Twelve-year-old Casey Murphy and 11-year-old Natalie Reinhart like to read-a lot. That passion for reading earned them a chance to help pick the 2004-2005 Mark Twain Award books.

Each year, the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) recommends books to kids across the state. The Mark Twain list is for kids from 4th to 8th grade. The group has been making Mark Twain selections since 1972.

Casey and Natalie were among a statewide group of 40 reader-selectors to make the final 2004-2005 list. Their job was to make the cut from 35 to the final 20 books selected.

For reader-selectors, that meant a lot of reading in a short period of time. They had to read all 35 books in slightly over four months. That's an average of about two a week.

The Mark Twain judging was in addition to regular school work and outside activities. Each book was given a rating of 0-to-5. All scores were added and the top 20 made the 2004-2005 list, announced last September. Reader-selectors are both kids and adults.

(For a list of the 2004-2005 Mark Twain books, see sidebar below. Also, for more information about MASL and its programs, visit www.maslonline.org.)

Both Casey and Natalie were asked to be Mark Twain judges while they were 5th grade students at Edgar Road Elementary School in Webster Groves. Ms. Rebecca Schuder is the librarian at the Edger Road school and headed the 2004-2005 Mark Twain selection committee for MASL.

Casey and Natalie are now students at the Steger 6th Grade Center.

Natalie said, "I read all 35 books and finished about a week before the December 1 deadline." Casey said she finished 32 of the 35 books before she had to hand in her recommendations.

Both girls said they personally like mysteries and fantasies. Casey said, "I like fantasies with dragons and magic."

Recently, she finished "The House of the Scorpion." That's a book about the future and features a boy who has been cloned, she said.

"I read two, three or sometimes four books a week," Casey said.

Casey Murphy

She said she goes to the library for a lot of her books. "But, we also have five cases of books at home," she added.

She said she recently completed another fantasy book, "Eragon." (YSL.com has featured a book review and a story about the young author, Christopher Paolini. To read the article and review, click here.)

Natalie admitted she likes fiction books best. "I don't like non-fiction. I don't like to read about real stuff," she said.

She said she buys some of her books and gets others from the library. "Book certificates are my favorite gifts," she said.

Natalie Reinhart

Natalie said she hasn't been asked to take part in picking the 2005-2006 Mark Twain list. She said she's much busier now that she's in 6th grade.

"But, even though I'm busier, reading is still my favorite thing to do," she added.

Natalie and Casey are involved in band at school and in church youth groups. Both play trumpet in the school band and are planning to shift to the French horn next semester.

Natalie also plays the piano and has lessons on Wednesdays.

Among church projects, Casey said, "We make bag lunches for poor people."

The two also participate in sports such as soccer and swimming.

Both kids have plans for their future when they become adults.

Natalie said she plans to be either an archeologist or a veterinarian. She said her interest in animals comes from having pets at home. And the long lives of the home pets give evidence of their good care.

"We have two cats as family pets. One is 15-years-old and the other 18. Eighteen is over 100 in 'cat years,'" she said. Natalie said she now has two gerbils as her personal pets.

"My younger sister has three tropical fish. Two of those fish are ones I got when I was six years old and they are still alive," she said.

Casey said she plans to be a commercial airline pilot. That flying idea came from her grandfather, who had a pilot's license. "He was going to give us a ride but he died before he could do that," she said.

"So, part of my pilot idea is for him but I also like to travel a lot," she added.

---

Mark Twain Award Book List for 2004-05

The final listing for the 2004-05 Mark Twain Award books includes:

• Crispin: The Cross of Lead, by Avi
• Darby, by Jonathon S. Fuqua
• Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
• Loser, by Jerry Spinelli
• Pictures of Hollis Woods, by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Riding the Flume, by Patricia C. Pfitsch
• Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
• The Secret Within, by Theresa Golding
• The Spirit and Gilly Bucket, by Maurine Dahlberg
• Stand Tall, by Joan Bauer
• Stranger Next Door, by Peg Kehret
• Surviving the Applewhites, by Stephanie S. Tolan
• Trouble Don't Last, by Shelley Pearsall
• Undercurrents, by Willo D. Roberts
• The Victory Garden, by Lee Kochenderfer
• Week in the Woods, by Andrew Clements
• Wenny Has Wings, by Janet Lee Carey
• When My Name Was Keoko, by Linda Sue Park
• Where the Ground Meets the Sky, by Jacqueline Davies
• Wild Man Island, by Will Hobbs

---