Outstanding Books Challenge

2012

Take the challenge!

What is the Outstanding Books Challenge?

The Outstanding Books Challenge is a program that rewards you for reading

books.

What books do I have to read? • You select the books from the American Library

Association’s list Outstanding Books for the College-Bound and Lifelong Learners.

• These books are contemporary, not “classics.”

• The books were selected for their interest and value to college-bound high school students. That means you!

What are the books about?

There are five categories of books, with all genres represented: fiction, non-fiction, biography, poetry, and drama.

There is something for everyone in every category!

The categories

Arts and Humanities Music, comedy, photography, religion, dance, sports…

History and Cultures Includes historical fiction and biography.

Literature and Language Arts Many books you may have already read in school!

Science and Technology Includes some science fiction

Social Sciences Great variety of topics!

Books You Might Have Already Read

Arts & Humanities

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Books You Might Have Already Read

History & Cultures

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

What is the What by Dave Eggers

Books You Might Have Already Read

Literature & Language Arts

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Books You Might Have Already Read

Science & Technology

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Books You Might Have Already Read

Social Sciences

Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines by Nick Sheff

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

How many books do I have to read?

Bronze level: 1 book from each of the 5 categories= 5 books

Silver level: 2 books from each of the 5 categories= 10 books

Gold level= 3 books from each of the 5 categories= 15 books.

The important thing is to read widely, which is why you must read at least one in each category!

Do I have to attend meetings?

No.

We communicate mostly via email, so please enter an email address you actually check

when you sign up on TurnItIn. Last year, many students missed the deadline for this reason.

Those who finish the OBC are expected to attend a brief award ceremony.

How will you know I read the books?

• For each book you read, you will write a 250-500 word review and submit it through TurnItIn.com.

• All reviews must be original and must follow the directions posted on the Library website.

Fiction Non-fiction

Summary(required)

Describe the setting, the point of view (that is, who is telling the story), and the main characters. Then, give a brief summary of the plot, including the major events of the book.

Give an overview of the author’s topic, thesis, and main points. What conclusions does the author draw?

Response(choose a few questions to address)

Discuss the theme(s) of this book. What is this book trying to say, and do you agree or disagree with it?

Did you agree or disagree with the author’s point of view, thesis, or conclusions? How convinced are you? Explain.

What is your overall response to this book? Did you love it? Hate it? Find it interesting? Provocative? Boring? Explain

What are the strengths and weaknesses of this book?

Would you recommend this book? Why or why not?

How would you evaluate this author’s writing?

Did this book challenge your assumptions or change your mind about anything? Discuss.

What interesting questions did this book leave you with?

• 250-500 words

• Summary AND Response—see below

•Please label by category (i.e. Science & Technology)

Those who completed the Outstanding Books Challenge in previous years may choose books from previous lists or off the list, but off-list choices must be discussed with me in advance.

What do I get for doing this?

The usual rewards of reading good books:

• improved vocabulary and comprehension

• better scores on the SAT verbal section

• broadened horizons

• exposure to new ideas and new points of view

Okay, but what else?

1. An award certificate (useful for your college application on the section that says “Academic Awards or Honors”)

2. Cake and cookies at an end-of-the-year celebration.

3. A prize! Usually, a Barnes & Noble gift certificate for a respectable sum, sponsored by HASA.

When are the reviews due?

All reviews are due on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. No late reviews will be accepted.

If you plan to participate, please sign up no later than December 1 on TurnItIn.com with a valid email address.

How do I sign up?

Complete instructions for signing up through Turnitin.com, writing the reviews, and everything else are available on the Outstanding Books Challenge 2012 section of the Library’s website.

You can also stop by the Library and ask Ms. Goldberg for more information.

Why Should I Do This?

1. The more good books you read, the smarter you get.

2. OBC looks great on your college application.

3. You get a prize! And cake!

4. Your family will be proud of you.

5. Your English teacher will be impressed!

Take the Challenge!