Teen Nutmeg Nominees 2007
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
What is the Nutmeg Award?
*The Nutmeg Children's Book Award encourages children in
grades 4-6 and in 7-8 to read quality literature and to
choose their favorite from a list of ten nominated titles.
*Books must be well-written, with strong characterization, a
vivid setting, striking language, a well-constructed plot,
and a plausible conclusion.
*In January, students vote on their favorite; the book that
receives the most votes from students across the state
of Connecticut receives the Nutmeg Book Award
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Who chooses the list of 10 books?
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The committee is made up of
teachers, students, school library
media specialists, and public
librarians in Connecticut
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Ms. Poulos served on the
committee last year and this year
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Which books won the
Nutmeg Award for 2006?
Grade 7-8
Grade 4-6
Hoot
The City of Ember
by Carl Hiassen
By Jeanne DuPrau
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Which books did EHMS students
vote for as the top two
favorites in 2006?
Touching Spirit Bear
Full Tilt
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
What books should I read to be able
to vote next January?
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Airborn
For Freedom
Inventing Elliott
Jumpman Rule #1
Mortal Engines
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Milkweed
Mississippi Trial
Say Yes
Under the Same Sky
Vampire High
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Airborn
by Kenneth Oppel
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Story Type: adventure fantasy;
alternate history
Summary: Matt, a 15-year-old
cabin boy on an airship, teams up
with a wealthy passenger named
Kate and together they try to find
out whether there really are
mysterious winged flying mammals
that have never been studied before.
On the way, their ship is besieged by
pirates and the two are marooned on
an island. Can they survive the
battle?
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
For Freedom
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
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Story Type: Historical Fiction
Summary: Thirteen year old
Suzanne just wants to focus on
her wish to become an opera
star, but when Nazi troops
invade France during World
War II, she decides to become a
spy for the Allies. Based on a
true story.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Jumpman Rule #1: Don’t Touch Anything
by James Valentine
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Story Type: Science
Fiction (Time Travel)
Summary: When
Theodore, a teen from
the distant future, drops
into the lives of
Jules and Gen, life gets
a lot more complicated.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Mortal Engines
by Philip Reeve
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Story Type: Fantasy
Summary: Welcome to
a distant world where
cities search out and
consume smaller towns.
Four people try to stop
the carnage…and stay
alive.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Inventing Elliot
by Graham Gardner
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Story Type: Contemporary
Fiction (Topic: Bullying)
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Summary: Every day at
school, Elliot is subjected to
bullying and beatings.
When he starts a new
school, and is invited to join
The Guardians, a secret
society obsessed with ruling
the school, he has to choose
between being accepted and
bullying some of his new
friends, or being unpopular
and bullied again.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Milkweed
by Jerry Spinelli
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Story Type: Historical Fiction
Summary: “He's a boy who lives in
the streets of Warsaw. Who steals food
for himself and the orphans. Who
believes in bread and mothers and
angels. He's a boy who wants to be a
Nazi someday…Until the day that
suddenly makes him change his mind.
And when the trains come to empty
the Jews from the ghetto, he's a boy
who realizes it's safest of all to be
nobody. “
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Mississippi Trial, 1955
by Chris Crowe
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Story Type: Historical Fiction
Summary: Hiram can’t wait to visit his
grandfather in Mississippi. However,
when a new acquaintance, Emmett Till,
an African American boy visiting from
Chicago, breaks the “rules” in the
segregated south, he is kidnapped and
murdered. Will Hiram discover the
truth about Emmett’s murder? Will
justice be served? Based on the true
story of Emmett Till who was murdered
in 1955.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Say Yes
by Audrey Couloumbis
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Story Type:
Contemporary Fiction
Summary: Casey comes
home from school to find
her stepmother gone.
She goes to school as
usual, comes home as
usual, but tells no one
she is living alone. Will
she be able to survive on
her own without
stealing?
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Under the Same Sky
by Cynthia DeFelice
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Story type: Contemporary
Fiction
Summary: Joe, like most of his
friends, wants a new motorbike
for his birthday. His dad tells
him he can work it off on their
family farm. Joe thinks that
will be a piece of cake until he
realizes what farm work is all
about; he also learns to see the
crew of Mexican laborers with
new eyes and experience love.
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Vampire High
by Douglas Rees
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Story Type: Humor & Horror
Summary: Cody Eliot starts a
new high school that is
definitely different! Students
are unusually strong, love to
visit blood banks, and avoid
the sunlight! Could it be? Are
they vampires????
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Nutmeg Café Book Discussions
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Look for flyers listing
dates and Café Book
discussions on Nutmeg
nominees
Sign up in the library
media center, check out
the book, read it, answer
written questions, come
to the luncheon and eat
and talk!
Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006
Thanks to…
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Many of the book talks and summaries come
from or were inspired by the State Library Web
Junction site at:
http://ct.webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=7865
Also, Nancy Keane’s website Booktalks Quick and
Simple
http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/default.htm
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Ms. Poulos, Library Media Specialist,
EHMS, Spring 2006