Bones by Steve Jenkins Scholastic Nominated by: Mary Ann Scheuer Young explorers might come across skeleton remains, but in Bones, readers are reminded that skeletons are alive. Jenkins’ book delivers all sorts of bones, from snakes to humans to bats and everything else in between. His clever page titles such as “Arm Yourself,” “Big Foot,” or “Support Group” are engaging. …

Dark Game: True Spy Stories, The by Paul Janeczko Candlewick Press Nominated by: heather wilks-jones The Dark Game presents compelling accounts of global espionage from the American Revolution through present-day cyber spying. Chapters focus on old favorites such as Benedict Arnold and Mata Hari and less well-known figures, such as Civil War spy Elizabeth Van Lew and Juan Pujol, the …

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers Nominated by: David Richardson Rob Buyea, a teacher and first time author, has written Because of Mr. Terupt. It is a beautiful book about a class of fifth graders and their new teacher. The book is told by seven students. They write about their experiences with a …

Ghostopolis by Doug Tennapel GRAPHIX Nominated by: D.M. Cunningham Garth Hale, a kid with a fatal disease, is accidentally zapped into the world of the dead before his time. With the aid of a skeletal horse and two star-crossed lovers (one living, one dead), he tries to find his way home to his grieving mother–discovering along the way that he …

Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess (Olympians) by George O’Connor First Second Books Nominated by: Nicola Manning Continuing his encapsulation of the lives of the Greek gods, O’Connor turns his attention this time to the goddess of wisdom. From her birth from the skull of Zeus to her triumphs and tragedies, we get a full-blooded look at one of the most powerful of …

Beach Tail, A by Karen Lynn Williams Boyds Mills Press Nominated by: Jessalynn Pinsonault While following his father’s direction to stay close to the lion he drew in the sand, a young boy makes the tail longer and longer as he explores the shore. Finding himself far away from the beach umbrella, the boy figures out how to get back …

Borrowed Names: Poems About Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters by Jeannine Atkins Henry Holt Nominated by: Jenny Moss This collection of extended poems for young adults reads as if it’s a novel–a skillful blend of verse, plot, and character development–offering readers a fresh understanding of the complex emotional depths shared by mothers and daughters. …

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner Random House Children’s Books Nominated by: Hallie Tibbetts When Sam Wilson hacks into the computer system of one of America’s largest companies, he has no idea that his actions will bring about, in the words of The Washington Post, a “National Disaster.” Or, for that matter, that he will get caught. An action-adventure containing shades …

Call, The (The Magnificent 12) by Michael Grant Katherine Tegen Books Nominated by: Ben Michael Grant has crafted a great beginning to a new series that is guaranteed to leave you wanting more action, more plot development, more laugh-out-loud humor and the next book in the series. The Call follows a 12-year-old boy named Mack who is just a “medium” …