My name is Adrienne Gillespie and I currently teach 6th grade Humanities at Stoller Middle School, although I have also been a school librarian, an ESL teacher and and a 4th grade classroom teacher. I have been an Oregon Battle of the Books coach at two schools and am proud to say that Stoller was the 2017 State OBOB Champ. I have served on two national books selection committees: the 2016 William C. Morris Award and the 2018 Robert F. Sibert Award.

Reading and book clubs have been a huge part of my personal and professional lives and I have worked hard to share my passion with students. Children often wonder how those shiny gold and silver stickers end up on books. The Stoller Mock Newbery Club will help students learn the answer to that question. 

If funded, the Club would bring together a group of readers who wonder how Newbery winners are selected. We will go over the Newbery criteria, read books and discuss how well they fit the criteria. The group would culminate at the end of the first semester with a vote to determine our Newbery winner. The actual Newbery winner will be announced shortly afterwards, on February 12.

The Newbery award committee is supposed to consider all books (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, etc) for children 0-14 years old. Although chapter books usually win, they are not the only books considered. The list I am playing with would include poetry, graphic novels, and easier chapter books, so they will be accessible to all levels of readers. 

I am asking for $500.00 to have 4 copies each of the  books that are potential Newbery winners. The books will be checked out to participating students while the club is running. When the club ends at the end of the first semester, the books will be given to club members or, depending upon the desire of the club, donated to needy students in Beaverton.

This is where you come in. By funding the Stoller Mock Newbery Club, you can help students become more critical readers and give them a forum to d evelop opinions and engage in thoughtful discussions about books.