Which Books From 2012 Would You Take With You to a Deserted Island?

Tuesdays with Morzant:

Morzant Poses a Hypothetical Question

to His Friends. Yet again.

 

MORZANT: Zulko, humans. Once again I’ve gathered my friends altogether in my lab to conduct what has become an annual exercise in hypothetical consideration. It’s my hope that this year they’ll adhere to the constraints of the question I pose to them and choose one and only one book published in 2012 to take with them on a hypothetical journey to a deserted island. In previous years, they were less than cooperative. If you need your memory refreshed, you can click here for 2010’s demonstration of obstinance and here for 2011’s demonstration of obstinance.

 

Bigfoot has assured me that this year my friends will be more cooperative. Isn’t that right, Bigfoot?

 

BIGFOOT: Yep. That’s right. Hypothetically.

 

MORZANT: What do you mean hypothetically?

 

BIGFOOT: I imagine we’ll consider your imagined scenario and give you an answer that fits your question. But in actuality, who can say?

 

[Briar the Psychic Beagle exits covertly.]

 

MORZANT: I understand. Theory often takes a backseat to reality once an experiment begins. I suppose I’ll just have to ask the question and hope for the best. Here I go…

 

Friends, which one book from 2012 would you take with you to a deserted island?

 

BIGFOOT: I’ll go first. The two books I’d take—

 

MORZANT: Two books?

 

BIGFOOT: Huh. How about that? The hypothetical scenario where we answer your hypothetical question the way you want didn’t play out.

 

MORZANT: As I feared. Do what you must. However, unlike last year, I won’t allow myself to be affected by your negative influences. I will select only one book. And I assume my faithful lab assistant, Mortimer, will follow suit.

 

BEVERLY: So will I.

 

MORZANT: Really? Thank you. I appreciate that somebody else cares to maintain the integrity of this exercise.

 

BEVERLY: I just want to get it over with.

 

VIOLET: Please don’t be angry with the us, Morzant. There were lots and lots and lots of really good books to read this year and I would want to take all of them with me to Dessert Island.

 

LENNY: Not Dessert Island, a deserted island. But can we pick a dessert to bring along, too?

 

OLIVER: I like to eat vanilla pudding while I read.

 

NORMAN: I’m going to bring snickerdoodles.

 

PENNY: Ooo! Good idea! I’ll bring fudge. No, chocolate chip cookies! Oh, this is too hard! Do we have to choose just one dessert?

 

BIGFOOT: Hypothetically, yes.

 

I’m bringing glazed donuts, brownies, and peach cobbler.

 

MORZANT: I give up. I’ll bring Rice Krispies Treats.

 

 

The cryptids would bring the following books published in 2012 with them to a deserted island:

 

 

The books BIGFOOT would re-read while eating glazed donuts, brownies, and peach cobbler:

 

MR. AND MRS. BUNNY—
DETECTIVES EXTRAORDINAIRE!

by Polly Horvath,

with illustrations by Sophie Blackall

[MIDDLE GRADE]

Schwartz & Wade-Random House

 

THE SECRET OF THE FORTUNE WOOKIEE

by Tom Angleberger

[MIDDLE GRADE—THIRD IN
THE ORIGAMI YODA SERIES]

Amulet-Abrams

 

 

The one book MORZANT would re-read in between conducting experiments regarding the tensile properties of Rice Krispies Treats:

 

THE PUZZLER’S MANSION

by Eric Berlin

[MIDDLE GRADE—THIRD IN THE
PUZZLING WORLD OF
WINSTON BREEN SERIES]

Putnam-Penguin

 

 

The one book MORTIMER would re-read while eating lemon meringue pie:

 

GUINEA PIG, PET SHOP PRIVATE EYE #5:
RAINING CATS AND DETECTIVES

by Colleen AF Venable,

illustrated by Stephanie Yue

[MIDDLE GRADE—GRAPHIC NOVEL]

Graphic Universe-Lerner

 

 

The books PENNY would re-read while eating chocolate chip cookies or fudge or red velvet cake:

 

BREAK MY HEART 1,000 TIMES

by Daniel Waters

[YOUNG ADULT]

Hyperion-Disney

 

RIPPER

by Stefan Petrucha

[YOUNG ADULT]

Philomel-Penguin

 

 

The books NORMAN would re-read while eating snickerdoodles:

 

MICHAEL TOWNSEND’S WHERE DO
PRESIDENTS COME FROM?:
AND OTHER PRESIDENTIAL STUFF
OF SUPER GREAT IMPORTANCE

by Michael Townsend

[MIDDLE GRADE—GRAPHIC NOVEL]

Dial-Penguin

 

MONSTERS ON THE MARCH

by Derek the Ghost,

illustrated by Scott M. Fischer

[MIDDLE GRADE—SECOND IN
THE SCARY SCHOOL SERIES]

HarperCollins

 

 

The one book BEVERLY would re-read while eating strawberry ice cream:

 

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

by Katherine Applegate

with illustrations by Patricia Castelao

[MIDDLE GRADE]

Harper-HarperCollins

 

 

The books OLIVER would re-read while eating vanilla pudding:

 

EXTRA YARN

by Mac Barnett,

illustrated by Jon Klassen

[PICTURE BOOK]

Balzer & Bray-HarperCollins

 

GOODNIGHT, DRAGONS

by Judith Roth,

illustrated Pascal Lemaitre

[PICTURE BOOK]

Hyperion-Disney

 

HOMER

by Elisha Cooper

[PICTURE BOOK]

Greenwillow-HarperCollins

 

LITTLE DOG LOST:
THE TRUE STORY OF A
BRAVE DOG NAMED BALTIC

by Mônica Carnesi

[PICTURE BOOK]

Nancy Paulsen-Penguin

 

ONE TWO THAT’S MY SHOE!

by Alison Murray

[PICTURE BOOK]

Hyperion-Disney

 

 

The books LENNY would re-read while eating apple pie:

 

BOY AND BOT

by Ame Dyckman,

illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

[PICTURE BOOK]

Knopf-Random

 

CHLOE AND THE LION

by Mac Barnett,

with illustrations and sculptures by Adam Rex

[PICTURE BOOK]

Hyperion-Disney

 

CREEPY CARROTS!

by Aaron Reynolds,

illustrated by Peter Brown

[PICTURE BOOK]

Simon & Schuster

 

DOG LOVES DRAWING

by Louise Yates

[PICTURE BOOK]

Knopf-Random House

 

FROG AND FLY:
SIX SLURPY STORIES

by Jeff Mack

[PICTURE BOOK]

Philomel-Penguin

 

ONE COOL FRIEND

by Toni Buzzeo,

illustrated by David Small

[PICTURE BOOK]

Dial-Penguin

 

 

The books VIOLET would re-read while eating sugar cookies shaped like alligators:

 

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS

by Mo Willems

[PICTURE BOOK]

Balzer & Bray-HarperCollins

 

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

by Jeff Mack

[PICTURE BOOK]

Chronicle

 

I’M BORED

by Michael Ian Black,

illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

[PICTURE BOOK]

Simon & Schuster

 

ROCKET WRITES A STORY

by Tad Hills

[PICTURE BOOK]

Schwartz & Wade-Random House

 

SURYIA SWIMS: THE TRUE
STORY OF HOW AN ORANGUTAN
LEARNED TO SWIM

by Bhagavan “Doc” Antle and Thea Feldman,

photographs by Barry Bland

[PICTURE BOOK]

Henry Holt

 

VAMPIRINA BALLERINA

by Anne Marie Pace,

illustrated by LeUyen Pham

[PICTURE BOOK]

Hyperion-Disney

 

Z IS FOR MOOSE

by Kelly Bingham,

illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

[PICTURE BOOK]

Greenwillow-HarperCollins