang Compestine http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/revolution_is_not_a_dinner_party.h tml EMMA-JEAN LAZARUS FELL OUT OF A TREE by Lauren Tarshis http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/emma_jean_lazarus_fell_out_of_a_tr ee.html ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/elijah_of_buxton.html (http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/red_glass.html) IF A TREE FALLS AT LUNCH PERIOD by Gennifer Choldenko http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/if_a_tree_falls_at_lunch_period.ht ml THE OFF SEASON by Catherine Gilbert Murdock http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/the_off_season.html In nonfiction, THE ULTIMATE WEAPON: THE RACE TO DEVELOP THE ATOMIC BOMB by Edward T. Sullivan http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/the_ultimate_weapon.html M.L.K.: JOURNEY OF A KING by Tonya Bolden http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/mlk.html And one more piece of nonfiction from totally out of left field: NEW HAMPSHIRE 1603-1776 (VOICES FROM COLONIAL AMERICA) by Scott Auden with Alan Taylor, consultant. I never did get to write about this one, but I previously knew nothing about colonial New Hampshire, it was so engaging, and just so totally opposite the typical book that a student would snore through in search of information for a report: Finally, can a couple of hundred girls be wrong? I wasn't surprised to booktalk BLUE LIPSTICK by John Grandits and have them fighting over it every single time. But the day that surprised me was the one when I DIDN'T get a chance to booktalk it -- it was just amid a pile -- and there were STILL three girls shoulder to shoulder, reading it together immediately after my presentation ended. http://richiespicks.com/users/stories/picks/blue_lipstick.html Richie Partington, MLIS Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com Moderator, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/ BudNotBuddy@aol.com http://www.myspace.com/richiespicks Caldecott '09 **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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