This view shows all of the books in this age group that have been selected in years past and nominated for the current year (but not yet selected). The nominations are marked by a "Nomination(not yet selected):" label.
A short sweet book of poetry about mud puddles and melting snow men and observing and enjoying nature. A fun way to share poetry with anyone, not just boys.
Facing a move from the Saskatchewan wilds to Toronto, the narrator - the only third-grader in her small school - recounts the things she knows and, at the suggestion of her teacher, decides to draw them and take their pictures with them when she goes. Nostalgic without being sad, this is a wonderful recreation of a vanished world as well as a suggestion for facing change. Matt James off-beat pen and acrylic illustrations can be realistic (delineating each individual trailer) or abstract (a frog with an impossibly acrobatic tongue) and support this beautifully written text perfectly. Kathy Isaacs
Experienced in breaking rules since childhood, Dizzy Gillespie broke the rules of music as an adult by creating bebop. Swinging, swooping collage illustrations with thick paint lines in cool 1950s colors extend this jazzy book‘s theme.
Multiple surprises unfold after a boy finds an old camera on the beach and develops the film in it. The nearly wordless, eloquent pictures invite repeated viewings.
Harriet Tubman hears God telling her to seek freedom not only for herself but also for her people. Luminous illustrations and carefully designed fonts convey the unconquerable will and faith of this courageous woman.
Younguncle arrives in the middle of the Indian monsoon season and provides a group of bored children with clever, unexpected solutions to a variety of problems.
Granny Judith adds a square to her quilt for each runaway slave Christmas John rows across the river. Rich, dark watercolors punctuated with red capture both the fear and the hope in these daring flights to freedom.
Determined to rid his land of the Devil, Colonel Lightfoot agrees to a dance contest with the conceited creature. This Virginia folktale’s lively illustrations highlight the Colonel’s realization that he can use the devil’s own arrogance to defeat him.
Irrepressible third-grader Clementine always has an ingenious idea “sproinging up” in her brain, each leading to a series of humorous mishaps. Expressive ink illustrations and a fresh first-person narrative suit both chapter book readers and listeners.