Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.
It’s probably hopeless. But he has to try.
HMH Children’s Books
I am still so psyched about our last meeting. The teen energy was palpable in the room. I swear there are cracks in the wall. So many people came. I reveled in the organized chaos. Sean turned out to be my technical savior after the projector shut off. We threw off a title on the first night. This has never happened before. This will prove to be an aggressive year.
The universe had been off synch while we were not meeting, but now all is in its place as it should be.
Valerie – 2nd row, black jacket, reddish hair / Renee – 2nd row on Valerie’s left, pale dress, demonically glowering eyes / Myself – first row, red dress
I am a proud vocal member of the Eva Perry Library’s Mock Printz book club. We read the YA books published each year, and inform the world which one the official committee should award that year’s Printz Medal to. You have never seen such cheerful militancy.
It was with great trepidation and a secret stash of easily throwable food items that I attended our final meeting. Our 453 books were whittled down to two prominent contenders. At the hour-mark, armies formed in support of each title. Championing Paper Covers Rock, by Jenny Hubbard, I watched with dismay as former friends congregated around A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness.
Valerie Nicholson, our courageous adult adviser, facilitated a vote that unfortunately ended in a 12-12 draw. Battle-weary Valerie then proposed that we resolve the tie with rhetoric. Armies stampeded to opposite sides of the room, proposing more logical ways to break the tie – improvised rap-offs, counting voters’ years of seniority in the club, fisticuffs. . . I checked my stash of edible projectiles.
Enlisting the help of additional arbitrators Martha Choate and Lindsey Dunn, Valerie coerced us back into our seats. There was a minor skirmish between myself and club alumnus Renee Sherwood – she threw an NC State card at me, burning my UNC-affiliated skin, I lobbed a plastic coke bottle towards her, bruising her pride, she sucker punched me in the stomach, and then I decided to take the moral high road by plugging my ears and humming. A cease fire was quickly agreed upon when someone threatened us with duct tape.
The rhetoric began. Each exquisitely beautiful component of Paper Covers Rock – the thoughts the protagonist records in his diary , the poetry and prose he writes – create a rich character. . . Renee cut me off. Events in A Monster Calls, often play out unexpectedly, and yet are powerfully realistic. The most initially unrelatable characters develop unbelievable depth. . . I rebutted. Paper Covers Rock is rich in metaphor. Literally, the title refers to the game of rock, paper, scissors that ends with the protagonist’s friend jumping to his death. However, figuratively. . . well, let’s just say the group got it once they thought about it. The discussion raged on…
Honestly, the “monster’s” powerful arguments had me wondering whether I was fighting for the right book. Unfortunately, I had not been able to get my hands on one of our few copies of the book, so I hadn’t read it. I will rectify that tragic situation as soon as possible.
Hours later our fifth vote mysteriously turned out 12-13, in favor of Paper Covers Rock. I wasn’t then and am still not sure where that extra vote came from. However, slightly more than half the group rejoiced loudly.
You can check out Paper Covers Rock here or A Monster Calls here. I suggest both!
25 Teens presented, debated, and hashed out our Final Decision on January 13.
After 4 hours, and a tie – TWICE – with discussion between votes, we finally had to make the call that after reading for almost 10 months, it came down to this:
2012 Eva Perry Mock Printz Winner – Paper Covers Rock, by Jenny Hubbard
2012 Mock Printz Honors
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
Every You, Every Me, by David Levithan
Chime, by Frannie Billingsley
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne Valente
Very well done! We are proud of our participants and their hard work this year.
In our Dec. 30 meeting, 27 teens met to discuss this year’s books! Jan. 13 will be Decision Night, so this time was very important.
Brian says that Every You, Every Me is AMAZING. Several others concur, including April. She did NOT want to put this book down. Sleep deprivation ensued because of this book.
Morgan is supporting The Floating Islands. She appreciates the writing.
Olivia said she would “marry this book” – talking about My Unfair Godmother. As a Printz contender, well, we’ll see.
Ezra says that The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is very well written.
Renee (and others) says that A Monster Calls is definitely an award winner.
Layne gave quite the recommendation for The Girl of Fire and Thorns. She loves the strong female main character development and appreciates that the romantic element is not the focus of the book, but believable. Yes, Layne, we know how you feel about weak female characters who live for romance.
Other discussion took up the rest of our 2 hours, with several titles being sent to the “chair of shame,” eliminated from our full cart of books still to be read.
So — what say YOU? Which titles have we missed this year?
November 18, 2011 – Excited discussion brought forth the following nominations for this year’s best teen literature:
Paper Covers Rock, by Jenny Hubbard
Chime, by Franny Billingsley
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne Valente
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
In Trouble, by Ellen Levine
To Timbuktu, by Casey Scieszka
Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys
Every You Every Me, by David Levithan
The following each received one nomination each:
Across the Universe, by Beth Revis
As I Wake, by Elizabeth Scott
Bluefish, by Pat Schmatz
Dark Eden, by Patrick Carman
Displacement, by Thalia Chatlas
First Day on Earth, by Cecil Castellucci
The Floating Islands, by Rachel Neumeier
I’ll Be There, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Iron Queen, by Julie Kagawa
Love Inc, by Yvonne Collins
Midnight Palace, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Near Witch, by Victoria Schwab
The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau
Needless to say, we are all still reading like crazy!
What is YOUR favorite??
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill–an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.
Candlewick Press
Summary: Evan is haunted by the loss of his best friend, but when mysterious photographs start appearing, he begins to fall apart as he starts to wonder if she has returned, seeking vengeance.
Knopf
This was a super meeting! Nothing special, as they are all pretty good. But this one had great attendance, a couple visitors, lots of book talks, comparisons, good and bad points discussed, books passed around and shared, some titles knocked off our reading list, and others that were enthusiastically raved about. All in all, I guess it WAS a pretty typical meeting.
Sarah agreed with past lauds concerning Chime.
Kris likes both Paper Covers Rock and Queen of Water.
Brian said yes to Midnight Palace.
Rachel repeated her love for Shatter Me.
Dylan likes To Timbuktu.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children had raves from Layne, Hannah, and Nikki!
Now let’s hear what YOU like!
Another first tonight for the legendary Eva Perry Mock Printz Book Club! Olivia joined ECI 521 for our Bookcast Festival and totally impressed the class with her knowledge of YA lit and her insightful comments on their bookcasts. It was terrific to hear from such a well-read teen! You made the class for us, Olivia! btw I guessed your identity when you said that Hannah was passing along Miss Peregrine to you 
We’ve archived the session — http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17237156 ECI 521 Bookcast Fest 9-12-2011, Recorded on 9/12/2011 marinegrafics on USTREAM. Educational http://www.ustream.tv ECI 521 Bookcast Fest 9-12-2011:Recorded on 9/12/2011 recorded on USTREAM. Educational
