This week’s topic is "books I read because ________." I’m filling in the blank with “they won awards.” I read a lot of award winners. Those ugly stickers on book covers aren’t deterrents to me (although I wish bookstores wouldn’t put stickers on covers. They’re ugly.) Award winning books have a reputation for being pretentious and challenging, but that’s not always the case. Some of them are innovative. Or beautifully written. Or just plain fun. Here are 10 books that I read (and loved) because they won awards.
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*This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Award Winners That Are Worth Reading
Newbery Winners
(Children’s Books)
1. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Miranda is an
ordinary sixth grader, until she starts receiving mysterious messages from
somebody who knows all about her, including things that have not even happened
yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a
tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.
Why I love it: It’s very
short (under 200 pages). The mystery is fast-paced and will keep you guessing
until the very end, when everything snaps together like a puzzle. It took a lot
of skill to write this book. I’ll be impressed by it forever.
2. The One And Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Ivan is an easygoing
gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown
accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He
rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it
at all.
Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Why I love it: I can already
hear you complaining about “talking animal books,” but I swear this one is
worth the suspension of disbelief! It’s a humorous story about friendship that
doesn’t gloss over the tough stuff. If there’s a child in your life who loves
animals, get them this novel.
3. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Welcome to the
story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a
princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in
the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of
Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish.
These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them
down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately,
into each other's lives.
Why I love it: Yes, it’s
another animal story, but it’s a good one! On the surface, it’s a
lightning-fast adventure about a kidnapping and rescue. Deep down, it’s a story
about forgiveness and flaws and how good people (and mice and rats) sometimes
do bad things.
4. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
It's 1936, in
Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless
boy on the run, but Bud's got a few things going for him:
He has his own suitcase full of special things.
He's the author of Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
Bud's got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
He has his own suitcase full of special things.
He's the author of Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
Bud's got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road and find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
Why I love it: I’m pretty
sure I can trace my love of historical fiction back to this book. I read it
many, many times as a young teenager. Bud is an easy character to love and has
a strong, hilarious voice. The audiobook is very engaging, too.
Printz Winners
(Young Adult / Teen Books)
5. Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Have you ever
had the feeling that you've lived another life? Been somewhere that has felt
totally familiar, even though you've never been there before, or felt that you
know someone well, even though you are meeting them for the first time? It
happens.
In a novel comprising seven parts, each influenced by a moon—the flower moon, the harvest moon, the hunter's moon, the blood moon—this is the story of Eric and Merle whose souls have been searching for each other since their untimely parting.
In a novel comprising seven parts, each influenced by a moon—the flower moon, the harvest moon, the hunter's moon, the blood moon—this is the story of Eric and Merle whose souls have been searching for each other since their untimely parting.
Why I love it: It’s a
delightfully bizarre composite novel about reincarnation. The main characters
cross paths in every story, but their bodies and relationships change. It’s fun
to figure out the connections. If you don’t like young adult horror, don’t let
this book’s genre put you off. It’s more eerie than horrifying, and I have no
idea why the publishers call it young adult. It’s a short, strange book that
defies classification.
6. The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
I have been in
love with Titus Oates for quite a while now—which is ridiculous, since he's
been dead for ninety years. But look at it this way. In ninety years I'll be
dead, too, and the age difference won't matter.
Sym is not your average teenage girl. She is obsessed with the Antarctic and the brave, romantic figure of Captain Oates from Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole. In fact, Oates is the secret confidant to whom she spills all her hopes and fears.
But Sym's uncle Victor is even more obsessed—and when he takes her on a dream trip into the bleak Antarctic wilderness, it turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival that will challenge everything she knows and loves.
Sym is not your average teenage girl. She is obsessed with the Antarctic and the brave, romantic figure of Captain Oates from Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole. In fact, Oates is the secret confidant to whom she spills all her hopes and fears.
But Sym's uncle Victor is even more obsessed—and when he takes her on a dream trip into the bleak Antarctic wilderness, it turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival that will challenge everything she knows and loves.
Why I love it: It’s a
survival story about a weird teenage girl who gets lost in Antarctica with her
imaginary ghost boyfriend. How can you pass up that premise? I couldn’t put
this book down. It’s harrowing. And weird.
7. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
All Jin Wang
wants is to fit in. When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he suddenly
finds that he's the only Chinese American student at his school. Jocks and
bullies pick on him constantly, and he has hardly any friends. Then, to make
matters worse, he falls in love with an all-American girl.
Born to rule over all the monkeys in the world, the story of the Monkey King is one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables. Adored by his subjects, master of the arts of kung-fu, he is the most powerful monkey on earth. But the Monkey King doesn't want to be a monkey. He wants to be hailed as a god.
Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he's ruining his cousin Danny's life. Danny's a popular kid at school, but every year Chin-Kee comes to visit, and every year Danny has to transfer to a new school to escape the shame. This year, though, things quickly go from bad to worse.
These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable that is hilarious, poignant, and action-packed.
Born to rule over all the monkeys in the world, the story of the Monkey King is one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables. Adored by his subjects, master of the arts of kung-fu, he is the most powerful monkey on earth. But the Monkey King doesn't want to be a monkey. He wants to be hailed as a god.
Chin-Kee is the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, and he's ruining his cousin Danny's life. Danny's a popular kid at school, but every year Chin-Kee comes to visit, and every year Danny has to transfer to a new school to escape the shame. This year, though, things quickly go from bad to worse.
These three apparently unrelated tales come together with an unexpected twist, in a modern fable that is hilarious, poignant, and action-packed.
Why I love it: Graphic
novels can win awards too! The art is colorful and easy to follow. I agree with
the synopsis. This book is “hilarious, poignant, and action-packed.” It’s about
learning to accept yourself. If you’re looking for a book that you can race
through in an afternoon, check this one out.
Pulitzer Winners
(Adult Books)
8. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
At times
stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad
denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her
little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always
recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past
romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult
child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband,
Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life—sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty.
Why I love it: Olive is a
character I’ll never forget. The stories in this composite novel examine her
from every angle, and some of them are not flattering. Olive is big, loud,
blunt, and opinionated. She is also amazingly perceptive and willing to help
anyone who needs it. She’s one of the most realistic fictional humans I’ve ever
encountered.
9. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
It begins with
a boy. Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an
accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by
the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park
Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and
tormented above all by his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one
thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that
ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.
Why I love it: Okay, I will
admit that this book is longer than it needs to be, but it’s still worth reading.
It has one of my favorite beginnings ever. The first 100 pages are so realistic
that they’re painful to read (in a good way). Finishing this 800-page beast is
a major life accomplishment.
10. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Navigating
between the Indian traditions they've inherited and the baffling new world, the
characters in Jhumpa Lahiri's elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the
barriers of culture and generations. In "A Temporary Matter," a young
Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their
Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an
interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and
hears an astonishing confession.
Why I love it: This is one
of my favorite short story collections ever. It’s about cultures clashing. The
characters are so realistic that you’ll still be thinking about them long after
you close the book.
Which award winners have
you read and loved?
I have copies of Olive Kitteridge and The One and Only Ivan hiding somewhere on my shelves. I might have to move them up on the tbr pile.
ReplyDeleteThe Goldfinch is one I keep wavering about, if I should add it to my TBR or not - I guess I should!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! The White Darkness sounds so weird and interesting - I think I need to check that one out!
ReplyDeleteBud, Not Buddy was a great read for sure.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT .
I've never even heard of The White Darkness but that synopsis has me intrigued!
ReplyDeleteI loved When You Reach Me. I thought the story was fabulous, but also believe the nostalgia played a big role in my enjoyment. My childhood overlapped with that of the main character in the book, and I always like recognizing people, places, and things when I read. Dig by AS King won the Printz award, and I thought the book was amazing.
ReplyDeleteI have a bad tendency to avoid award-winning or otherwise popular books but you've convinced me to add MIDWINTERBLOOD to my Goodreads list!
ReplyDeleteThe One and Only Ivan is so good!! Great list!
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten
I used to love reading Newbery winners but I've fallen away from that a bit over the years. Something about that little award or sticker (even though yes I generally hate stickers on books)! I should read Despereaux, seems like something I'd really like.
ReplyDeleteI have now put a hold on the e-book of When You Reach Me at my library, which I'd never heard of before. Great list!
ReplyDeleteWe did The Tale of Desperaux as a read aloud back in January and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it! Such a fun story. I haven't read the rest of these but several are on my list.
ReplyDeleteGreat list! I heard a lot of good things about The One and Only Ivan! I really need to read that book soon!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
I'm actually the opposite - I don't tend to love award winners. I do usually find them pretentious and just not the kind of book I enjoy. Obviously, there are exceptions and THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN is one. I adored that one :) I'm glad you've enjoyed these award winners.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
I do love a lot of award winners! I think The Tale of Despereaux is great, and I really liked the movie too. :) I've also read Midwinterblood, which is all sorts of crazy, but good.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I hate is when they ruin a pretty cover by putting a big round award notification in it-at least a sticker can maybe be peeled off if you're careful! And why can't they put it somewhere on the cover where it is out of the way???
ReplyDeleteThe only one of these I've read is The One and Only Ivan, but I definitely did love that one. I'll have to check out some of the others!!
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Great list! I love The Goldfinch but I haven't read any of the others yet. American Born Chinese has been on my to read list for ages, so I hope to read it soon.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week!
I haven't read any of these yet, though I've been wondering about The Goldfinch a lot. The One and Only Ivan looks so cute.
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read The Gold Fish for so long AJ!
ReplyDeleteI agree about The Goldfinch being a little too long, but I loved it too. Olive Kitteridge is a good one too. I still need to watch the limited series of it now that I'm sitting here thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteI've only read one of these! I'll have to make a point to add the others to my tbr! :)
ReplyDeleteStacy Renee | LazyDayLit
The One and Only Ivan has to be one of my favorite books ever.
ReplyDelete