The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary

Laura Shovan’s engaging, big-hearted debut is a time capsule of one class’s poems during a transformative school year. Families change and new friendships form as these terrific kids grow up and move on in this whimsical novel-in-verse about finding your voice and making sure others hear it. Eighteen kids, one year of poems, one school set to close. Two yellow bulldozers crouched outside, ready to eat the building in one greedy gulp. But look out, bulldozers. Ms. Hill’s fifth-grade class has plans for you. They’re going to speak up and work together to save their school. Awards: Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for New Voices Honor Book Cybils Award in Poetry An NCTE Notable Verse Novel Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year ILA-CBC Choices Reading Lists, Children’s Choices SCBWI Crystal Kite Finalist, Midatlantic Region Lectio Book Award Finalist Nominated for: Massachusetts Children's Book Award New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards Rhode Island Children’s Book Award Wisconsin State Reading Association Children's Book Awards