Book Banter
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award (PYRCA) is given each year for the favorite children's book in the Commonwealth. Students can join up to read three books from the lists. This year's theme at Masterman is Explore the World with Books. The school library has all the titles thanks to the generous contributors to DonorsChoose.
Masterman's top picks for PYRCA 2024 were Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling for Grades 3 to 6; New from Here by Kelly Yang; I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys. The state's winners are Cat Ninja by Matthew Cody and Yehudi Mercado for Grades 3 to 6; Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes for Grades 6-8; I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys for Young Adult.
Masterman Blog
Stumped for a book choice? Looking for a specific genre? Consult the Masterman Book Blog for reviews of titles in our school collection. Write a review yourself and ask Ms. Kearney to post it; you just need to get the proper permission slip signed.
PSLA Literature Review
The Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA) publishes a blog with books reviews of new books for young adults, middle grade students, and elementary students. School librarians from all over the state weigh in on books from all different genres.
Signage by Joe Boyle.
The eighth-grade students practiced using the electronic citation generator, NoodleTools, in compiling their Works Cited page of fiction sources. Dean Corrado, 8-4, chose the theme of heroes and curated this bibliography:
Works Cited
Brallier, Max. Quint and Dirks Hero Quest/The Last Kids on Earth. Illustrated by Douglas Holgate. Viking, 2022.
Fridolfs, Derick. DC Comics Secret Hero Society: Fort Solitude. Illustrated by Dustin Nguyen, Scholastic, 2017.
Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Babymouse/ Our Hero. Random House, 2005.
Myklusch, Matt. The Accidental Hero. Aladdin, 2011.
Riordan, Rick. The Heroes of Olympus. Disney/Hyperion Books, 2014.
Try one of Dean’s choices if you need to be inspired or encouraged. Look for other thematic Works Cited page in the near future.
Printed with permission from the author.