Proceedings of the First National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color - 178

This story deals with many elements of adolescent life, family, school relationships, bullying, being different, alienation from society, runaways, and environmental issues all set in a Florida town. Roy, who has many problems related to adolescent angst, notices a strange boy with no shoes on, running past the school bus. He leaves the bus to investigate and becomes involved in the mystery of the runaway boy. The saga continues with Roy’s aggravations at school while he seeks to solve the mystery of the barefoot boy. He becomes involved in more than he bargained for, even encounters with the police. This is told with Carl Hiaasen’s signature wry sense of humor and views of life. Honor Award THE HOUSE OF SCORPION by Nancy Farmer. Atheneum, 2002. A science fiction tale about cloning is set in a fictitious place called Opium, somewhere on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. behaviors of the family members, his growing attachment to Winston the dog and four year old Destiny and the blossoming of his creativity after being cast in the play The Sound of Music are all catalysts for Jake’s beginning to find himself and his “passion” in life. The story is sometimes funny and sometimes introspective. Although there are no characters of African descent, this book can be noted for at least making a nondidactic plea for multiculturalism as characters in the play are noted to be Black and Asian. When confronted about the fact that the Von Trapps were all of one culture, the producer simply states that once the music starts and the play is underway, people will no longer be aware of color. For the most part, the story is just plain crazy fun. 2004 Honor Award OLIVE’S OCEAN by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, 2003. Martha Boyle receives copy of a note from Olive’s journal, expressing the wish to be friends with Martha. The note is given to Martha by Olive’s mother after Olive dies when hit by a car while riding her bicycle. Haunted by Olive’s memory throughout the rest of the book as she spends a summer at Cape Cod with her family, Martha’s world changes that summer. Honor Award PICTURES OF HOLLIS WOODS by Patricia Reilly Giff. Random House/Wendy Lamb Books, 2002. An orphan girl is twelve years old and has been in so many foster homes that she can’t remember the number. She is sent to live with Josie who is eccentric but loving, older and forgetful. Hollis grows to love Josie and hopes the social worker will not discover Josie’s memory problems. Hollis develops a plan of escape for the two of them which involves the Regans, a family with whom she spent the past summer. Newbery Award THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX: BEING THE STORY OF A HOUSE, A PRINCESS, SOME SOUP, AND A SPOOL OF THREAD by Kate DiCamillo. Illus. by Timothy Basil Ering. Candlewick Press, 2003. A fantasy adventure of animals, mice and rats interacting with humans, complete with castles, dungeons and heroic cooks. Honor award SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES by Stephanie S. Tolan. HarperCollins, 2002. Set in North Carolina, this is the story of Jake Semple, an incorrigible, sent to live with a flamboyant family -the Applewhites. The Applewhites homeschool their children and they are artists and performers. Jake has been barred from all other schools because he tried to burn one down. The eccentric 178 2005 Honor Award AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS by Gennifer Choldenko. G. P. Putnam’s Sons/a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2004.

Proceedings of the First National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color

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