Tween Book Ideas, Courtesy of the Nutmeg Award

Yesterday a Chicken Spaghetti reader asked about ideas for a tween book club. In terms of personal experience, we're still more in the picture book/Magic Tree House stage, but luckily,  I remembered the Nutmeg Award, which is sponsored by several Connecticut library associations. The prize was created to "encourage children in grades 4-6 to read quality literature and to choose their favorite from  a list of ten nominated titles."

The list of the nominees for 2007 would be a good place to start in a search for book-club books; the Nutmegs have a handy site, too, with discussion ideas, etc., so I link it below.  For a kids' book club, I'd advise a parent's perusing any book first to see if it's appropriate for the particular group.

There is more information at the Nutmeg Award web site, but, meanwhile, here is the list of 2007 Nutmeg contenders for grades 4-6 (about 9 to 12 years old). You can see the list for older kids at the above site.

• Becoming Naomi León, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
• The Boy Who Saved Baseball, by John H. Ritter
• Brainboy and the Deathmaster, by Tor Seidler
• Gifts from the Sea, by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
• Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, by Sharon Creech
• Half and Half, by Lensey Namioka
• Kensuke's Kingdom, by Michael Mopurgo
• Macaroni Boy, by Katherine Ayres
• Thunder from the Sea, by Joan Hiatt Harlow
• The Warriors, by Joseph Bruchac

Additional suggestions for tween reading groups, as well as comments on the list above, are welcome!

Comments

[Kim]

Thanks so much for the list. My tween was excited you commented on her reviews, then happy to come follow the links.

Keep providing those sticky notes and index cards. I found my husband last night trying to set up the printer to print on an index card so he could make his own hipster PDa without writing on them.

[Susan]

You're welcome. Your daughter has some good book suggestions.

[Lakelady1]

FYI THUNDER FROM THE SEA won the 2007 Nutmeg Award. Very popular book.