Books Awards Reading Challenge II

August 1 to June 1Hosted by 3M

As seems to be the way things go around here lately, I'm just a little late getting myself organized for this challenge. (Actually I'm three months behind. Sigh.)

The challenge requires ten award-winning books in at least five different award categories. These are my current picks (although, as allowed by the challenge, I reserve the right to make changes at any time):

• Alex Award (named for young adult librarian Margaret Alexander Edwards and given each year by the Young Adult Library Services Association to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18)


• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (2003)


• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (2007)


• Michael L. Printz Award (named for a Kansas school librarian and awarded to a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature)


• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green (2007 Honor Book)


• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2007 Honor Book)


• National Book Award for Young People's Literature (one of four categories of National Book Awards given to celebrate the best of American literature)


• The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (2002) (The House of the Scorpion was also a Printz Honor Book in 2003.)


• Nebula Award (given annually by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the two previous years) and Hugo Award (named for a magazine editor and given annually by the members of the World Science Fiction Society for excellence in the world of science fiction and fantasy)


• American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2002)


• Newbery Medal (named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery and awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children)


• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1978)


• Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt (1983)


• The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (2007)


• The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman (1996)