The Soaring Eagle Book Award provides the opportunity for Wyoming youth in grades 7-12 to select a favorite book and honor its author. Its purpose is to help Wyoming students in grades 7-12:
- Become acquainted with the best contemporary authors.
- Become aware of the qualities that make a good book.
- Choose the best rather than the mediocre.
- Set a goal to read at least three good books.
- To honor an author whose books Wyoming students have enjoyed.
Campbell County Public Library Young Adult staff visit the Jr. High schools to give book talks, focusing on the current nominees, and sharing public library resources. This takes place each fall, in collaboration with the school librarians, English teachers, and library staff.
Students are encouraged to read at least 3 of the nominees and vote for their favorite. Voting takes place January through February.
Students may nominate a book they read and enjoyed for next year’s award cycle. Nominations can be entered at the school libraries and at Campbell County Public Library and are due by March 1, 2027.
The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World by Jonathan Haidt & Catherine Price
Non-Fiction
From the authors of The Anxious Generation, this relevant guide was written for young readers who have grown up with technology being part of everyday life. Rather than shaming kids for using technology, it aims to inspire balance, adventure, and creativity away from the screen. By reframing technology as a tool, the authors introduce kid-friendly strategies, such as turning off notifications. Included are relatable stories and quotes from real teens and how technology impacted their lives, positively and negatively. Scientific explanations of how technology impacts still developing brains. This data is presented in colorful charts, and scientific terms are explained in kids-friendly language. teens. This can be used as a guide for students, parents, and educators who want to decrease screen time and increase real-world adventures.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
History, War & Military, Magical Realism
18-year-old Salama is a pharmacy student living in Homs, Syria, during the Syrian Revolution. Her hometown of Homs is in the “rebel” area, guarded by the Free Syrian Army who wants democracy. Her life is at risk daily when she goes to work at the local hospital due to shootings, bombings, and other attacks. Salama’s father and older brother were captured by government forces during a protest and her mother died in a bombing. She is left with Layla, her pregnant sister-in-law, and Khawf, Arabic for fear. Only she can see Khawf, who she thinks is a result of her post-traumatic stress disorder and a skull fracture, and a constant reminder of her trauma. Khawf comes to Salama nearly every night, showing her sad memories and her terrible future if she doesn’t leave Syria. Salama meets 19-year-old Kenan, a young rebel, who comes to the hospital begging for help for his younger orphaned sister. She and Kenan bond over mutual love of movies, as well as their lost parents. Kenan films protests and uploads the videos to get help from outside Syria. In an act of defiance, Salama and Kenan attend a protest. They bravely chant and only run when shots are fired. With her newfound resolve to leave Syria, Salama wishes Kenan would escape too. Two days before they planned to leave, soldiers attacked the hospital. They narrowly escape and travel past many checkpoints before finally reaching a fishing boat packed with other refugees.
Gather by Kenneth Cadow
Fiction, Social Themes
Narrated in first person by Ian through his sophomore year of high school. Ian lives with his mother in rural Vermont, in an old, run-down house on the few acres of land that remain from the many acres that his father’s family once owned. Ian’s father deserted him and his mother. His mother is unemployed, emotionally fragile, and an addict. They are poor, they are hungry, and the last thing they need is the huge stray dog that shows up, who is also hungry. School is a distraction and a waste of time, for Ian. He needs a job and a way to take care of himself, his mother, and his new dog, named Gather. As his situation becomes more desperate, Ian shows his resourcefulness, resilience, and will to survive.
Powerless (#1) by Lauren Roberts
Book 1 of The Powerless Trilogy
Fantasy, Romance
Paedyn Gray, is an ordinary 18 year old girl, but in her world Ordinary means not being one of the Elites. In the Kingdom of Ilya, live the Elites who are the lucky few who gained supernatural abilities after surviving a devastating Plague. The Elites hunt and kill the Ordinaries. Paedyn fakes psychic abilities to avoid being detected as an Ordinary and hopefully stay alive. One day she unexpectedly saves the life of an Elite Prince. Doing so, she is selected to compete in the Purging Trials, a competition for Elites to showcase their supernatural abilities. Can she continue to fake her psychic powers? And can she and the Prince navigate a blooming romance despite being from two separate worlds?
Sky’s End (Above the Black #1) by Marc J Gregson
Fantasy, Dystopian
When Conrad was 10, his treacherous uncle killed his father and took his title. Conrad and his mother are exiled to live among the Lows, leaving his sister, Ella, in his uncle’s clutches. Now 16, after his mother is killed by giant sky serpents with steel scales, his uncle gives Conrad an offer he can’t refuse: His sister’s location will be revealed if Conrad agrees to be Selected by one of the Twelve Trades. Chosen by the Hunters, the deadliest of all the Trades, Conrad must compete to kill the most gorgantauns – the sky serpents that killed his mother, before time runs out. With a manipulative crew and rumors of rebellion, Conrad must figure out who to trust and how to survive.
Stars and Smoke (#1) by Marie Lu
Thriller, Romance
At 19, Winter Young may be the biggest pop superstar in the world, and seems to have it all, fame, good looks, beautiful voice… All the world’s attention and admiration can’t make up for the love he craves from a distant mother or the death of his older brother. When approached by Panacea, a private spy agency, he takes the opportunity to do a good deed: help infiltrate the criminal organization of one of the most wanted men in the world, by perform at his daughter’s birthday party. Sydney Cossette, the youngest Panacea agent, has a chance at a promotion. The job is to pose as the bodyguard to Winter, who she assumes will be as shallow and helpless as other celebrities she’s met. Winter manages to impress Sydney during his crash course in spying. They are attracted to one another, but both have secrets that challenge their compatibility.
This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani
Romance
Josie is a 15-year-old girl who just wants to be with her horse, Strawberry. Her parents, who own several restaurants, hope she will take over their empire after she graduates. Josie’s family’s restaurant caters for rodeo events in the Houston area. At the annual carnival, she meets Shawn, an up-and-coming bull rider. The two teens share an unforgettable evening, complete with funnel cakes, Ferris wheel rides, and longing stares. The night ends and Josie and Shawn don’t see each other again, until they cross paths three years later. Shawn is now a successful bull rider with riches to his name, and he never stopped thinking about Josie. Josie’s heart flutters at the sight of him, but she has other issues to worry about. Her grandparents are selling the ranch, stewarded by her family for generations. Shawn has his own family obligations and expectations to navigate, straining their new relationship.
Watch Us Crack by Gabriella LePore
Mystery, Thriller, Sports
A teen is murdered. A true crime podcast suggests two local teen suspects, because they had been seen at the location where the crime took place. Both Cason and Sadie are high school juniors but from rival schools. The schools have long-standing hockey rivalry. It doesn’t help that Cason got into a post hockey game brawl recently with the teen that was killed. The argument can be made that Cason wanted the teen dead. They must work together to clear their names. Complicating the murder mystery is the fact that these two have been secretly dating. They were friends when they were younger but now that they attend rival schools, it was best to keep it quiet. This bit of information makes their innocence even less believable.
The Weaver Bride (#1) by Lydia Gregovic
Romance, Fantasy, Mystery
Lovett, a teen silkwitch, must enter a ruthless marriage competition to secure her future. A silkwitch has hair that can create magical objects, but in order to use this power, they have to marry a Weaver – a powerful sorcerer. And she must marry before her 21st birthday. Lovett must enter the marriage competition for a Weaver husband because her family is too poor to hire a matchmaker. To get by, she becomes a part-time thief and is hired by the rich to steal their possessions back. This is working until she steals from Eliot, the son of a prominent Weaver. He makes her a deal – in exchange for not turning her in, she has to investigate the murder of last year’s winner, who happens to be his sister. Lovett doesn’t like Eliot, or this mission, but she has little choice but to comply. It is a dangerous mission the further she digs.
Where He Can’t Find You by Darcy Coates
Horror, Thriller
When the sun sets in a town called Doubtful, it’s best to be inside with your doors locked. Do you want to see something bad? A friend asks Abby Ward. Abby has seen enough bad things in her small, crumbling town to last most kids a lifetime. It’s not abnormal for friends and family members to go missing and to never be seen alive again. Technology frequently breaks down and local animals suffer from unexplained sicknesses. Abby and her friends have a carefully made list of rules they follow to keep themselves safe and out of the reach of the one they call the Stitcher. “Who is the Stitcher?” you may ask. He’s the one wreaking havoc across Doubtful. Is he a man or a monster? Abby thinks she has the answer, but when her sister is abducted out of her own bed, Abby is forced to believe in things she can hardly understand. Abby and her friends will have to reach deep within themselves to find the courage to confront their deepest fears if they hope to rescue this young girl.
