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2019-2020

Nominees

The Oregon Reader’s Choice Award began in 2010.

The award is intended to be a fun and exciting way

for Oregon kids and teens to become enthusiastic and

discriminating readers. During the course of the

school year, Oregon students choose their favorite

book in a real-life democratic process.

Books are nominated by Oregon teachers, librarians,

and students for inclusion on the ORCA ballot, and

nominees are reviewed by the ORCA committee. To

be considered, books must have been copyrighted

two years prior to the current voting year. This

ensures that the books will be readily available in

paperback.

Eligible voters are Oregon students in grades 3-12

who have read at least 2 books in a particular division.

Voting takes place in March.

Indicates that there is a sequel to this book.

Summaries and book covers are from Goodreads.

What is ORCA?

2 7 Upper Elementary Division

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood “wishtree”—people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red’s branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red’s hollow, this wishtree watches over the neighborhood. You might say Red has seen it all. Until a new family moves in. Not everyone is welcoming, and Red’s experiences as a wishtree are more important than ever.

The Losers Club by Andrew Clements

Sixth grader Alec can’t put a good book down. So when Principal Vance lays down the law—pay attention in class, or else—Alec takes action. He can’t lose all his reading time, so he starts a club. A club he intends to be the only member of. After all, reading isn’t a team sport, and no one would want to join something called the Losers Club, right? But as more and more kids find their way to Alec’s club, Alec notices something. Real life might be messier than his favorite books, but it’s just as interesting.

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris

If you had to name a statue, any statue, odds are good you’d mention the Statue of Liberty. Have you seen her? She’s in New York. She’s holding a torch. And she’s in mid-stride, moving forward. But why? In this nonfiction title, we discover that the Statue of Liberty is more than history, more than art, and its right foot is the message of acceptance that is essential to an entire country’s creation.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have 11 days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.

High School Division

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment.

The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Genie Lo is among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid in class who becomes Genie’s self-appointed guide to battling demons. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries. The fate of the entire Bay Area depends on her summoning an inner power that Quentin assures her is strong enough to level the gates of Heaven. But every second Genie spends tapping into the secret of her true nature is a second in which the lives of her loved ones hang in the balance.

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

One day Carver Briggs had it all—three best friends, a supportive family, and a reputation as a talented writer at his high school. The next day he lost it all when he went a simple text to his friend Mars, right before Mars, Eli, and Blake were killed in a car crash. Now Carver can’t stop blaming himself for the accident, and he’s not the only one. Luckily, Carver has some allies, including Blake’s grandmother, who asks Carver to spend a Goodbye Day with her to share their memories and say a proper goodbye to his friend. Soon the other families ask for a Goodbye Day with Carver, but will they be able to make peace with their losses?

3 6 Upper Elementary Division

I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris and Lane Smith

Meet Chris Harris, the 21st-century Shel Silverstein! This poetry collection molds wit and wordplay, and nonsense and oxymoron. It makes you look at the world in a whole new wonderfully upside-down way. There are surprises around every corner: from the ongoing rivalry between the author and illustrator, to the misnumbered pages that can only be deciphered by a code-cracking poem.

Amina’s Voice by Kena Khan

Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school, everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the “cool” girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more “American.” Does Amina need changing too? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized.

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely. The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?

Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres

Estefania “Stef” Soto is itching to shake off the onion-and-cilantro embrace of Tia Perla, her family’s taco truck. She wants nothing more than for her dad to get a normal job and for Tia Perla to be put out to pasture. It’s no fun being known as the “Taco Queen” at school. But just when it looks like Stef is going to get exactly what she wants, and her family’s livelihood is threatened, she will have to become the truck’s unlikely champion.

High School Division

Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

After Grace puts her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including: Maya, her loudmouthed bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. When her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly she belongs. And Joaquin, their stoic bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared bio mother. After 17 years in the foster care system, he’s learned that secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Still, it isn’t in his nature to give up. He vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah. But when one of his decisions turns their trip into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Vivian Carter is fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong and with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, she’s fed up with always following the rules. Viv creates a feminist zine that she anonymously distributes to her classmates. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

A gun—that’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waist-band of his jeans. His brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. As the elevator stops on each floor, ghosts connected to his brother get on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an end...if Will gets off that elevator.

4 5 Middle School Division Middle School Division

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

Jonathan Grisby is the newest arrival at the Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys—an ancient, crumbling fortress of gray stone rising up from the ocean. Just as he’s getting used to his new situation, a freak accident leaves the troubled boys of Slabhenge without any adult supervision. Suddenly the kids are free, with an entire island to themselves. But freedom brings unexpected danger...

Refugee by Alan Gratz

Three different kids. One mission in common: ESCAPE. All three young people will go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers—from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But for each of them, there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, surprising connections will tie their stories together in the end.

One Trick Pony by Nathan Hale

In the Earth of the future, humans are on the run from an alien force—giant blobs who suck up electrical devices wherever they can find them. Strata and her family are part of a caravan of digital rescuers, hoping to keep the memory of civilization alive by saving electronics wherever they can. When Strata is separated from the caravan, she must rely on a particularly beautiful and rare robot pony to escape the outlaws and aliens—and defeat the invaders once and for all.

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she’s eager to begin her own training as a squire. First, though, she’ll need to prove her bravery. Luckily Impy has just the quest in mind—she’ll go to public school after a life of being homeschooled! But it’s not easy to act like a noble knight-in-training in middle school. Impy has always thought of herself as a heroic knight, but when she does something really mean in order to fit in, she begins to wonder whether she might be more of a dragon after all.

Restart by Gordon Korman

Chase’s memory just went out the window. Chase doesn’t remember falling off the roof. He doesn’t remember hitting his head. In fact, he doesn’t remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and has to learn his whole life over again...starting with his own name. When he gets back to school, some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. Pretty soon, it’s not only a question of who Chase is—it’s a question of who he was...and who he’s going to be.

Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood

Three siblings are on the run from the villainous Gorm tribe who have killed and enslaved their clan. Podkin, once destined to be a clan leader, has always been spoiled, but now he must act bravely as he, his older sister, and baby brother flee for their lives. Facing pursuit and treachery, the three collect allies in their search for refuge, until at last they are ready to fight back against the Gorm and attempt to rid the land of an evil scourge.

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother’s new husband. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own. Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some mischievous wizards, Anya sets out on a Quest that will ultimately free her land—and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift on a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow’s only companions are Osh, the man who rescued her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar. Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn’t until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.