Announcing the Finalists for the 2018 LLL Award
Every year, the Extensive Reading Foundation recognizes the best new works of language learner literature in English. From books published in 2017, the ERF judges have selected sixteen titles of particular merit–the finalists. From these sixteen, the ERF will select one winner in each of six categories taking into account the votes and comments of students and teachers of English worldwide.
All finalist books can be ordered online from the independent Cambridge International Book Centre. In Japan, the finalists can be ordered thorough the ETJ Book Service: http://www.etjbookservice.com/extensive-reading-foundation/.
If you or your students read any of the books and feel that they are worthy of the LLL Award, vote for them at http://erfoundation.org/moodle31/course/view.php?id=7. Login with “visitor” for both the username and password. Voting closes on June 30, 2018.
Winners will be announced at CLESOL 2018 4-7 October, 2018, Christchurch, New Zealand, in the October 2018 EL Gazette and online.
Very Young Learners
Granny Fixit and the Viking Children
Author: Jane Cadwallader
Illustrator: Gustavo Mazali
Publisher: Young ELI Readers
ISBN: 978-88-536-2226-6
The story is simple and relatable. It is very engaging based on everyday life situations. Every child loves his granny so the idea to have granny as the main character is brilliant. This book incorporates values of open-mindedness, resourcefulness and friendship. The part when the kids save the dolphin is very touching. It will surely touch the heart of the young readers. Showing kindness to animals is a timely value that our young learners must possess. This kind of book is very useful for kids to learn not only the language but also values. Post reading activities use critical thinking. The repetitive lyrics of the song are useful for the retention of the language. Illustrations support the content.
It’s Hot
Author: Paul Shipton
Illustrator: Steve Cox
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-470908-8
Jurors’ Comment:
The story is simple but it gives concrete examples of understanding the concept of hot and cold. Activities are suitable to very young learners. Some of the activities can be personalized. There are a lot of repetitions and exercises to learn the words. Illustrations are bright and catchy which also support the content.
Little Red Riding Hood
Author/ Adaptation: Lisa Suett
Illustrator: Elena Prette
Publisher: Young ELI Readers
ISBN: 978-88-536-1894-8
This classic story is very entertaining. The world is hardly in need of another retelling of story. Still, the retelling is clear, and the book does a fair job of integrating a variety of engaging activities into the text. A lot of vocabulary are introduced with illustrations for familiarity. The activities are challenging, differentiated, and uses critical thinking. This book somehow exposes the young learners to different reading skills. Incorporating songs is also an effective approach to learn new vocabulary and structures
(ages 6-11 / 2nd-6th Grade)
Mulan
Author: Rachel Bladon
Illustrator: Gen
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0194100065
The legendary historical tale of Hua Mulan, a young Chinese woman who took her father’s place in the army and became a war hero, comes alive in this reader. The story is well written with an interesting plot which will inspire young readers to continue reading to the end. It invites children to think about devotion to their parents, as well as making sacrifices for their fellow country people. The language is easy to understand, and the illustrations, text and design are appropriate for the age-group. Overall, it is a vivid and moving adaptation of a timeless classic to be enjoyed by all who read it!
Nyangoma’s Story – A Child’s Life in Uganda
Author: Jane Cadwallader
Illustrator: Gustavo Mazali
Publisher: ELI Publishing
ISBN: 9788853623041
This reader combines non-fiction and fictional stylist elements to tell the everyday true story of a girl from Uganda called Nyangoma. Through photographs and illustrations, which are combined with simple but evocative text, we learn about her daily life including food, school, friends and toys. She even encounters a snake on her journey to school! Children can also compare the story to their own everyday lives and culture in their country. The book was created in association with Adelante Africa, an NGO which supports schools and communities in Uganda. In short, this fun hybrid non-fiction reader is both engaging and meaningful. Kids, as well as the parents or teachers they read it with, will all love it!
The Snow Tigers
Author: Paul Shipton
Illustrator: Fabiano Fiorin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 78-0-19-470933-0
This fantasy style fictional story tells the story of Max, who is in an ice-hockey team called the Tigers. He and his robot Clunk end up encountering real tigers on an adventure in the snow. The story will stimulate children’s critical thinking as they think about how they would solve the problems Max and Clunk experience. The book has a conversational style rather than being overly descriptive. It also has delightful illustrations which bring the characters alive. The size of the book and typeface are appropriate for the level. In summary, the book is an amusing and stimulating tale for young readers starting out on their English learning journey.
Adolescents and Adults: Beginners
(up to 300 headwords)
Cinderella
Retold by: Lisa Suett
Illustrator: Chiara Nocentini
Publisher: ELI
ISBN: 978-88-536-2297-6
Cinderella is a tale that has been retold many times, but it does not lose it magic. There are no surprising ‘moments’ however there are special touches such as the musical spell ‘Wishes and dreams…’. The layout and production of the text is also of a high quality, so a learner won’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of text on the page. The illustrations are a plus and compliment the text. The story is clear, easy to understand, and pitched at the correct level for beginner ELL’s.
Title: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Author: Aesop
Adapted by: Lisa Suett
Illustrator: Andrea Rivola
Publisher: ELI
ISBN: 978-88-536-2292-1
Aesop’s fables are classics and this retelling of the tale is rich and clearly carries across the moral of the original tale. The language used for this tale is clear and easy to follow. The beautiful illustrations richly compliment the story. The book is well laid out with the use of margins and the spacing of the text.
Adolescents and Adults: Elementary
(301-800 headwords; CEF A1 & A2 levels)
The Cave of the Jaguar
Author: Sue Murray
Illustrator: Paul Fisher Johnson
Publisher: ILTS/Hueber
ISBN: 978-3-19-002997-6
It is a very good thriller about a teen called Jim who goes to Central America to visit and get to know his uncle. The story is very engaging with lots of adventure, mystery, travels, as well as environmental topics, and discovering cultures. The pictures are beautiful and help readers understand the story more easily.
The Boy with the Red Balloon
Author: Silvana Sardi
Illustrator: María Girón
Publisher: Teen ELI Readers
ISBN: 978-88-536-2306-5
This is the story of Lizzie, a girl who has to spend the summer away from her friends, and is very unhappy about it until she meets the boy with the red balloon. Who is this lovely boy that make Lizzie forget phubbing* and the lack of wi-fi connection? The illustrations mix pictures and drawings, making faces look real and more relatable
* phubbing = slang for ignoring people to pay attention to one’s phone, from phone + snubbing
Tales from Camelot
Author: Victoria Heward
Illustrator: Paolo D’Altan
Publisher: Black Cat, Cideb
ISBN: 9788853016317
The story of King Arthur, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table is a very exciting one, that will take you to battlefields, balls and important meetings. Reading this book will help you understand an important part of European culture. The illustrations are also full of energy and beautifully done.
Adolescents and Adults: Intermediate
(801-1500 headwords; CEF B1)
Muhammad AliAuthor: Jane Rollason
Designer and Photo Archivist: Mo Choy and Amparo Escobedo
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-1-407-16982-8
Being African-American did not stop Muhammad Ali from becoming the world’s greatest boxer. He jeopardized his boxing career when he refused to fight in the Vietnam War. Although he had lost the boxer’s golden period and had to crawl to reach the top, he was able to get his career back and stay on top. His struggles and strong desire are inspiring. The original pictures help the readers to visualize Ali’s life.
Hope on Turtle Island
Author: Paul Shipton
Illustrator: Carl Pearce
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-473733-3
Hope on Turtle Island, set in the future where a mad scientist plans to turn off all the world’s electricity, keeps the reader completely engaged to see if Ben and Rosie can stop him. The colorful pictures are useful in imagining the exciting action as robots attempt to prevent them from saving the world.
A Single Shot
Author: Scott Lauder & Walter McGregor
Illustrator: Arianna Vairo
Publisher: Helbling
ISBN: 978-3-99045-511-1
A Single Shot is a page-turning action thriller that leaves you guessing till the very end about the protagonist, why he escaped from the police, who he is, and what the title refers to. The illustrations help explain the story and the action takes us across the channel where the teenage heroes find resolution and Morrow finds redemption.
Adolescents and Adults: Upper intermediate and Advanced
(1501+ headwords; CEF B2, C1, C2)
Emma
Author: Jane Austen
Adapted by Clare West
Illustrator: Gavin Reese
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 978-0-19-402428-0
Like nearly all titles in the Bookworms series, Emma is an extremely well done effort. The writing is very literary in style and the characters are well drawn and distinct. The prose has a great flow to it and the vocabulary seems appropriate for the level. While undoubtedly an excellent read for all, we suspect the story will be particularly appealing to our students (young women).
A Selection from Dubliners
Author: James Joyce
Adapted by Derek Sellen
Illustrator: Libero Gozzini & Ivan Canu
Publisher: Black Cat
ISBN: 978-88-530-1634-8
James Joyce has finally made it into the Language Learner Literature library and these versions of the Dubliners stories are excellent. Some of the text seems to be taken straight from the original and certainly the spirit of all the stories remains intact. New vocabulary and cultural references are explained at the bottom of the page and colorful artwork helps to set the scene. However, the abundance of activities placed between the chapters might contradict the nature of extensive reading practices. Yet, overall it is a well-written and a well-organized book.
Title: The Mill on the Floss
The Mill on the Floss
Author: George Eliot
Adapted by Michael Lacey Freeman
Illustrator: Lorenzo Conti
Publisher: ELI
ISBN: 978-88-536-2319-5
A poetic and impressive retelling of an old classic. A well written and easy to follow text with a bounty of social, cultural and temporal information that L2 readers would find informative and fairly entertaining. The activities seem well proportioned to the overall text, and offer the learner some valuable opportunity to think deeply about the text as well as beyond the text itself. The color illustrations are simple, yet reasonably appealing for a 21st-century reader.