Annotation: "It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die." Every November, riders risk their lives to win fame and fortune on the deadly water horses. Sean Kendrick is a four-time champion, determined to win yet again at any cost. Puck Connelly hasn't raced before, but she has her own reasons for racing, and she cannot afford to lose. It's a race they both need to win...but they just might lose each other.
Justification for Nomination: The Scorpio Races is a fictional story in a fictional setting, yet it feels quite real. It is the author's ability to bring the island setting to life through all our senses that contribute to the feelings of familiarity. Descriptive but not wearingly so, one feels that they have visited the island and eaten the deliciously sticky November cakes.
Water horses, called capaill uisce have appeared in relatively obscure mythology, but Stiefvater brings them to life in a story that is a credit to the coming of age genre. Typical hallmarks of the genre are present. The heroine of the story, Puck Connelly, is forced to race in the annual Scorpio Races in order to save her family and her home. Her parents are both dead, and she is desperate to keep her and her two brothers together despite their poverty and the threat of eviction from their home. Despite pressure from other racers, her community and her older brother to abandon her hopes of racing, Puck is able to overcome the obstacles and compete with the help of friends, mentors, and a love interest.
Both Puck and Sean are strong characters, and the dialogue of the story flows naturally. My justification for nominating this book is based largely on the high quality of the writing, especially of the immersive description of the setting, which is hauntingly beautiful.
Genre Category: Printz Award winner; Coming of Age
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