2004 AWARD-WINNING CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Compiled by Barb Swanson Sanders
CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson By the same team who brought us “The Other Side”, this is a story about the Depression in the deep South when many women had to leave their children to go North and make money for their families. Told by a daughter who misses her mother, it captures the longing of the time perfectly!
NEWBERY HONOR BOOK/SIBERT MEDAL FOR NONFICTION The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle For Equal Rights by Russell Freedman Freedman is at his best with this biographical look at a tempestuous time period in American history! While the main body of the book introduces us to Marian Anderson’s struggle, the impact of her stand on equality is set in a wonderful overview of the Civil Rights movement!
SIBERT HONOR BOOK FOR NONFICTION Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing by James Rumford This is one of my favorite books of the year and I am so glad that it got a nod from the award committees! It will capture your older students who will get to see how a written language develops and the difficulties and joys of that process!
SIBERT HONOR BOOK FOR NONFICTION The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery Great photos! If you are afraid of spiders, especially BIG ones, this may not be the book for you…but your students will love it!
NEWBERY HONOR BOOK Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko This tale from the 1930s is about a young boy who lives on Alcatraz Island because his dad has taken a job as a guard there to earn a better living! A sub-plot about an autistic older sister shows us how disabled citizens were treated at the time…a great read aloud!
CORETTA SCOTT KING ILLUSTRATOR AWARD ellington was not a street by Ntozake Shange & Kadir Nelson For young African American children, and all children who live in the US , this is the introduction to Harlem in the “Rennaisance” Period of the 1930s. They will be introduced to the best artistic minds of the time, including Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington!
November is a focus on Fantasy books. Next month is Black History Month and mid-January we learn the new prize winning books in Childen's Literature.
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Disney/Hyperion 2004)
So how DID Peter Pan meet Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell and the crocodile? Its all here, in this prequel to the classic story; full of action and adventure, children familiar with the Peter Pan story will relish these details about how our hero first came to fly, and take the first step so that he would “never grow up”!
Eager by Helen Fox (Random House 2004)
A very creative look at how our world might use robots in the future, this first novel explores the ethics and philosophy behind the creation of mechanical servants…when do they become “human”? What constitutes “life”? Who is responsible for the decisions that scientists make when they create these robots? Complex ideas in a simple forum make for good discussion openings for these readers who are just starting to confront some of science’s biggest questions.
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke (Scholastic 2004)
With a fold-out map inside, this wonderful read takes us to the land of the Dragons, who have hidden from human beings in the far north of the British Isles. Now mankind is coming to this remote area and the dragons must relocate; can they find the mythical Rim of Heaven, where they can be safe forever? Not without the help of a little contentious brownie, a brave boy and a map-making mouse! Great adventure!
No Time Like Showtime: a Hermux Tantamoq Adventure by Michael Hoeye (Putnam 2004)
For those of you who have read “Time Stops for No Mouse” and “The Sands of Time”, you already know Hermux Tantamoq…the little watchmaker mouse who lives and solves mysteries in Pinchester while pining away for his aviatrix love! If you haven’t met Hermux, drop everything and find all three of these wonderful books and share them with your class! Great read-alouds and each adventure gets better and better!!!!
Peruse our October list of recommended Informational Text: The Lewis and Clark Expedition.
You Wouldn't Want to Be a Polar Explorer! by Jen Green (Watts Publishing)
A book about Shackleton's voyage to Antarctica in 1912, this humorous look at his dangerous trip introduces us to the difficulties and dangers of this type of exploration. A great way to expand on the topic and broaden the learning!
Who Really Discovered America? by Avery Hart (Williamson Publishing, 2001)
This book takes a completely different approach to the subject, challenging young people to think about what "discovery" really means and how to question the history we're taught so that we can better understand our world. An introduction to critical thinking skills, this book will encourage your students to look at historical "facts" differently!
My Travels with Capts. Lewis and Clark by Kate McMullan (HarperCollins, 2004)
George Shannon, the youngest member of the expeditionary group, was an ancestor of McMullan's and she has always looked at the Lewis and Clark trip as part of her personal heritage. This fictional account, told in Shannon's journal, is a different look at the topic for middle readers.
Off the Map: The Journals of Lewis & Clark by Peter and Connie Roop (Walker Publishing, 1993)
A condensed version of the journals kept during the expedition at the insistence of Thomas Jefferson, this is a good overview of the trip. The illustrations in this book expand on the text and provide reference points for reluctant readers that will help them navigate the story.
The Captain's Dog: My Journey with Lewis & Clark by Roland Smith (Harcourt, 1999)
Told in novel form and narrated by Seaman, Meriwether Lewis' dog, this book looks at the expedition from another point-of-view. Because of Smith's background as a biologist, his retelling rings true and tells a great story! (See also Seaman's Journal: On the Trail with Lewis & Clark.)
My Name is York by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk (Rising Moon Books, 1997)
York was Captain William Clark's personal slave, who accompanied them on the 1804 expedition. This picture book is a visually-stunning look at the trip through the eyes of one of its most interesting voyagers!
Crocodiles, Camels and Dugout Canoes: Eight Adventurous Episodes by Bo Zaunders (Dutton, 1998)
A collection of tales about 19th and early 20th century travelers, this book will expand the definition of "explorer" to include all peoples who look for adventure in new places. Great illustrations enhance the most interesting text and make for an accessible and exciting read!
Peruse our August and September list of recommended back-to-school reading for children and young at heart adults.
Scholastic Kid’s Almanac by Scholastic Reference; Revised edition (June 1, 2004)
This is the perfect time to review the types of reference books that are available for kids to quench their thirst for facts; the Kid’s Almanac, with its wide variety of subjects and great visual design, is a wonderful way to begin!
It Rained All Day That Night; Autographs, Rhymes and Inscriptions by Lillian Morrison, August House Publishers, 2003
All of the crazy rhymes and word games that we played and jotted in our friends’ autograph books when we were younger are collected in this slim volume that should get modern kids all excited as well…for example, “You are a peach, If we cantaloupe, Lettuce marry; we’d make a nice pear”
Brain Juice; Science Fresh Squeezed and American History Fresh Squeezed both by Carol Diggory Shields, Handprint Books; (September 2003)
Collections of humorous poems about the subjects described in the titles spice up your curriculum and get kids involved in the learning in a totally different way!
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, HarperTrophy; Reprint edition (March 1, 2003)
I know that you’ve read it before (if not, you SHOULD!!), but start off this year with a poetry unit based on this novel--you’ll find there is a wealth of ideas and emotion here!
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, Viking Books; (October 1, 1995)
Introduce this title again to your kids--because Science Verse (yes, finally, the SEQUAL!!!) is due out in September!
Introduce this read-aloud:
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan, Greenwillow; 1st edition (August 17, 2004)
Also due in bookstores in September, this new novel reminds me of Because of Winn Dixie and will be the perfect choice to introduce the idea of “voice” in writing!! Besides all that, you will LOVE Ida B and her world--a sure-fire winner!!
Peruse our May, June and July list of recommended summer reading for children and young at heart adults.
Juliet Dove, Queen of Love by Bruce Coville Harcourt 2003
From the author of the "Magic Shop" series which also starred Jeremy Thatcher (Dragon Hatcher!), this fantasy will open up a new alternative world for Harry Potter fans!
Utterly Me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child Candlewick Press 2003
The first chapter book about this picture-book favorite, children will be drawn to the antics of this heroine who adds such pizzazzzz! To everyone's days!
The Meanest Doll in the World by Ann M Martin & Laura Godwin Hyperion Press 2003
A sequel to "The Doll People" (also highly recommended!), this story introduces the nastiest doll you'll ever meet...and the wonderful doll families that teach her a lesson!
Pocket Poems by Bobbi Katz Dutton Books 2004
A collection of short, snappy rhymes to keep in your pocket over the summer so, "you can rock with new rhythms, you can skip, you can dance!"
Families: Around the World, One Kid at a Time by Uwe Ommer Universe 2003
Wonderful photos capture the spirits and lifestyles of over 50 children from all parts of the world! A terrific introduction to multicultural units!
Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America by Sharon Robinson Scholastic; 1st edition 2004
A memoir by Robinson's daughter ties the ballplayer's life into the historical events taking place at the time he integrated baseball.
Hoop Queens Candlewick Press 2003 (Both by Charles R. Smith, Jr.)
Diamond Dreams Both by Charles R. Smith, Jr. Orchard Books 2004
Wonderful poetry collections with eye-popping graphic design...particular good for reluctant readers or sports lovers!
Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close by Nic Bishop Scholastic 2002
A beautifully illustrated book that helps children discover new worlds to explore with the plants and animals they find right in their own backyard!
And an old favorite!
The "Amber Brown" series by Paula Danziger
For the newly-confident readers, this series of chapter books is a great read for the whole family and will help the hours pass on any long car trip or airplane ride!
