Outstanding Books Challenge2015

Take the challenge!

What is the Outstanding Books Challenge?

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

reading books.

What books do I have to read?

Outstanding Books for the College-Bound and Lifelong Learners.

Contemporary, not “classics.”

Selected for their interest and value to college-bound high school students. That means you!

Q: What are the books about?

A: Everything in the world!

There is something for everyone in each of the five categories! Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biography…

The categories

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

History and Cultures Includes historical fiction and biography. No history textbooks or anything like them!

Literature and Language Arts Novels and poetry, plus non-fiction about writing and language.

Science and Technology Space, medicine, brains, dinosaurs, computers! Includes some science fiction.

Social Sciences Great variety of topics! Identity, economics, social issues, etc.

Each category contains about 25 books. Here are just a few…

Books You Might Already Have Read

Arts & Humanities

Books That Might Surprise You

History & Cultures

Books You Might Already Have Read

Literature & Language Arts

Graphic Novel!

Author of Eleanor &

Park!

Popular author!

Books That Might Surprise You

Science & Technology

Underdog high school robotics

team!

Concussion crisis!

Murder! Mayhem! Forensics!

Smart Books!

Social Sciences

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.

Do I have to attend meetings?

No.Once you sign up, you will receive updates and reminders

through the email address you use to sign up on

TurnItIn.com

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.

 

• Reviews must contain a minimum of 250 words and demonstrate to the librarian’s satisfaction that you have read and understood the book

• Your review should contain no more than 1/3 summary. The rest is your ideas, reactions, questions, and opinions.

 • All reviews must be submitted through TurnItIn.com. • Use a heading with your name, the title of the book, and the

category. • No late reviews will be accepted  • Spelling and grammar do not count, but reviews so poorly written

that I can’t understand them will not be accepted.

Rules

Guidelines

The questions in the Response guidelines are just ideas to help you get started! You DO NOT have to answer all of them!

  Fiction Non-fiction

Summary

Describe the setting, the point of view, 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?

Good News for

Previous OBC Winners:Those who completed the Outstanding Books Challenge last

year may choose books from previous lists or off the list,

but off-list choices must be discussed with the librarian in advance.

New This Year—OBC Book Club

Stay motivated by joining the local public librarians and Northern Highlands students for a discussion of these three OBC books.

Feb 25 Nov. 12May 20

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Also New This Year—OBC Social Media!

Follow OBC on Twitter @OBC_NHRHS. Ask questions, share reviews, check in!

Join our GoodReads Group—Read and share reviews, find out what books other people love!

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What do I get for doing this?

You get the usual rewards of reading good books:

Improved vocabulary and comprehension!

Better scores on the SAT Critical Reading 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. 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 by Monday, May 4, 2015. 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 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!