Mondays with Megan-2014 Cybils Awards Announced-2/16/15

Good morning, friends! As you may recall, I was a Cybils Awards Round 2 Judge for the 2014 Young Adult Fiction. It was such a fun experience full of great reads and lively discussions. I hope to have the opportunity to participate again in the future. The hard work is finished and winners have been announced. You can see the complete list of 2014 Cybils Awards Winners here. My group selected Pointe by Brandy Colbert as our winner! Here’s what we had to say:

Pointe
by Brandy Colbert
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: Kelly Jensen

Pointe is a remarkable debut from Brandy Colbert with an excellent, compelling story. Colbert isn’t afraid of having her characters face murky, sticky, really difficult situations, and she doesn’t shy away from the darkest parts of life. The issues the characters face are real, honest, and messy. There aren’t any soft-balled conclusions or answers here, either, which is refreshing.

Full of deeply flawed characters, the novel is a standout largely because of how Colbert draws her protagonist Theo. Theo’s voice is wholly authentic. She’s smart and motivated but also a teenager and marked by the traumatic events of her past. Her slow realization that she’s more affected by her past than she realizes is authentic, raw, and very compelling. The fact that the other characters who inhabit Theo’s world are also fully-realized helps make this story memorable and offers plenty of appeal for teens.

 

  It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

 hosted by Book Journey and Teach Mentor Texts

Finished:

• Geek Girl by Holly Smale-♥♥♥ 1/2. Cute series opener about a geeky girl turned model. I had a few qualms with the handling of a stalker issue and some over-the-top stereotypes. Still, a fun read.
• An Age of License by Lucy Knisley-♥♥♥♥. A graphic travelogue and journal of the best-selling cartoonist’s 2011 European journey. Full of romance and food, fans of Relish will enjoy this new offering.
• The Tale of One Bad Rat by Brian Talbot-♥♥♥♥. From 1991, this graphic novel explores the world of sexual abuse victims and teen runaways. The life and works of Beatrix Potter are artfully woven in as well. Both sad and lovely.
• The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin-♥♥♥♥♥. The final, thrilling chapter of the Mara Dyer trilogy. All is revealed…eventually!

Current Audio: (still)

Currently Reading: (More like casually hanging out with a bunch of books. I can’t seem to commit to one right now)

Since I am not really sure what really want to be reading right now I will continue to work my way through the library’s graphic novel collection. I need a slump buster, for sure!

Happy Reading!

~Megan