Our 2018 Mock-Printz Books

We’ve had a fun and interesting year, but after some discussion and debate, here are our 2018 Mock-Printz Books.

Winner:

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

 

First Honor Book:

When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

 

Second Honor Book:

MunMun by Jesse Andrews

 

Third Honor Book:

Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak

 

Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak, Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman, and Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka were all released a little later in the year and thus many of the teens in Printz didn’t get to read them, but the teens that did were loudly supportive of them and had we gotten more readers, this year’s vote might have been even more intense than it already was.

Some 2019 ARCs have already been handed out to read over winter break and my Printz teens are welcome to come knock on the office door if they want to pick some up to read before the next meeting. Coming in January, expect more opinions, more reviews, and until then,

Happy Reading!

 

More Reviews!

We have two weeks left in the Printz session and one meeting to go–it’s crunch time! Everyone has been busy in school and with reading, so here are a couple more reviews!

The History of Jane Doe by Michael Belanger

Burgerville is a quiet, uneventful town until Jane moves in from the city and introduces her eccentric personality to everyone present. The book is an emotional rollercoaster that stays true to the interactions of real-life teens.

–Lauren Nominates

A well-written romance that deals with depression in an elegant fashion. The realistic characters and avoidance of cliches make this a delightful read.

–Caleb Recommends

Sawkill Girls by Clare Legrand

An interesting fantasy/horror story with complex, well-written characters and an engaging plotline. Three characters unite to fight a monster that has been the cause of disappearing girls on Sawkill Island.

–Jackie Recommends

Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

A graphic novel memoir written by Jarret J Krosczka, a graphic illustrator who grew up with a drug-addicted mother and no father in the picture. The dark art style fits perfectly with the somber tone and makes it a very touching and affecting book.

–Daniel Nominates

Our next meeting will be when we duke out which book deserves the Printz award! With several contenders on the list and everyone having strong opinions, this should be an intense meeting!

 

 

Our Club Recommends…

Hello everyone,

We’ve only got 3 meetings left in our Mock-Printz session before we make our final vote, but here are some teen reviews of items on this year’s Mock-Printz booklist!

 

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

A modern take on Pride and Prejudice. When a rich family moves into ‘the hood’ it shakes up Zuri Benitez’s family forever. 

–Ben 

Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman

A story of four kids trying to survive the Tap-Out (when the California drought gets so bad that the water stops running). It’s a really intriguing story about survival and what happens when humankind loses something necessary to life.

–Nicole

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

TACoA takes place after the main character’s mother committed suicide. The main character decides to fly to China with her father in an attempt to connect with her mother’s parents and unravels some truths about her mother along the way. TACoA is a beautiful, fantastically written book which perfectly captures the distress of grief and treads the thin line between reality and hallucinations.

–Lauren

Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

A book about true grit and achieving your dreams, even if you don’t know what they are. The main character, Scott (given name Saaket), escapes his pressurizing family to go to Washington DC in a not-so-classic coming-of-age tale instead of his high intensity internship that he doesn’t want. Throw in a cute girl, no money, and some livid parents, and you’ve got a recipe for a good story. 

–Tanvi

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

‘Tess of the Road’ follows Tess, a young adult who feels that her only escape from the ridicule of society is to set off on her own adventure. It is fantastically written novel about a girl’s struggle in a society which doesn’t accept intelligent women.

–Lauren

 

Currently the 5 books with the most nominations are: (in order)

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

MunMun by Jesse Andrews

The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis

When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

Blood, Water, Paint by Joy McCullough

 

Our final vote draws near!

Yours in Reading,

The Eva Perry Printz Club

 

What We’re Reading in 2018 (in consideration for 2019 mock-Printz award)