GMBA
Author and Book Forums for 2009
Submitted by ggevalt on January 2, 2009 - 18:46.
Young Writers Project is going to devote time, attention and space over the next few months to reading books -- and writing about what you think. Here is what we plan:
- The Green Mountain Book Award forums have started up. Click here for more.
- Author Forums. YWP has just received a grant to host Vermont authors on this site for discussions. Email gg ASAP with your ideas of which authors to invite.
We have other things planned that we will announce soon. Want to know more about the Green Mountain Book awards and forums, click "read more" or the link above.
Book readers Unite!!
Submitted by ggevalt on December 9, 2008 - 10:06.YWP Community,
Several years ago, at Champlain College's wonderful Memorial Day young writers conference, the guest speaker told the group: "Don't write, READ! And he made the argument that young writers could learn more from reading the works of excellent writers than they could learn from doing their own writing.
I disagree -- to an extent. I do happen to agree that reading fine work is an excellent way to get better as a writer.
And I also know that getting folks to do things on this site requires a few brave souls to jump in the icy water before anyone else. So I need some volunteers to help get this year's Green Mountain Book Award forums started. They are looking pretty lonely (we've just set them up) but we'd like to have you get started.
So, because I know you are all shameless mercenaries (you know I don't mean that) I will offer up two free movie tickets or a gift certificate at a local book store to the first 5 people (I know, YWP is cheap as dirt, but we are a nonprofit!) to anyone who can start up a discussion in one of the GMBA book forums. The forum must be empty when you start and you must bring some fellow readers in on the deal. So, invite some friends.
The link, again, is youngwritersproject.org/GMBA Happy reading and happy discussions!
gg
GMBA Finalists -- 08/09
Submitted by ggevalt on October 6, 2008 - 09:55.
The Green Mountain Book Award committee has chosen the finalists for the 2009 GMBA. These books are appropriate for high school readership and are chosen for their quality.
YWP and the committee are again sponsoring book forums on this site. To see all the forums, click here. To participate in the forums, a student must log in (or register for a new account) and then go to this link. Choose the book discussion you want to join and create a new topic (or thread) or participate in an existing topic (or both.) Questions? Email Geoffrey Gevalt, YWP Director, or call YWP at 802-860-0570.
GMBA -- Wiki
Submitted by ggevalt on May 5, 2008 - 10:41.This wiki is designed to have students, Green Mountain Book Award committee members, librarians and teachers post their ideas on how to improve the GMBA book forums on this site in the coming year. A wiki is an "editable" (if there is such a word) document, meaning any registered user can come in, click "EDIT" at the top, make changes or additions in the "BODY" and then click "SUBMIT" at the very bottom to update the piece. If that fails, just leave a comment.
Young Writers Project worked with the Green Mountain Book Award committee in 2007/08 to set up interactive student forums, book summaries and study guides to help high school students read and discuss these great books.
We had about 140+ posts, which is pretty good, but there are a number of things we could do to improve the project in the coming school year.
GMBA -- Forum guidelines
Submitted by ggevalt on October 23, 2007 - 10:42.The Young Writers Project is partnering with the Green Mountain Book Award Committee to create a live review/discussion group for the GMBA selections for 2008/09 and to assist in the selection of the GMBA winner.
YWP has set up a forum for each of the GMBA 15 finalist books. Those forums can be accessed through the YWP Book Forum links on the list of books or by clicking here: Green Mountain Book Award Forums.
We have several ways for you to learn more about each book. First, we have a thorough list of the 2007-08 GMBA books with summaries, links to authors, publishers, individual forums and more.
You can also download a pdf with study guides on each of the books.
YWP has a simple set of suggestions for these forums:
GMBA Study Guides
Submitted by ggevalt on October 23, 2007 - 09:01.The Green Mountain Book Award Committee has put together comprehensive study guides for each of the books. You can download the full set of these guides by clicking here.
Or you can go to the master list of books and click on the individual study guides for each book.
GMBA Committee
Submitted by ggevalt on October 18, 2007 - 17:00.The Green Mountain Book Award is a student-selected award for Vermonters in grades 9-12 and is co-sponsored by the Vermont Educational Media Association, Vermont Library Association and the Vermont Department of Libraries. This program is designed to introduce to high school students some excellent books. The GMBA is in its third year.
These books, to be read during the 2007-2008 school year, comprise the master list for the award to be made in 2008. Voting forms will be made available to all Vermont schools and public libraries in spring 2008 -- and on this Web site -- so that young adults can vote for their favorite book. The GMBA committee recommends that in order to be eligible to vote, a student should read at least three books on the masterlist.
Librarians had been talking about the possibility of such an award for several years. Marsha Middleton, librarian at North Country Union High School in Newport, Vermont and Sybil McShane, Vermont State Librarian, who made it a reality. Marsha had both the desire to start a young adult award and the knowledge of high school kids and their reading, and Sybil had strong interest in having the Department of Libraries better serve the teenagers of Vermont. Both librarians are passionate about young adult literature and bringing the best to kids, so it was a natural partnership.
The aim of the award is to select a list of books of good literary quality that:
- Engages high schools students
- Represents a variety of genres, formats and viewpoints
- May include books written both for young people and adults
- Reflects the interests of high school students.
This year's committee:
