Categories-+2015

Hi Everyone-

Here are the TEN categories for the 2015 Kids Read Finals. Thanks to all who voted for the categories (I will keep the list of unchosen topics below in case we want to consider them in future years).

Categories for the 2015 Kids Read Finals

 * === Category === || Comments/Concerns || ** Teacher Librarian/School **

Please generate 15 questions and send them to Michelle Rinker at NIS || Books that feature characters with special needs, gifts or challenges || *real-life challenges, special needs, gifts or talents (not paranormal or magical). The ever popular category that the kids look forward to every year! || *Note: questions should come from the **book** and not the movie || Emily Johnson- Nanjing International School || Books that have been awarded the Newbery or Panda Award || *Newbery **MEDAL** winners (not Honor) and Panda Award (but not Adult Panda category)
 * //**Walk a Mile in Their Shoes**//
 * Challenges could include mental and physical challenges, bullying, depression, eating disorders.** || Barbara Boyer-Shanghai American School-Pudong ||
 * //**Books into Movies**//
 * **And the Award Goes to**

Q: Should we limit this to the past decade? Since the year 2000 or stay very broad? Let's keep it broad, as this is actually a limited list. Other categories are much much more open, like historical fiction, vampires, etc.(Nadine)

Books that features spies, assassins, espionage, || What do you think? || Robbie Daniels- International School of Ningbo || Books whose settings revolve around an important event in the past || *this is a very broad topic- any event in history? Should we narrow this down or specify specific events? We could do just the twentieth century, which will probably be mostly WWI and WWII, but that's maybe too narrow.(Nadine). I think that would be good idea...civil rights, vietnam war, Korean war, or do pre1900's for a bit more challenge (Barbara) Could we agree on 19th century and 20th century? There will still be a lot of choice. Laura: I agree and I've just been focusing on popular historic fiction as I prepare. Most popular books in this category are 19th and 20th century anyway.
 * Michelle: Yes let's keep the time range broad but stick to Medal winners for the questions. ** || Nadine Rosevear-International School of Beijing ||
 * **If I Tell You, Then I Have to Kill You**:
 * **Steeped in History**

Books with kids (still in school) have extraordinary powers in the present || What do you think? || Robbie Daniels- International School of Ningbo || the name says it all || *we need to bear in mind here that the students are Gr. 6-8 and so may not have read some of the older YA books on the subject. Let's exclude the YA titles (Nadine). Barbara: It is hard to exclude YA from this because so many books are classified as YA, but low readability. I like some of Kelley Armstrong's book and think they are fine-my 7th and 8th grade girls are loving it...It just depends....I think we should be careful to make sure that it is students and not adults.
 * Michelle: Let's keep it broad- any historical event or time period. Let's try to stick with the very popular titles in this genre since it is so broad. ** || Laura Losch- Dalian American International School ||
 * **Paranormal Please**
 * **Vampires, and Werewolves, and Zombies Oh MY!**

**Michelle:** **The Kelley Armstrong series is fine (stick to Bk 1 or 2 perhaps for questions) It would be hard to do vampires without at least one Twilight question right? And so let's include YA BUT try not to draw from the very scary, very racey series for older students. I like to use the SLJ recommended grades in TitlePeek as a measure.... if it says Grade 9 or 10 and Up then it usually has some sex or violence that is not ideal for 6-8 students.** || Barbara Boyer-Shanghai American School-Pudong || books dealing with high tech/internet/gadgets || What do you think? || Phoebe Kao- Tianjin International School || books in which there are no humans || Q: Is it possible to amend this category to include books in which an animal is the main character, but there are also humans in the story? Yes, I agree (Nadine) Me, too. (Barbara) THANK YOU! (Laura)
 * **Techno Babble**
 * **‘Nary a Person in Sight!**

Michelle: So we will go with animals as main character even if there are humans. || Janice Middleton- International School of Qingdao || books with a dystopian future theme/ society gone wrong || What do you think? Laura: Is The 5th Wave okay for grades 6-8? I haven't had time to read it yet, but the kids tell me it fits this category. Michelle: Yes- I think 5th Wave does fit here and is very popular (and soon to become the next Divergent/Hunger Games I think). || Michelle Rinker- Nanjing International School- NIS ||
 * **A Frightful Future**


 * Not chosen**

//**Bullies**//: Books where the bullying is a main theme- voice could be from the bully's perspective or the kids being bullied (or both).
 * Rhyme Time** – books written in poetic form, or where poems play a major part in the story
 * Grab-n-Stash** – books whose themes deal with thievery or stolen items
 * Graphic Novels and Comics**- (we need a catchy title here but basically graphic novels)
 * Finding the Artist within**: Books that feature an artist, characters that discover their own artistic spirit, or somehow relate to a painting.
 * Playing the Field:** Books in which the main character is involved in a sports team.