Book Apps
Angus the Irritable Bull - A funny story of friendship on the farm
Watermark Ltd
Watermark Ltd
Nominated by: Darned Sock
Angus the Irritable Bull is a charming storybook app that will appeal to preschoolers and early elementary students. This app tells the story of Angus, a bull who has a reputation for being very grumpy. Everyone on the farm, including the farmer, gives Angus plenty of space to avoid annoying the already irritable bull. However, when a bird lands on Angus\' back and plucks out a sharp thorn, Angus goes from grumpy to delighted.
This simple story is paired with colorful artwork, clear narration that can be turned on or off, and amazing interactive features that do not overwhelm the story. Children will delight over exploring this app. Every page has a new interactive element. With a tap of their fingers, children can make daisies bloom, Angus huff, or even change the color of a butterfly that flutters through a few pages. The final page of the app shows Angus with numerous birds on his back. When tapped, each bird makes a different sound including a door bell, percussion instruments, and an ambulance. With so many surprises on each page, this app is very fun.
Fiona & the Fog
William Poor
William Poor
Nominated by: Perogyo
Fiona, bored, is sitting on her stoop on a thickly foggy day in San Francisco, when the fog notes her boredom and invites her to play a game called “Find Your Scarf.” Then the fog reaches out and snatches her scarf, compelling Fiona to chase (or rather, seek--as it’s gone before she can see which direction it went in) after it in what becomes a breathtaking journey through the city’s natural spaces. At the beach, she encounters a pelican, who suggests she try the forest (“The fog loves to stash its treasures in the trees”), and asks if she’ll reclaim the lighthouse flag the fog also snatched. In the forest, she meets a parrot, perched on a high branch in a eucalyptus tree. The tree is indeed full of “treasures”--a bike tire, a cap, some sneakers--but neither Fiona’s scarf nor the pelican’s flag are there, and the fog has made off with the parrot’s kite, too, which it asks Fiona to retrieve. The parrot directs her east, towards the pier, where she encounters a crab whose fishing pole the fog has “borrowed,” who directs her to climb to the highest place in the city. At the top of a tower, she sees a rope ladder into the clouds, and looking more closely, sees that the ladder is made of things snatched by the fog. At the top of the ladder, the fog shows her the magnificent view, and Fiona forgets about her scarf, realizing that the experience of seeking it has been of more value--at which point the fog returns her scarf.
The story is strong, but it’s the beauty and design of the app that truly shines. With Fiona & the Fog, writer and designer William Poor has created a new kind of picture book app. Since their advent, we’ve tended to think of picture book apps mainly in terms of interaction, as though that were the only new capability that digital has to offer. Interaction hunters will not find them in Fiona beyond “page”-turning. What they will find is a graphic technique that breathes gentle but powerful, evocative life into what might otherwise have been a print picture book: the cinemagraph. As Poor explains them in an essay on the book’s creation*, cinemagraphs are “still photographs in which portions of the image subtly move.” “Imagine,” he continues, “a still landscape photo with actual moving, drifting clouds, or a photo of a woman whose hair is waving slightly in the breeze…[w]hat makes these images so compelling is that they go on forever; technically, they’re short, seamlessly looping videos, but they appear to be photographs that are forever restless and dynamic.” While Fiona and the animals are sketched creations, each “page” of the app--each landscape Fiona moves through--is a cinemagraph, an alive-feeling photograph. The fog rolls, the waves lap, the ladder sways, but not in choppy “once and then it’s done” or “every time you tap it” ways. The whole book seems to breathe, and invite the reader to inhabit it as fully as Fiona does. Coupled with a soft, subtle, dreamy soundtrack, the effect is incredibly atmospheric, and the time-honored experience of “disappearing into a book” is made new.
*”Cinemagraphs on Steroids: Telling a Story with Living Photos” (https://medium.com/@wpoor/cinemagraphs-on-steroids-3be8fa005c5e)
Hat Monkey
Fox and Sheep GmbH
Fox & Sheep GmbH
Nominated by: Matthew C. Winner
Get ready to fall in love with another Chris Haughton character - but this time as you play hide and seek, dance along or talk on the phone with Hat Monkey in this wonderfully colorful and highly engaging book app. Hat Monkey is a lovable character who just wants someone to play with him. Kids will adore seeing what Hat Monkey is up to and will want to go back again and again for more giggles. This book app gives young readers an opportunity to experience how a character comes to life in a book app that allows them to navigate between scenes and to interact with this charming character. Readers also get a sneak peak at Chris Haughton\'s bestselling books Oh No, George!, A Bit Lost, and Shh! We Have a Plan.
How I Became a Pirate
Melinda Long
Oceanhouse Media
Nominated by: Stephanie Charlefour
The best book apps for early readers are a careful balance of well written story on a high interest topic, compelling narration, text highlighting, vivid artwork and imaginative interactivity that relates to or furthers the story. Oceanhouse Media has crafted the perfect recipe with its adaptation of the Melinda Long written, David Shannon illustrated print title How I Became a Pirate. Oceanhouse\' foray beyond their Dr. Seuss roots is a welcome departure as pirates are to preschoolers what angst ridden vampire romances and dystopian love stories are to preteens.
Shannon\'s big headed pirates are highly expressive and their faces perfectly convey the camaraderie shared by the band of pirates Jeremy Jacobs encounters when the motley crew rows ashore at North Beach one afternoon. Jeremy gets to experience the joys of bad manners, poor hygiene and nobody telling him what to do during a fun day as a pirate. A storm and unfamiliar bedtime routine are less appealing and ultimately Jeremy decides the life of a pirate isn\'t for him. The app improves upon the story with a choice of narration or independent reading with text assist as well as the bonus of recording your own narration. This app is among the best examples of print adaptations.
Incredible Numbers by Professor Ian Stewart
Touch Press
Touch Press
Nominated by: Jen Vincent
Incredible Numbers is a celebration of math. This innovative app by Professor Ian Stewart makes mathematical concepts interesting -- even for people who are nervous about numbers. Incredible Numbers has eight sections: Factorials, Infinity, Music, Nature, Pi, Polygons, Primes, Secret Codes. Each topic is divided into sub-sections, which provide readers with in-depth information about the topic. Information is accessibly written and is accompanied with engaging activities that enhance one\'s knowledge about the concept. There are many interactive features that allow users to learn more about specific numbers. Plus, there are 15 interactive puzzles and word problems, which explore a variety of concepts. The app is colorful and easy to navigate. Best for ages 14+.
Kalley's Machine Plus Cats
RocketWagon
RocketWagon
Nominated by: jennie_b.
Kalley’s Machine Plus Cats quickly became a favorite of my third grade students, and my three oldest kids at home (4, 6, and 7 years old). This interactive app is narrated by Kalley and her dad. In each page they describe to us part of a machine that Kalley has designed. The machine includes things like cranks, levers, dials, bashers and more. Most of the 13 pages of this app include fun interactive features where kids can adjust how the machine works. Kids will love adjusting the speed the machine bashes and they will love using the puffer to make things bigger. All kinds of fun to be had.
The app will get kids creative juices flowing long after they finish reading and interacting with the app. Readers will find a bonus at the end of the app explaining how Kalley came up with the idea for her amazing machine.
Rules of Summer
Shaun Tan
We Are Wheelbarrow PTY LTD
Nominated by: Charlotte
“This is what I learned last summer:” The first line of the The Rules of Summer will captivate readers and take them along on an exciting and sometimes eerie adventure. In the first illustration of the app based on Shaun Tan’s picture book, a single crow sits on a telephone wire in an industrial area of the city as a boy whispers to another boy. With each swipe of the page a rule is revealed. “Never drop your jar.” “Never leave the back door open overnight.” “Never be late for a parade.” With a tap of the icon over the rule, a new illustration appears. Children will linger over the pages of Tan’s imaginative acrylic and oil paintings that reveal the consequences for breaking each rule. Pinch and pull to zoom in and out of the illustrations to reveal surprises such as a giant rabbit stalking the boys or a parade of robot animals.
Somber tones, and wide brush strokes help set the mood of this dark story as ominous flocks of crows take over the sky. Sound effects such as the hammering of metal, glass clinking and the wind from an impending tornado add to the dark ambience of the story. With each broken rule, the two boys are led farther from the city into the wastelands. Just when the story borders on scary, the final page shows the two boys eating popcorn in the glow of a television with kid-friendly drawings of the creatures taped to the wall behind them. Themes of imagination, defying authority and the innocence of childhood coupled with Tan’s stunning illustrations make this an app that will resonate with middle grade readers.
Easy Readers
Clara and Clem Under the Sea (Penguin Young Readers, L1)
Ethan Long
Penguin USA
Nominated by: Mindy R
Clara and Clem adventure under the sea in this continuation of the series from Ethan Long. Starting off in their room, building a boat out of blocks, their imaginations quickly dive into an underwater adventure. As they explore, they meet dolphins, solve a conflict with a shark, find buried treasure, and more in this easy reader for the newest readers.
Long shares this adventure with readers through very few words. Most of the spreads have two words that share Clara and Clem’s observations, followed by a short rhyming line to point out something new or spur an action. This book highlights ocean animals and fun while allowing readers to practice foundational reading skills like rhyming words, recognizing letter sounds and sight words, and reading left to right. The simple and colorful illustrations play an essential role in understanding the story and help the reader determine new words. Young readers will experience excitement of adventure along with Clara and Clem while celebrating imagination and creativity.
Extraordinary Warren: A Super Chicken
Sarah Dillard
Aladdin
Nominated by: Mrs. Heise
In this inviting graphic novel-narrative book combo, Warren\'s life is boring –endless peck, cluck, feed. He wants excitement in his life; he wants to be Chicken Supreme, superhero. And that’s just what he becomes when he and his best friend, Egg, thwart the devious rat Millard’s plans to barbecue he and the other chicks. (No Chicken Supreme dinner for Millard. Phew!) We love bold illustrations and kid-appropriate humor. Warren’s a superhero to whom we can all relate – a lovable and curious seeker of adventure whose ultimate success comes from valuable life lessons and a little help from a friend.
Inch and Roly and the Sunny Day Scare (Ready-to-Reads)
Melissa Wiley
Simon Spotlight
Nominated by: Mary Machado
Melissa Wiley\'s third Inch and Roly book adds inferencing and perspective to an easy reader without adding difficulty or confusion for the reader. Inch and his friends find something in the grass. Each bug tries to identify the object found using environmental clues. The reader figures out early on what the object is which makes the characters\' predictions quite funny. The book has larger print and clearly defined punctuation making it easy for the reader to identify who is talking. Children will find this book interesting and will be able to engage in a more literate discussion after a first or second read.
My New Friend Is So Fun! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
Mo Willems
Disney-Hyperion
Nominated by: Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
Employing masterful illustrations and suspenseful moments of drama, Mo Willems continues to set the bar for tales involving deep, meaningful emotional exchanges for the early elementary crowd. In this episode, Piggie has gone off with Brian Bat to play “best friend games,” leaving their respective best friends, Gerald and Snake, to wonder if they will measure up when the games are done. Moments of humor help alleviate the tension, but it is the readers’ faith in the power of best-friendship that makes the ending feel realistic and satisfying.
Okay, Andy! (Jump-Into-Chapters)
Maxwell Eaton
Blue Apple Books
Nominated by: Tasha
Andy the alligator doesn’t always want to play with Preston the coyote, but that doesn’t curb Preston’s enthusiasm. Readers will recognize this friendship dynamic and Andy’s complex emotions from the characters’ expressions and actions in this graphic novel-style beginning reader. As with the most successful easy reader books, Eaton has managed to tell a meaningful (and laugh-out-loud funny) story using only a few familiar words.
Pigsticks and Harold and the Incredible Journey
Alex Milway
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Tara
Pigsticks is last in a line of noble ancestors, but he has yet to follow in their noble footsteps. He decides to set off on a journey to the Ends of the Earth.
Harold the hamster is persuaded to serve as explorer assistant when Pigsticks offers to provide cake as refreshment for the adventure. And the two, pig and hamster, set off, across dense jungles, over a terrifyingly deep ravine, through a burning hot desert, over a giant ice-topped mountain, and past some really, really, really hungry goats, headed for the Ends of the Earth. Which are farther away than you might think. And closer, too.
Full of fun. And cake.
Scholastic Reader Level 1: The Ice Cream Shop: A Steve and Wessley reader
Jennifer E. Morris
Scholastic
Nominated by: Pete D.
Best friends Steve (a rat) and Wessley (a rabbit) star in this silly adventure which takes place at an ice cream shop. Steve really wants a delicious ice cream cone, but he can\'t figure out how to open the door! He pushes and pushes, but nothing happens - until Wessley and his reading skills come to the rescue. This colorfully illustrated, dialogue-heavy easy reader will make beginning readers laugh while also highlighting the importance of knowing how to read and giving them an opportunity to practice their developing literacy skills.
Early Chapter Books
Dory Fantasmagory
Abby Hanlon
Dial Books
Nominated by: Camila
This outstanding chapter book stars six-year-old Dory, who inhabits a fantasy world so vast that the line between reality and make believe is always blurred. Her imagination conjures such colorful characters as a monster named Mary, a bearded, male fairy godmother, and a most formidable adversary named Mrs. Gobble Gracker, whom her siblings insist will snatch her away if she does not stop acting like such a baby. Wonderful child-like illustrations capture the likenesses of these imaginary beings and help the reader become fully invested in Dory’s efforts to defeat Mrs. Gobble Gracker once and for all. A book that speaks to children in their own language at their own level, Dory Fantasmagory is a perfect early elementary read sure to have wide appeal.
Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake
Julie Sternberg
Abrams Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Flowering Minds
In this third book of the Eleanor series, Eleanor does a very mean thing to her best friend, Pearl, and the new girl in their class, Ainsley. On top of that friendship pressure, Eleanor is chosen as the lead role in her class play — which she is terrified to do! Eleanor must learn how to mend her mistake and her friendships while combating stage fright and dealing with classroom dynamics.
Readers from 2nd to 4th grade will absolutely love this book. The friendship issues are very relatable for this age group, and likable characters allow the reader to empathize even when they do something wrong. Both Eleanor and her friends have to grow to solve the problem together, and Eleanor’s parents offer a unique and positive look at the parent/child relationship. Sternberg’s strong writing features components of novels-in-verse, adding to the literary appeal of this book. Cordell’s illustrations complement and increase the story’s emotion and humor. This chapter book offers realistic situations with a masterful understanding and expression of feelings for the age group. With several layers of conflict, an intriguing cast of characters, beautiful writing, and a satisfying ending, Eleanor and her adventures will linger in the reader’s mind for a long time.
Lulu and the Rabbit Next Door
Hilary McKay
Albert Whitman & Company
Nominated by: Maureen E
Lulu and her cousin Mellie worry about the new neighbor’s neglected rabbit. They decide to write a series of helpful, activity-filled notes – not from them, but from Lulu’s rabbit, Thumper – directly to the neighbor’s rabbit, George, in hopes that his owner, a boy named Arthur, will begin to understand rabbit care. In a world where emotional intelligence predicts future success, these notes are a fantastic example of giving advice without being a know-it-all. And it works. Soon their neighbor, Arthur, begins to care and love his rabbit pet just as the girls had hoped. The relatable characters are easy to love, and the well-written story keeps us, the readers, engaged from beginning to end.
Lulu's Mysterious Mission
Judith Viorst
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Freya Hooper
Lulu is back in her third and by far most wonderful adventure to date. Lulu\'s parents dare to go on vacation without her. They add insult to injury by hiring the best babysitter in town, Ms. Solinsky. Despite Lulu\'s typical insanity, Ms. Sonia Sofia Solinsky proves her title. She lays down the law and provides an enticing offer: if Lulu does as she is told, she will learn how to become a spy. Throughout the story, Viorst speaks directly to the reader inducing story buy in and several laughs. in this third book, the illustrator is new. Kevin Cornell uses black sketches with lots of white space which helps young readers manage the text.
The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventure
Doreen Cronin
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sarah Potvin
Grass clippings, a bag of rocks, a ball of string, a tank of helium, and an orange balloon. If you think chickens couldn\'t possibly have all those things then you don’t know chickens, kid. You don’t know chickens at all…
When a prone-to-fainting squirrel who doesn’t know a circle from a triangle encounters something big and scary out in the yard, the chicks embark on their first case: vetting Tail’s encounter. Once Tail can properly identify a rhombus, the nuances of synonyms for “big” and “scary” are debated, and the distinction between forest, pine, and asparagus green is made, the team verifies this squirrel isn’t overreacting. It’s a UFO. In a tone reminiscent of classic detective novels, this engaging misadventure is brimming with the clever humor and memorable one-liners that will keep young readers reaching for laughs.
The Lion Who Stole My Arm
Nicola Davies
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Anamaria (bookstogether)
After losing his arm in a lion attack, Pedru can think of nothing but destroying the creature who wounded him. Even when he meets a team of researchers dedicated to saving lions and agrees to work with them, he is still not sure he can face the lion without allowing his anger to take over. Set in Mozambique and based on the author’s own conservation work, this chapter book stands out for its edifying (but not preachy) message, its uncommon and intriguing setting, and its exploration of the complexities of emotions like anger and hatred. Readers will be instantly drawn to the story’s strong sense of adventure and will eagerly follow Pedru all the way to the satisfying conclusion.
Violet Mackerel's Possible Friend
Anna Branford
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Mary McKenna Siddals
It can be tricky to make a new friend, especially if the friend you want to make is someone you have never seen before.
Violet accidentally makes a small hole in the fence the people next door share with her family. To make amends, Violet writes an apology note and leaves the note and a small bell in the hole in the fence. Soon there is a new note in the hole in the fence, and with the note is a small jewel. Could Violet possibly make a new friend?
Author Anna Bradford gets children, with their little worries, like giving birthday gifts that may be too small for a new possible friend who already has a magnificent pink room and amazing dollhouse, and their little joys, like discovering that a new possible friend likes to wear a too-big skirt with a clothespin just like Violet herself.
Could Violet Mackerel\'s Possible Friend possibly be the best early chapter book of 2014?
Fiction Picture Books
Brimsby's Hats
Andrew Prahin
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Tara
When his best friend moves away, Brimsby buries himself in his work. He is lonely, and longs for someone to talk to, to share meals with. On a walk one day, Brimsby notices a tree filled with birds who are trying to survive in the snow. Brimsby’s ingenious solution to the birds’ dilemma is the start of a new friendship. The quiet text is matched by gentle illustrations that convey the warmth and humor of this story of friendship.
Here Comes the Easter Cat
Deborah Underwood
Dial Books
Nominated by: Bridget Wilson
Cat’s jealousy of the Easter bunny makes him want to take over the job and get the attention, but it isn’t that easy. Perfect pacing encourages page turns of this lengthy picture book, moving the story along as Underwood masterfully shifts Cat’s attitude toward the Easter bunny from envy and rivalry towards compassion and helpfulness. The story features a unique format of a narrator’s conversation with Cat, who “speaks” via facial expressions and placard drawings. The humorous text is reminiscent of parent/child conversations and perfectly balanced by charming illustrations. Parents will enjoy this book as much as young children, while older siblings will chuckle at Cat’s clever, conniving thinking, making this a book for the whole family to enjoy.
Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me
Daniel Beaty
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: librarygrl2
Every morning, a dad knock-knock’s on his son’s bedroom door to tell him \"I love you\". One morning the dad doesn\'t knock, and the boy writes a letter asking why his father isn’t around any more. The letter the dad writes back about the hopes he has for his son’s bright, beautiful future is full of hope and inspiration. Any child dealing with the absence of a parent, due to incarceration or other circumstances, will find strength in this beautifully illustrated book. This is one of those books that may make a powerful difference in a child’s life
Maple
Lori Nichols
Nancy Paulsen Books
Nominated by: Joanna Marple
Maple loves her name and she loves the tree that her parents planted when she was born; it\'s the perfect friend as they grow together through the seasons. In the spring, a new tree and a new baby arrive and, after a little adjustment, the siblings look forward to sharing their trees together. The simple text and lovely illustrations, from the tree itself to the leaf rubbings and prints in the backgrounds, delightfully capture the joy of the seasons and the excitement and adjustment of a new baby. Simple is best in this heartfelt and lovely story, perfect for encouraging a child to enjoy nature or look forward to a new baby.
Shh! We Have a Plan
Chris Haughton
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Travis Jonker
Chris Haughton’s Shh! We Have A Plan, is a hilarious tale of four hapless friends who set out to catch a bird. Despite having minimal text, it is a joy to read aloud. The small font encourages whispering, and the short, repeated phrases are accessible to even the youngest of listeners. With its muted colors and quiet text, Shh! We Have A Plan would make a wonderful bedtime book for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
The Girl and the Bicycle
Mark Pett
Simon & Schuster
Nominated by: Holly
A girl has a dream - to own the brand-new, bright green bicycle she sees in the store window. It\'s the sort of desire everyone can relate to, and rarely is it told as elegantly as in Mark Pett\'s The Girl and the Bicycle. When the girl gets down to the business of making her dream a reality, she discovers it ain\'t easy. Told with honesty and heart (and nary a single line of text), it\'s storytelling at its most pure, with a conclusion that will make everyone smile.
This Is a Moose
Richard T. Morris
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: A Library Mama
A movie director struggles to capture a documentary about the mighty moose. But woodland creatures keep getting in his way, acting quite unlike proper animals. With laugh-out-loud hilarious movie outtakes, author Richard T. Morris teams up with illustrator Tom Lichtenheld to bring us unforgettable characters and their antics on the movie set. Kid appeal runs high and brings story time to a new dramatic level. The original concept paired with the detailed cartoon sketches Lichtenheld is known for, bring an unexpected surprise that pushes silliness to it\'s extreme
Graphic Novels
Elementary/Middle Grade
Bad Machinery: The Case of the Good Boy
John Allison
Oni Press
Publisher/ Author Submission
\"Whatever it draws, whatever it writes, comes true!\" At the carnival, Mildred wins an enchanted pencil and draws herself a puppy dog, or tries to. The animal she ends up with is something else entirely, and a mysterious baby-snatching beast is on the loose in Tackleford! What is this beast? How can it be stopped? Six British pre-teens are on the case! That is, when they\'re not in school, playing video games, writing love notes or dodging bullies. Wacky antics mix with real-life humor and wit to make every page funny and the whole story almost believable. Originally published as a webcomic and expanded for the print edition, Bad Machinery: The Case of The Good Boy will appeal to readers of all ages.
Ballad
Blexbolex
Enchanted Lion Books
Nominated by: Alysa Stewart
Ballad by Blexbolex (Bernard Granger), or Romance in the original French, is an art piece — an experiment in narrative structure and story telling. It takes the graphic novel format and stylistic influences from Hergé (Tintin) and explores its potential. At first pass, it\'s the journey from home, to school, and back again; but it\'s told more than once. Each time it\'s retold it becomes more complicated and more magical.
Bird & Squirrel on Ice
James Burks
GRAPHIX
Nominated by: Mike Jung
After crash landing at the South Pole, friends Bird and Squirrel find themselves in the middle of a new adventure. The local penguin tribe has been paying tribute to a giant killer whale, although there is a prophecy that a Chosen One will come to defeat the whale in a fight. Bird quickly takes on all the perks of being thought of as the Chosen One, although Squirrel is not so sure. With the help of their new penguin friend, Squirrel must try to save his friend before he becomes the whale’s next meal. With bright and colorful artwork, great humor, fun characters, and a surprise twist at the end, this is a feel good read with plenty of heart.
El Deafo
Cece Bell
Harry N Abrams
Nominated by: Flowering Minds
Cece Bell provides unique insight into what it\'s like to grow up with a hearing impairment. She gives the info we already know-- hearing aids, sign language... but more importantly, she provides what if feels like to communicate with others who have reactions to her deafness. Her characters are well rounded and sympathetic, and the humor woven through the story adds a lot of kid appeal.
Gaijin: American Prisoner of War
Matt Faulkner
Disney-Hyperion
Nominated by: Lyn Miller-Lachmann
Gaijin: American Prisoner of War by Matt Faulkner is set during WWII, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A teenage boy, who is half Japanese and half Irish, is forced with his mother to live in an internment camp. Once there, he struggles with being bullied by other kids and trying to fit in, while dealing with the betrayal he feels by being forced from his home. Gaijin is a deep graphic novel on many levels, from bullying to discrimination to finding ones place in the world.
Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust
Loic Dauvillier
First Second Books
Nominated by: Jenna G
This is an account of living through the holocaust told by a grandmother to her granddaughter. Because is told in the setting of a story, there is a sense of remove from the immediacy of the horrors of the holocaust. By having the grandmother tell her tale, the author is able to convey the horrors of the holocaust at a remove, sheltering her granddaughter from the worst of what happened. The reader sees what the grandmother, as a young girl, experiences. Her parents are taken away, and she is hidden by sympathetic Christian family. She does not know about what the Nazis are doing - just that things are scary and her parents are not there. It is still a sad and hard story, but it focuses on survival and perseverance, not death and torture.
The Dumbest Idea Ever!
Jimmy Gownley
GRAPHIX
Nominated by: Sarah Potvin
The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley is an inspiring memoir of two pivotal middle school year\'s from the author\'s life. A teenager becomes a cartoonist at the age of fifteen dealing with normal middle school angst and the effects of being a superstar in his small town. Jimmy makes the reader feel exhilarated and gives off an excitement that one can accomplish anything if one is passionate enough about it. A most genuine author graphic memoir.
Young Adult
In Real Life
Cory Doctorow
First Second Books
Nominated by: Lwad
In Real Life by Cory Doctorow is the story of a gamer girl who discovers there are two sides to every story. Her team of other girl gamers seek out and kill any farming characters from the game Coarsegold, which is illegal gaining of items and selling them for real money in real life. When Anda befriends one of the farmers, she realizes that there is more to the story and the idea of right and wrong become less black and white and more gray. Not only does this graphic novel bring forth social justice issues, but takes a deeper look into embracing your own identity and fighting for what you feel is right.
Strange Fruit, Volume I: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History
Fulcrum Press
Nominated by: Nicola Mansfield
Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by Joel Christian Gill is, as the title suggests, a collection of stories, mostly biographical, about unique tales of African-American history. These are not the stories you learned about in school! Fascinating history told in an entertaining voice and decorated with lush illustrations, Strange Fruit brings little known but significant Black history to light.
The Harlem Hellfighters
Max Brooks
Broadway Books
Nominated by: Jennifer Schultz
Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks and illustrated by Canaan White is a fictional account of the 369th infantry regiment\'s deployment to France in World War I. They were the first African-American / African-Puerto Rican regiment formed to serve with the American forces. Brooks and White show the brutality of war and the added dangers of wide spread racism. Though they were the first to go overseas, they weren\'t provided adequate supplies or weaponry. They weren\'t allowed into the town where they trained and if they did go, they were attacked. Harlem Hellfighters is a brutally honest introduction to World War I, racism, and the human toll of war.
The Shadow Hero
Gene Luen Yang
First Second Books
Nominated by: Compass Book Ratings
Hank’s adventures start on the day his mother is saved by a superhero when getting tangled up with the escape of a fleeing bank robber. From that moment on, she is obsessed with Hank becoming a superhero of his own. Unfortunately, her efforts have mixed results, and the idea eventually falls by the wayside. When tragedy rears its head after Hank’s father has a run-in with the Chinatown mob, Hank is determined to seek revenge however possible. Thus, the Green Turtle is born. A wonderful story in its own right, The Shadow Hero is also a “what may have been” origin story for the Golden Age of Comics superhero Green Turtle. With solid characters and wonderfully paired artwork, Shadow Hero is a celebration of America’s first Asian American superhero.
Through the Woods
Emily Carroll
Margaret K. McElderry
Nominated by: Robin
Emily Carroll\'s Through the Woods is no ordinary retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.Each of the short tales in this volume riff on the story-- here a wolf, there a trip home, always a girl in peril-- and provide emotionally charged and terrifying conclusions. Artwork is beautifully rendered and keeps the main characters and locations within the reader\'s frame even when the story follows its own lead... and reminds us that we may travel through the woods as many times as we like... but the wolf only needs to catch us once.
To This Day: For the Bullied and Beautiful
Shane Koyczan
Annick Press
Nominated by: T.S. Davis
To This Day, Shane Koyczan\'s poem about bullying and the bullied, is a moving account of all the ways bullying can affect people every day. When you add illustrations, you have a one-two punch to the gut that drives home the message that bullying is never \"just words\" I approached this graphic novel with a rather large dose of cynicism (another book that is designed to play on our most maudlin feelings) and finished the book unexpectedly moved to tears. With spare words and text, Koyczan conveys exactly how cruel words make us all feel and also how we are not alone and that we can survive.
Middle-Grade Fiction
Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood
Varsha Bajaj
Albert Whitman & Company
Nominated by: Flowering Minds
Abby Spencer is, almost, your typical 13 year old. She has great friends, plays the violin, and rolls her eyes when her friend flirts with the older boy at the yogurt hut. Abby is raised by her single mom in Houston, Texas. Abby knows that her father returned to India, but she really wants her father. After a severe allergic reaction Abby’s mom seeks out her father to see if there are other medical issues. It is then that Abby and her mother discover that Abby’s father never knew that her mom was pregnant. They, also, discover that Abby’s father is a huge Bollywood actor. Thus the adventure begins when Abby travels to Mumbai to meet her dad. Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood by Varsha Bajaj is a delightful middle grade novel. Ms. Bajaj includes the magic of a famous Bollywood actor and the harsh reality of the poverty of Mumbai. The reader has the opportunity to see that Abby is a carefree girl, but struggles with learning how to adapt to different cultures, both Hindi and that of a wealthy father she has never met.
All Four Stars
Tara Dairman
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: Jenny Goebel
Gladys Gatsby is a young food critic who loves to cook just as much as she loves to talk about the foods she tries. Her parents feed her microwaved meals and take out, completely oblivious to her interests… until a blow torch incident in the opening chapter threatens to burn up Gladys\\\'s dreams along with the kitchen curtains! When an opportunity to write for a major magazine as a replacement food critic presents itself, Gladys knows they think she’s an adult but is convinced she has to take the job to prove herself to her parents.
Dairman manages to create a perfect balance between almost over-the-top silly scenes and the real-life concerns of family and fitting in for a middle grade girl chasing her dreams. The cast of secondary characters contributes to the plot and Gladys\\\'s growth with just the right amount of spice. All Four Stars is a tasty book that will have readers begging for a second helping.
Death by Toilet Paper
Donna Gephart
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Cathy Potter
Death by Toilet Paper is a hilarious novel about a boy who enters contests in hopes of helping his mom out financially.
Ever since his father died, Ben has taken it upon himself to be the man of the house which hasn\\\\\\\'t been easy lately. There\\\\\\\'s the threat of being evicted from their place, the stress of middle school, and the surprise of having his grandfather move in with them. He\\\\\\\'s sure that if he can come up with a clever slogan for Royal-T Bathroom Tissue, the grand prize money will solve their problems.
While addressing serious issues such as the loss of a parent and school bullying, I found Ben\\\\\\\'s coping skills to be funny and refreshing. Readers will root for him and his money making schemes. Donna Gephart portrays a family who is learning to live with their new realities in honest and heartbreaking but hopeful ways.
Ice Dogs
Terry Lynn Johnson
HMH Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Irene Latham
14-year-old Vicky knows that the key to winning the White Wolf dog sledding race will be acquiring just the right team of dogs. But after her dad died during a sledding race, Vicky\'s mom is cautious about her competing and even refuses to take her to the dog yard to find some more race leaders. Vicky waits until her mom leaves and takes off on her dog sled. Using her dad\'s knowledge of dog sledding, skills in trapping and some supplies against the harsh winter conditions, Vicky is confident that she can find the way on her own, Even with the best laid plans, she didn\'t anticipate finding an injured boy involved in a snowmobile accident. Vicky tries to help him find a path back to safety for some needed medical help. When they get hopelessly turned around on the trail, Vicky needs to use all of her skills, experiences and the strength of her beloved dogs to get them home. ¬¬¬¬ Drawing from her own personal life experiences as a musher, Terry Lynn Johnson has written a compelling survival story. Ice Dogs appeal comes from immediately immersing the reader in the gripping details of the cold harsh Alaskan woods, the constant struggle for their survival and warmth, the reality of needing to find civilization quickly, and their race against time. The overall strength that Vicky portrays, as well as the individual personalities of each of her dogs, gave this story instant appeal.
Nickel Bay Nick
Dean Pitchford
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: ALWAYS in the MIDDLE
Someone has been spreading cheer throughout the depressed town of Nickel Bay for the past seven years by secretly passing out $100 bills, but he hasn\'t been heard from during this Christmas season. Meanwhile, Sam is a problem child. It\'s been years since he had his heart transplant, but he\'s now hanging out with older kids, vandalizing property, and stealing from stores. However, he makes a big mistake when he destroys the Christmas decorations of the old man down the street. It turns out this man in a wheelchair was once an international spy, and he has collected enough private information to blackmail Sam. He forces Sam to use his skills as a liar and thief to sneak into stores and people\'s pockets, and it causes quite an uproar. Sam must continue to follow orders, while avoiding the police, or he\'ll be taken from his father and sent to a juvenile facility.
This book is a feel-good story. Sam\'s missions are surprising adventures and share a positive message for readers. Although he seems to be a sassy, self-centered boy, Sam\'s missions allow his good qualities to shine. The author is able create a sense of mystery surrounding the old man and Sam\'s travels through the city offer suspense. The book shares a heart-felt tale of adventure and shows the power of giving second chances.
The Crossover
Kwame Alexander
HMH Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Brandy Painter
Twins JB and Josh Bell both play basketball, but have different styles on and off the court. JB showboats a little less and concentrates more; Josh is loud and proud and fond of rap-style poetry. The boys\' mother is their school principal, and their father is a former basketball player who is an at-home dad because of his ill health, so when JB and Josh have arguments or get in trouble, they know that their parents will take them to task, but always with good humor. When their father doesn’t take care of himself, however, sports and school take a back seat to a family emergency.
Told in free verse that supports Josh’s fondness for rap, Alexander’s book will appeal to readers who like their sports books short and snappy with a side helping of serious issues.
The Meaning of Maggie
Megan Jean Sovern
Chronicle Books
Nominated by: Compass Book Ratings
In the 1980s, eleven-year-old Maggie wants to be president one day. Maggie is engaging and quirky, and manages to retain her sense of humor and light as she navigates middle school and family life. There are Science Fair and Student of the Month titles to defend, Coca-Cola stock to keep an eye on, and her family can\'t seem to operate without her. Her family\'s challenges may increase, especially has her father\'s health fails due to his struggles with multiple sclerosis, but she keeps moving forward, often propelled by her close relationship with her dad, who also uses his sense of humor to hang on as things fall apart around him.
The author draws upon her own life to tell Maggie\'s story, bringing a real authenticity to Maggie\'s voice. Anyone whose lives have been touched by chronic illness will appreciate this story.
Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
Angel Island: Gateway to Gold Mountain
Russell Freedman
Clarion Books
Nominated by: Jenna G
While Ellis Island is frequently written about in literature for young people, few Americans are familiar with its West Coast equivalent, Angel Island, off the California coast, which processed about one million immigrants from Japan, China, and Korea at the beginning of the 20th century. Using original source documents, including memoirs, diaries, letters, and “wall poems” written directly on the walls of the facility, master nonfiction writer Russell Freedman brings the moving story of this little-known facility to life. The book is abundantly illustrated with archival photographs and includes extensive back matter.
Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cat (Scientists in the Field Series)
Sy Montgomery
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Nominated by: Christopher Leach
This book chronicles the efforts of Laurie Marker and the Cheetah Conservation Fund to save the endangered cheetahs of Namibia through unique collaborations with the local farmers. Like most Scientists in the Field titles, it includes the story of the main scientist\'s life, involvement and viewpoints of locals, and stunning photographs. This is a perfect blend of inspiration and science, encouraging kids to dig deeper and think about a popular topic. A great book for strong middle grade readers to enjoy on their own or to read together as a family or class.
Feathers: Not Just for Flying
Melissa Stewart
Charlesbridge
Nominated by: laurapurdiesalas
This unique look at a bird\'s most obvious characteristic, its feathers, compares the many different uses of feathers to familiar items like a blanket and an umbrella. The text is layered with simple, declarative sentences and more complex factual captions and statements. Stunning artwork creates a scrapbook effect out of illustrations, with a skillful use of shadows to create a three-dimensional effect. This lovely and useful book will catch the interest of preschool through early elementary students who will pore over the art, be drawn into the text, and possibly inspired to start their own nature notebooks.
Handle With Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey (Nonfiction - Grades Prek-4) (Junior Library Guild Selection)
Loree Griffin Burns
Millbrook Press
Nominated by: Beth Mitcham
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” gets a literary partner for older children in Handle With Care, which takes readers on a visual tour of a butterfly farm in Costa Rica to further explore the miracle of metamorphosis. Accurate but restrained text complements the crisp photos popping with color. Sometimes the photos are a single, detail revealing close-up, while others use fascinating multiples & patterns: caterpillars in a bucket, pupae sorted into piles for shipping or lined up in neat rows. Generous use of white space keeps the focus trained on the miracle – the life cycle of butterflies. More than a simple documentary of the process, Handle With Care sets the understanding of metamorphosis in the larger context of our living, global ecosystem. It introduces the more challenging concept of the values and beliefs that drive the acquisition and application of scientific knowledge. Useful across several age levels, opportunities abound to enrich school curriculum in science as well as social studies. The title skillfully spotlights the larger message that “when handled with care”, the earth and its inhabitants can flourish together.
Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation
Duncan Tonatiuh
Harry N Abrams
Nominated by: Tasha
Most school-aged children can tell you about Ruby Bridges. Far fewer, however, maybe almost none, know about Sylvia Mendez, and yet it was Mendez and her family who actually paved the way for desegregation in California in 1947, seven years before Brown vs. the Board of Education and over a decade before Ruby Bridges attended school in New Orleans. Duncan Tontiuh’s picture book, SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL, chronicles the story of Mendez vs. Westminster in a way that is understandable to very young children, and yet appealing to young adults. Tontiuh was born in Mexico City, and his desire “to create images that honor the past, but that address contemporary issues that affect people of Mexican origin on both sides of the border, ” is clearly reflected in his style, which draws heavily on the ancient Mixtec Indian tribe. End matter includes a note from the author, photographs of Sylvia, her parents, and the schools she attended, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. A book that should be read in every classroom!
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery
Sandra Markle
Millbrook Press
Publisher/ Author Submission
Bats might seem a bit frightening, but they actually do all of us a huge favor. They eat about half their bodyweight in insects – roughly the equivalent of a thousand mosquitoes – each night! This means they help limit the spread of disease and protect crops. Little brown bats were once one of the most common bat species in North America, but a few years ago scientists noticed that the bats were behaving oddly and dying out in huge numbers each winter, struck down by a mystery killer.
Markle walks us carefully though the mystery, first by explaining the lifestyle of little brown bats and the important role they play in the ecosystem. Next she introduces us to a variety of scientists from different disciplines, all of whom are working together to solve the mystery and save the bats. With attractive layouts and amazing photographs, The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats neatly lays out the steps that scientists take to solve the problem – developing a set of hypotheses to investigate, collecting data in order to test each one, zeroing in on the culprit and finally proposing a range of possible solutions. This book is a wonderful introduction to problem solving for middle grade students, animal lovers, and budding scientists.
When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses
Rebecca L. Johnson
Millbrook Press
Publisher/ Author Submission
If a good defense is the best offense, then \"When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses\" by Rebecca L. Johnson shows just how offensively awesome some animals and plants can be when it comes to protecting themselves from predators. The photography, which utilizes a combination of well-timed traditional and underwater photography, x-ray technology, and visuals captured with a scanning electron microscope, amplifies the reader\'s understanding of how each animal employs its unique defenses. \"When Lunch Fights Back\" is an incredible highlights reel of gross facts about the techniques animals use to survive to fight another day. Johnson has created a compilation that will be stalked by kid-predators looking to devour the facts inside and fortunately, this book will not fight back. \"When Lunch Fights Back\" is well documented with source notes, photo acknowledgements, a selected bibliography, and a number of sources to continue to explore the topic further.
Young Adult Nonfiction
Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis
Alexis Coe
Zest Books
Nominated by: Svale
In 1892, 19-year-old Alice Mitchell cut the throat of her lover, 17-year-old Freda Ward. Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis tells the story of the murder that captured the attention of a nation. Using letters and transcripts, Alexis Coe weaves the description of the murder with the reality of what being gay during the time period meant.
Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters
Laurie Ann Thompson
Beyond Words Pub Co
Nominated by: Pat Zietlow Miller
Perhaps you have felt that drive, you know the one in which you want to do something. Perhaps you saw something on the news that has made you to want to spur into action or perhaps you see a need in your hometown that you think you can fill. However, you are at a lost as to where to begin. Enter Be a Changemaker. Thompson guides readers through the thought process from researching your ideas, to money matters and working with the media. One of the most appealing features of this book is the layout—clear, concise and easy to follow, readers are able to pick up this book from where they are in the process of their idea and hit the ground running. At the end are resources to help you take things further. Sprinkled throughout the book are real life examples, to help add credence to the title.
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
Susan Kuklin
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Jackie Parker
“I told my mom that I wanted to see me as a man in a heterosexual relationship. I wanted to be referred to as a he. I wanted to live my life as the man of the house, masculine. I know there are butch lesbians, and all that stuff, but I didn’t want to be that. I just wanted to be a normal man” Jessy, page 11. Beyond Magenta takes readers through a series of snapshots of young adults on the transgender spectrum. Through Kuklin’s photographs and their own words, readers are invited into their lives to learn about how they come to identify themselves today. Each story is heartfelt and authentic, allowing readers a glimpse into their lives. Because these are real teens speaking out about themselves—their journey, their hopes, their dreams, how they truly feel—it will help open the eyes of all those who pick it. Whether that person finds themselves agreeing with what is said or perhaps understand someone they know a little better, this book is groundbreaking and far reaching.
Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek
Maya Van Wagenen
Dutton Juvenile
Nominated by: Melissa Fox
“Popularity is more than books. It’s not clothes, hair or even possessions. When we let go of these labels, we see how flimsy and relative they actually are. Real popularity is kindness and acceptance. It is about who you are, and how you treat others” page 254.
Maya sets out to follow Betty Cornell’s advice from Teen-Age Popularity Guide during her eighth grade school year. Each month she follows a different set of advice from Cornell’s book, everything from dieting and posture to attitude. This memoir is often times hilarious, filled with trials and triumphs as Maya applies 1950s advice to her modern life in the twenty first century. Highly readable and enjoyable, this book resonates well with anyone who has felt left out and wishes they could feel different.
I really enjoyed this title—I found the writing engaging and without pretense. The author was not afraid to mention her failures or times when her classmates said or did some things that are less than desirable. Considering Maya is only fifteen years old, I believe it adds to the authentic voice—it does not read nor feel like someone trying to write from the perspective of a young adult. The tone is heartfelt, wry and gut wrenchingly honest and it adds such a bright spot in young adult memoirs.
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia
Candace Fleming
Schwartz and Wade Books
Nominated by: Compass Book Ratings
The tragedy of the last royal family of Russia was not just that they fell from power, but that they had been so deeply out of touch with the conditions of their people that they literally did not understand the causes of the revolution happening under their feet. Fascinating and well-written, the story alternates between the sheltered and incredibly lavish life of the clueless royal family and the desperately impoverished average Russian peasants. Letters, diary entries, photographs, and other historical evidence are interspersed throughout the story, giving it compelling depth and evoking sympathy on both sides.
The Freedom Summer Murders
Don Mitchell
Scholastic
Nominated by: Tara
Three men believed they were doing what was right--helping African Americans register to vote for the first time in our country\\\'s history. The year was 1964 and this measure was not something their white neighbors believed they should be doing. Enter the Klu Klux Klan, or the KKK as most know it. Kidnapped, tortured and murder, these deaths sparked an even greater fire to the Civil Rights Movement.
Mitchell brings to life the three men\\\'s stories, through quotes from family and friend, allowing the reader to know the men who fully believed that everyone was equal, no matter their skin color or where they grew up. The accounts of the night are supported by primary sources, well documented in the Endnotes. Throughout the book are pictures, that help give a visual account of what these men, their families and friends, saw during the 1964. Following the trial, Mitchell gives us synopsis of some of the individuals apart of the Freedom Summer Murders. Teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents and friends alike can use this book to open up the dialogue of how we treat others, especially those in higher positions.
The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
Steve Sheinkin
Roaring Brook Press
Nominated by: Danyelle
The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
by Steve Sheinkin
Two explosions. And in an instant, two ships, the 1200-foot pier, a locomotive and its ammunition boxcars were gone. On July 17, 1944, these explosions at the segregated Port Chicago Naval Base in San Francisco Bay killed 320 men--202 of whom were black--and injured 390 others. Citing unsafe work conditions, fifty men refused to return to their work of loading ammunition and were subsequently charged with mutiny. Trial transcripts, reports, first-hand accounts, and photos are woven into this gripping narrative, imbuing it with power and emotion. A master storyteller, Sheinkin transports readers through history as he recounts a story of segregation, discrimination, and injustice--a story that belongs not just to those fifty men, but to all of us.
Poetry
Brown Girl Dreaming
Jacqueline Woodson
Nancy Paulsen Books
Nominated by: Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
Brown Girl Dreaming written by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Penguin Group, Nancy Paulson Books, 2014, is many things in one rich collection – memoir, history, biography – and lyrical, exquisite poetry. Events of the author’s personal and family history provide the framework for a series of individual poems. Woven throughout are key events of the Civil Rights journey and also personal effects of racism and discrimination. In this beautiful and powerful tapestry of verse, one hears the poignant reflections of Jacqueline Woodson, “one of today’s finest writers,” who kept on dreaming through tough times and good times and who keeps on writing in “mesmerizing verse.”
Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole
Irene Latham
Millbrook Press
Nominated by: Amy @ Hope Is the Word
Dear Wandering Wildebeest by Irene Latham, illustrated by Anna Wadham, published by Millbrook. In Dear Wandering Wildebeest, Irene Latham’s poetry bounces with the impala and peeps like the meerkat. With childlike illustrations by Anna Wadham, Irene Latham takes us on a journey to the water hole of the African grasslands. Each poem is accompanied with factual information that will inform even the oldest readers. To All the Beasts who Enter Here, there is word play with \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Saw-scaled viper/ rubs, shrugs,/ sizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzles,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" form experiments in Triptych for a Thirsty Giraffe, humor of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Dung Beetle lays eggs/ in elephant poop,” and even danger, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Siren-howls/ foul the air./ Vultures stick to task.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" Children and adults alike will love the language and learning that wanders in this book along with the animals of the watering hole.
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems
Paul B. Janeczko
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Danyelle
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, published by Candlewick. Prolific anthologist Paul B. Janeczko brings the old and the new together in Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. The collection of 36 poems contains poems by classic poets such as Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost. Intermingled with these are poems by well known children\\\\\\\'s poets including J. Patrick Lewis and X. J. Kennedy. Firefly July takes readers through the seasons beginning in spring and ending with winter. The poems take readers to different locations as well. Both city and country settings appear in the poems. As the subtitle states, the poems are short, but the images they evoke are almost tangible. Melissa Sweet\\\\\\\'s mixed media illustrations are colorful, playful, imaginative, and whimsical. They draw readers into the poems. Firefly July is a stellar collection that will likely be a family favorite for years to come.
Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons
Jon J Muth
Scholastic
Nominated by: Bridget Wilson
Hi Koo!: A Year of Seasons by Jon J Muth, published by Scholastic.
Inspired by his twins, Muth wrote a haiku book that doesn\\\'t followe the often used three line, 5-7-5 syllable form. This made this title a stand out among other haiku books.
Readers take a seasonal journey from summer through spring by Koo the panda. (Thus the pun in the title: Hi Koo!) Beginning with a simple observation about the wind: found!/ in my Coat pocket a missing button/ the wind\\\'s surprise, to the last haiku: becoming quiet/ Zero sound/ only breath, Muth offers to young readers a new way to experience haiku.
The watercolor and ink drawings complement the text. The subtle alphabet theme adds another dimension to the book.
The author\\\'s note at the book\\\'s beginning sets the tone: \\\"...haiku is like an instant captured in words--using sensory images. At its best, a haiku embodies a moment of emotion that reminds us that our own human nature is not separate from all of nature.\\\"
This book of poetry will help readers to slow down to appreciate the small moments of nature and daily happenings.
Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole (Carolrhoda Picture Books) (Junior Library Guild Selection)
Bob Raczka
Carolrhoda Books
Nominated by: Stephanie Whelan
Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, published by Carolrhoda Books
Who knew that among his many talents, Santa was an expert at writing haiku? In this collection of 25 poems using the 5-7-5 format, Raczka brings us Santa\\\'s many observations, some about his job: \\\"Wishes blowing in/from my overfilled mailbox--/December\\\'s first storm\\\" and others about the weather, the time of year, and Christmas preparations: \\\"Clouds of reindeer breath/in the barn, steam rising from/my hot chocolate\\\". A fun read all at once, or one per day in anticipation of Christmas, some of the haiku work for winter in general as well: \\\"Just after moonrise/I meet my tall, skinny twin--/\\\'Good evening, shadow.\\\'\\\"
Voices from the March on Washington
J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon
Wordsong
Nominated by: Sylvia Vardell
Voices from the March: Washington, D.C., 1963 written by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon (WordSong/Boyds Mills Press, 2014) is a historical novel in verse that focuses specifically on the momentous march on Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. Six fictional characters (young and old, black and white) tell their tales on this historic day in cycles of linked poems alongside the perspectives of historic figures (the “Big Six”) and other march participants for a rich tapestry of multiple points of view. It’s been fifty years since the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, when discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin became against the law, but as recent events attest, we still have progress to make as a nation. In this powerful work, Lewis and Lyon tackle issues of racial and social justice in 70 lyrical poems that reflect the perspectives of young people and adults struggling with taking action for positive change in peaceful ways. In addition, extensive and helpful back matter includes a guide to the fictional and historical voices, bibliography, index, and list of websites and related books.
Water Rolls, Water Rises Water Rolls, Water Rises: El agua rueda, el agua sube
Pat Mora
CBP
Nominated by: Sylvia Vardell
Water Rolls, Water Rises: El Agua Rueda, El Agua Sube by Pat Mora, illustrated by Meilo So, published by CBP.
In a series of free verse poems in English and Spanish, our most precious natural resource takes center stage. Water rolls, rises, slithers, hums, twists, plunges, slumbers and moves across the Earth in varied forms and places. Mora’s three-line poems are filled with imagery and emotion. “Water rises/ into soft fog,/ weaves down the street, strokes and old cat.” (In Spanish: “El agua sube/ formando suave neblina/ que ondula pro la calle, acacia a un gate viejo.”) The lyrical movement of water described in verse is accompanied by Meilo So’s gorgeous mixed media illustrations highlighting 16 landscapes from Iceland, to China, to Mexico, the United States and more. Back matter includes an author’s note and information about the images in the book. A joyous, bilingual celebration, this collection brings water to life.
Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction
Boys of Blur
N. D. Wilson
Random House Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Sarah Potvin
In the swampy mucks of Florida where sugar cane grows and football is king, Charlie’s family has moved to begin a new chapter in their lives. Pairing up with his cousin, “Cotton”, Charlie begins to learn about his new town, but soon Charlie and Cotton find that their carefree days playing football and running through the burning cane fields are coming to an end. There is something not quite alive--but not quite dead either--wreaking havoc in the flats. Old rivalries are tearing the town apart. The little jealousies, bitter musings, and grudges people have cradled in their hearts are taking over their whole souls. The monsters, bent on destruction, are using this for their own ends. Charlie soon finds himself in the role of reluctant hero tasked with bringing an end to the source of the monsters’ power. In Boys of Blur, N.D. Wilson tells a sweeping tale of family, friendship, community, and heroism with a diverse cast of characters and plenty of action.
Greenglass House
Kate Milford
Clarion Books
Nominated by: Tara
Milo Pine has grown up in Greenglass House, the beautiful old smugglers\'s inn his parents run. Everything in his life follows the same pattern from year to year, and that\'s just the way he likes it. But one snowy day at the beginning of winter vacation, a visitor unexpectedly arrives, and then another one, and another, setting into motion a chain of events that will change Milo\'s world forever.
Part puzzle, part mystery, Greenglass House is an enchanting and thoughtful story. Milo\'s conflicted feelings about his identity and the idea of growing up will resonate with reader. His growing friendship with Meddy and their adventures playing his father\'s forgotten RPG provide an emotional backbone to this strongly written story about finding out that you are more than you ever thought you could be.
Nuts to You
Lynne Rae Perkins
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Lwad
When Jed the squirrel is captured by a hawk, he manages to escape, but he is lost and far from home. Fortunately for him, Jed has good friends, TsTs and Chai, who are willing to put themselves at risk to come to his rescue. Then, the three friends discover a greater threat to their squirrel community than hawks and other predators. Can they return home in time to sound the warning, and can they persuade the busy, nut-gathering squirrel clan that their lives are in danger?
Nuts to You is a squirrel-y story. The squirrels talk to each other–--in squirrel. One of them has learned some English, and he tells the story to the author who writes it down for us. The moral is, “Save the trees,” for the sake of the squirrels and for humans, too. All of that–--the talking squirrels, the environmental message, the author inside the story—works together for a tale of friendship and adventure that is a cut above your usual talking animal story. At times poignant and at other times hilarious, Nuts to You will keep kids reading and laughing and perhaps looking for their own squirrel friend with whom to share a conversation and a peanut butter sandwich
The Castle Behind Thorns
Merrie Haskell
Katherine Tegen Books
Nominated by: Cecelia from Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia
Sand has lived all his thirteen years in view of the cursed castle surrounded by a thick hedge of poisoned thorns. But that doesn\'t prepare him for the morning when he wakes up inside the castle, among the ashes on the hearth. Everything in the castle is broken, including loaves of bread, items of clothing, and the giant anvil in the smithy. Everything is broken except the body of the princess whom Sand finds in the castle crypt. How to break this curse isn\'t obvious, and Sand is not a prince. In fact, he\'s never wanted to be anything but a blacksmith, and as he starts repairing the items in the castle, he discovers a gift for mending -- and healing. But waking the cursed princess is only the beginning. Trapped together inside the castle by the poisonous hedge of thorns, blacksmith\'s boy and princess must learn to work together to uncover the secrets of the past and break the curse.
The Castle Behind Thorns is a tale of enchantment, friendship, and forgiveness, a story of overcoming obstacles, mending what\'s broken, and finding one\'s place in the world. It will appeal to those who love fairy tales but appreciate stories where it can take much more than a simple kiss to break a spell.
The Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra
Jason Fry
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Stephanie Whelan
Pirates! In Space! Twelve-year-old Tycho Hashoon and his twin sister Yana are actually privateers on their family’s ship, the Shadow Comet, licensed by the Jovian Union of the inhabited moons of Jupiter. Their older brother is, like Tycho and Yana, training to be captain of the ship someday. When Tycho earns a chance to lead a boarding party, disaster strikes. The Hashoons have to give up their hard-won prize and risk losing their letter of marque. Tycho and Yana’s efforts to uncover the truth take them from the Ceres Admiralty Court to seedy port hangouts and uninhabited regions of space.
The Hashoon family itself is as appealing as the space-faring premise. They are both loving and competitive, with an extended family all living, joking and squabbling together on board ship. Part space opera, part legal thriller, with a whole lot of very relatable family relationships, Jupiter Pirates: Hunt for the Hydra is an exciting yarn that will hook kids with the adventure while leaving them with deeper thoughts on topics from siblings to slavery.
The Luck Uglies
Paul Durham
HarperCollins
Nominated by: Ruth Compton
Welcome to the village Drowning. For centuries, the residents of Drowning have been warned not to venture into the dark, murky bogs that surround the village. After all, the bogs are home to the evil and terrifying Bog Nobblins – or so the legend goes. Rye O\'Chanter has always believed Bog Nobblins were a thing of legend. No one has seen one and there has been no indication they even exist. That all changes when she has a horrific encounter with a single Bog Nobblin that forces Rye to realize the thing people fear most is real.
Now, Rye is tasked with convincing others the Bog Nobblin is a threat and the village needs help from a mysterious group of criminals known as the Luck Uglies.
Luck Uglies, the first book in a trilogy, is a fantasy novel that has it all – magic, friendship, adventure, mysterious creatures, and secrets that need to be uncovered.
The Swallow: A Ghost Story
Charis Cotter
Tundra
Nominated by: Reno
Rose sees ghosts and thinks she herself might be one, for no one seems to see or care about her. Polly desperately wants to see ghosts, or at least find respite from her busy, family-filled house. What neither expected was for the angry ghost of a third girl to interfere in the friendship they have made with each other through their shared attic wall.
Part mystery, part ghost story, this gripping and sometimes deeply poignant book will delight readers who love character-driven stories of friendship and family. Full of twists, both ghostly and otherwise, this is an utterly absorbing and beautifully written story.
Young Adult Speculative Fiction
Death Sworn
Leah Cypess
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Charlotte
From the moment Ileni stepped into a cave of assassins to teach magic and discover who killed her two predecessors, I was hooked. In DEATH SWORN, Ileni goes deep into a culture that values absolute obedience and killing for the greater good. Ileni herself is the novel\'s greatest assassin, a heroine who overcomes her fears and doubts, managing to hide that she\'s weak and easy prey. The intense tension between Ileni and her assassin protector Soren adds a touch of romance to the action, with a refreshing lack of anything resembling a love triangle. The theme of questioning authority and dogma will resonate with teens, as will Ileni\'s growing engagement with the world around her as she discovers that you can forge a new path for yourself after your dreams falter.
Glory O'Brien's History of the Future
A.S. King
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Angie Manfredi
You don\'t need a dose of hallucinogenic bat to enjoy this trippy tale. A.S. King\'s capable writing weaves together three worlds: the past, where a young mother\'s suicide left her husband and daughter reeling, the present, in which the last days of high school close the door on that daughter\'s childhood, and the future, which is a nightmare existence in a patriarchal dystopia. Today, eighteen-year-old Glory O\'Brien\'s smallest choices and revelations will affect all three worlds. They will clarify her past, determine her present and maybe - just maybe - change the future for everyone.
Noggin
John Corey Whaley
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Mary McKenna Siddals
Travis Coates is a boy out of time. His body was dying of cancer, which led him to cryogenically preserve himself hoping for a cure. But 5 years later, a radical new procedure allows the doctors to place his perfectly good head onto another boy\'s body. Now he is literally out of time: he is woken up feeling like only a day has passed when in reality, the world has moved 5 years into the future without him. His friends have graduated, his girlfriend is engaged to another man, his best friend is content to stay in the closet and yet Travis is still stuck in high school. As Travis tries to keep his head on straight, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cringe. Pun totally intended. Noggin by John Corey Whaley takes the typical questions of the teenage years – who am I? where do I fit in? – and kicks them up a notch with a brilliant speculative concept that combines biting humor with the perfect amount of angst and sorrow.
Salvage
Alexandra Duncan
Greenwillow Books
Nominated by: Kristen
Salvage is the epic journey of a girl severed from her community and exiled from the only life she’s ever known. The struggle to survive becomes a journey for self-actualization, as Ava loses everything and must find within herself the strength to start over and find her own way, not once, but over and over again. Rich details immerse the reader in each setting and culture, from a patriarchal, fundamentalist society in space, to a floating city in the Great Pacific Garbage Gyre, to a futuristic Mumbai. A dark skinned heroine leads a cast of characters diverse in race, culture, and class.
The Living
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Jen Robinson
What starts as a way for Shy to earn money to help his family back in a small town close to the San Diego/Mexico border turns out to be a horrific ride when the dreaded \'Big One\' hits the West Coast. Added to the mix is a deadly disease that has killed not only Shy\'s grandmother, but others. The Living has a gripping plot featuring a Mexican-American protagonist and a cast of diverse characters. It starkly portrays racism and classism among the rich cruise patrons, and the greed that drives some in power to commit questionable acts. Sure to appeal to reluctant readers with its multi-layered characters and action-packed scenes, this novel nails the horror of being caught in a disaster and portrays the courage and strength that can come when people are faced with terrible odds.
The Winner's Curse
Marie Rutkoski
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Nominated by: Heidi @ YA Bibliophile
The Winner’s Curse is a world-building lover’s dream, with a rich setting and two distinct cultures free of stereotypes. Despite the unequal power dynamic between the two leads - Kestrel as a daughter of the conqueror and Arin as one of the conquered and enslaved - they find themselves drawn to each other, playing a game of emotional chess to get what they need even as the attraction builds. Rutkoski deals sensitively with class issues and the realities of slavery, allowing the romance to develop but ensuring her characters remain true to themselves and their own motivations. The action-packed second half, the moral ambiguity of the characters’ actions, and the intense romance make The Winner’s Curse highly appealing and a story readers will continue to think about long after the last page is turned.
While We Run
Karen Healey
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Bibliovore
While We Run opens with Abdi Taalib singing a rendition of Here Comes the Sun - a hopeful, romantic song that directly contradicts his nightmare existence as a government prisoner and puppet. Soon he and Tegan (star of 2013\'s When We Wake) are on the run, not sure who to trust or what the right next step is. Abdi’s privileged, Somali upbringing may come in handy as they maneuver between the rebels and the installed regime. His ability to manipulate people could be just what they need. But no matter what they decide, lives will be lost.
Healey completely integrates a diverse set of characters into a world so real it seems like the reader is also barreling towards that future. The intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and religion are natural and the characters well-rounded and complete. Diversity isn\'t a plot device, it\'s part of each character\'s individual story. While We Run shows throws us into a world that has computers that look and act like paper, night vision contact lenses, legalized drugs, and the worldwide ability to use human waste as manure. But is it a better future?\"
Young Adult Fiction
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces
Isabel Quintero
Cinco Puntos Press
Nominated by: Svale
“Every time I go out with a guy, my mom says, ‘Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas.’ Eyes open, legs closed” – advice Gabi’s mom didn’t exactly follow. Mom also wants her to lose weight, but in Gabi’s tough life, food is comfort and she wants to be comfortable with who she is – a gordita who discovers her voice in poetry and in standing tall for her friends. And that voice…it’s funny, sardonic, passionate, honest, sad, wise beyond Gabi’s sixteen years but also achingly real. When it comes to boys, Gabi’s eyes are wide open, but she’s vulnerable, too, with a heart the size of California and Mexico combined. Follow this journal of Gabi’s unforgettable senior year and she will become your best book friend forever.
Girls Like Us
Gail Giles
Candlewick Press
Nominated by: Jennifer Schultz
This is a poignant and painful story of two special ed girls (“speddies”) whose strengths and weaknesses are well-matched in ways that neither of them expect. Biddy and Quincy describe their own lives as well as each other, so we get a clear picture of these girls and we see the fears and the secrets they hide from other people and even from themselves. The girls spend much of this story challenging their own expectations and sense of self-worth. Do they deserve good things from people who care about them? Do they deserve insults and abuse from people who don’t? Do they deserve to be social outcasts? The obstacles that Biddy and Quincy have to overcome are gut-wrenching, and they will have a profound impact on readers. Many teens (and adults) will be moved to tears by this book.
I'll Give You the Sun
Jandy Nelson
Dial Books
Nominated by: Sarah Potvin
I\'ll Give You the Sun is a compelling story of twins Jude and Noah, both talented artists competing for admission to an elite art school and thier mother\'s affection. The alternating voices and shifts in time give the reader a different perspective of not only the dynamics of this shattered family, but also the twins themselves. Through her nuanced writing, Nelson tackles some big issues - sibling relationships, sexuality, and grief - in a way that both teens and adults can relate; this all adds up to an unforgettable read.
Pointe
Brandy Colbert
Putnam Juvenile
Nominated by: Kelly Jensen
Despite the difficulty of the last four years—which included her best friend\'s disappearance and an ongoing struggle with anorexia—17-year-old Theo has pulled her life together and is on track to break into professional ballet. Now, with her best friend\'s return, the turmoil returns, and old memories suddenly take on new meaning. Pointe deals with heavy issues with nuance and grace, and introduces a voice that walks the unusual line between deliberate self-delusion and utter honesty. It tells the story of a romance in which neither player is on solid moral ground, but both are entirely empathetic; and it shows how friendship can be a solid foundation for healing, understanding and trust. But it is Theo\'s journey towards an understanding of her own self-worth that makes Pointe so special: as she works through the events in her past, she realizes how much more she deserves from her present and her future.
When I Was the Greatest
Jason Reynolds
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: Liza Wiemer
Ali\'s mother—the wise and fearsome Doris Brooks—warns him that a time may come when his best pal Noodles lets him down once too often, but Ali never imagines it will happen in the middle of a savage beat-down. When Noodles\'s brother, Needles (nicknamed for the knitting habit that helps him cope with his Tourette\'s syndrome) accidentally jabs a brawny partygoer with a knitting needle, Noodles turns to limp spaghetti and it\'s up to Ali to dive in, fists swinging, to save his friend. Set in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, When I Was the Greatest is a novel with extraordinary heart, with a cast of characters so real and flawed and complex they feel like family. And family, Ali will be the first to tell you, is the most important thing there is. In a voice both wry and wrenching, this fast-moving tale explores the complicated ramifications of small choices and the magic of second chances.