California Young Reader Medal
Encyclopedia
The California Young Reader Medal is an award given annually to books nominated and voted on by children in California. The medal was established in 1974 and encourages recreational reading. The medal is sponsored by four organizations that promote reading and literacy: the California Association of Teachers of English, the California Library Association, the California Reading Association, and the California School Library Association.
The medals are awarded in five categories: Primary (grades K-2), Intermediate (grades 3-5), Middle School/Junior High (grades 6-8), Young Adult (grades 9-12), and Picture Books for Older Readers (all grades).
The criteria for the awards are:
The medals are awarded in five categories: Primary (grades K-2), Intermediate (grades 3-5), Middle School/Junior High (grades 6-8), Young Adult (grades 9-12), and Picture Books for Older Readers (all grades).
The criteria for the awards are:
- The book must have a strong appeal for the age group
- The book must be often read or requested by the age group
- The book must have been published within the past four years and must still be in print
- The author must still be living
- The book must be an original work of fiction and available in the English language
1970s
- 1975 Intermediate: How to Eat Fried WormsHow to Eat Fried WormsHow to Eat Fried Worms is the title of a children's book written by Thomas Rockwell, first published in 1973. It was later turned into a CBS Storybreak episode in the mid-1980s, and a movie of the same name in 2006...
, Thomas RockwellThomas RockwellThomas Rhodes Rockwell is the author of a number of books for young readers. He was the recipient of the Mark Twain Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Sequoyah Book Award for How to Eat Fried Worms, which was made into a TV movie in 1985 and was filmed as a theatrical release in 2006... - 1976 Primary: How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head, by Bill PeetBill PeetBill Peet , was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios...
- 1977 Intermediate: Freaky FridayFreaky FridayFreaky Friday is a classic comedic children’s novel written by Mary Rodgers first published in the USA in 1972, and adapted for film several times.-Plot:...
, by Mary RodgersMary RodgersMary Rodgers is an American composer of musicals and an author of children's books. She is a daughter of composer Richard Rodgers and his wife, Dorothy Rodgers, as is her sister, Linda Rodgers Emory... - 1977 Young Adult: Watership DownWatership DownWatership Down is a classic heroic fantasy novel, written by English author Richard Adams, about a small group of rabbits. Although the animals in the story live in their natural environment, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language , proverbs, poetry, and mythology...
, by Richard AdamsRichard AdamsRichard Adams was a non-conforming English Presbyterian divine, known as author of sermons and other theological writings.-Life:... - 1978 Primary: Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth, by Lucy Bate
- 1979 Intermediate: Danny, the Champion of the WorldDanny, the Champion of the WorldDanny, the Champion of the World is a 1975 children's book by Roald Dahl. The plot main centers on a young English boy, Danny, and his father, William, who live in a Gypsy vardo fixing cars for a living and partake in poaching pheasants. The story is based on Dahl's adult short story "Champion of...
, by Roald DahlRoald DahlRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander... - 1979 Young Adult: The Late Great Me, by Sandra ScoppettoneSandra ScoppettoneSandra Scoppettone is an American author whose career spans the 1960s through the 2000s. She is known for her mystery and young adult books.She also wrote Suzuki Beane...
1980s
- 1980 Primary: Big Bad Bruce, by Bill PeetBill PeetBill Peet , was an American children's book illustrator and a story writer for Disney Studios...
- 1980 Middle School/Junior High: The PinballsThe PinballsThe Pinballs is a 1976 young adult novel by American author Betsy Byars. The story is about three foster children, Carlie, Harvey and Thomas J., who have been taken in by the Masons, a couple who have cared for many other foster children in the past in also have some personal problems . Carlie...
, by Betsy ByarsBetsy ByarsBetsy Cromer Byars is an American author of children's books. Her novel Summer of the Swans won the 1971 Newbery Medal... - 1981 Intermediate: Summer of the MonkeysSummer of the MonkeysSummer of the Monkeys is a 1976 children's novel written by Wilson Rawls. The book was published by Doubleday and was the winner of the William Allen White Book Award and the California Young Reader Medal....
, by Wilson RawlsWilson RawlsWilson Rawls, born Woodrow Wilson Rawls, was an American writer best known for his books Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys.- Childhood :... - 1981 Young Adult: A Summer to DieA Summer to DieA Summer to Die was Lois Lowry's first novel, chronicling a year in the lives of Meg and Molly Chalmers. It was also her first children's book.-Synopsis:Meg, the younger of the two sisters, is the story's narrator and primary protagonist...
, by Lois LowryLois LowryLois Lowry is an American author of children's literature. She began her career as a photographer and a freelance journalist during the early 1970s... - 1982 Primary: Miss Nelson is Missing, by Harry Allard
- 1982 Middle School/Junior High: Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood, by Ellen ConfordEllen ConfordEllen Conford is an author for children and young adults. Among her writings are the Annabel the Actress and Jenny Archer series...
- 1983 Primary: Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp, by Mercer MayerMercer MayerMercer Mayer is an American children's book writer and illustrator. He has published over 300 books using a wide range of illustrative styles...
- 1983 Intermediate: SuperfudgeSuperfudgeSuperfudge is a children's novel by Judy Blume, published in 1980. It is the sequel to Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.- Plot :The story is about four-year-old Fudge whose family has given him an increased vocabulary. Due to that fact, he knows where babies come from and plans to be a bird when he...
, by Judy BlumeJudy BlumeJudy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages... - 1983 Middle School/Junior High: Tiger EyesTiger EyesTiger Eyes is a young adult novel written by Judy Blume in 1981 about a young girl attempting to cope with the murder of her father.-Plot summary:...
, by Judy BlumeJudy BlumeJudy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages... - 1983 Young Adult: Summer of Fear, by Lois DuncanLois DuncanDuncan is best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title...
- 1984 Primary: Bagdad at It, by Phyllis Green\
- 1984 Intermediate: The Trouble with Tuck, by Theodore TaylorTheodore Taylor (author)Theodore Taylor was an American author of more than 50 fiction and non-fiction books for young adult readers, including The Cay, The Weirdo , Ice Drift, Timothy of the Cay, The Bomb, Sniper, and Rogue...
- 1984 Middle School/Junior High: There's a Bat in Bunk FiveThere's a Bat in Bunk FiveThere’s a Bat in Bunk Five is a young adult novel written by Paula Danziger.In this sequel to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, Marcy Lewis finds herself as a counselor in training at the summer camp near Woodstock, New York run by her former English teacher, Ms. Finney, whom Marcy has missed after Ms....
, by Paula DanzigerPaula DanzigerPaula Danziger was a U.S. and e.u. children's author. She grew up in Metuchen, NJ. She lived in New York City and in Bearsville, NY... - 1984 Young Adult: Stranger with My FaceStranger with My FaceStranger With My Face is a young adult horror novel by Lois Duncan, first published in 1981. It was adapted into a television film of the same name...
, by Lois DuncanLois DuncanDuncan is best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title... - 1985 Primary: Herbie's Troubles, by Carol Chapman
- 1985 Intermediate: The Indian in the CupboardThe Indian in the CupboardThe Indian in the Cupboard is a children's book by British author Lynne Reid Banks, and illustrated by Brock Cole. It was first published in 1980, and has received numerous awards, as well as being made into a film in 1995....
, by Lynne Reid BanksLynne Reid BanksLynne Reid Banks is a British author of books for children and adults.She has written forty books, including the best-selling children's novel The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 10 million copies and has been successfully adapted to film. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, published... - 1985 Middle School/Junior High: Taking Terri Mueller, by Norma Fox MazerNorma Fox MazerNorma Fox Mazer was an American author and teacher, best known for her books for children and young adults. Her novels featured credible young characters confronting difficult situations such as family separation and death....
- 1985 Young Adult: The Truth Trap, by Frances Miller
- 1986 Primary: Space Case, Edward Marshall
- 1986 Intermediate: Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade, by Barthe DeClements
- 1986 Middle School/Junior High: Girl with the Silver Eyes, by Willo Davis RobertsWillo Davis RobertsWillo Davis Roberts was an American writer chiefly known for her mystery and suspense novels for children and young adults. She won Edgar Allan Poe awards in 1989, 1995, and 1997 for best juvenile and best young adult mysteries...
- 1986 Young Adult: The DarkangelThe DarkangelThe Darkangel is the first book in The Darkangel Trilogy by American writer Meredith Ann Pierce. The book was released on 1982, as the first book of the series that ended in 1990 with the publication of The Pearl of the Soul of the World. The Darkangel was published in the United States by...
, by Meredith Pierce - 1987 Primary: The Napping House, by Audrey WoodAudrey WoodAudrey Wood is a children's author. She currently resides in Santa Barbara, California- Biography :...
- 1987 Intermediate: The Dollhouse Murders, by Betty Ren WrightBetty Ren WrightBetty Ren Wright is an author of children's fiction including Christina's Ghost, The Dollhouse Murders, The Ghosts Of Mercy Manor and A Ghost in The House.- Background :...
- 1987 Middle School/Junior High: You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, by Patricia Hermes
- 1987 Young Adult: Pursuit, Michael French
- 1988 Primary: If You Give a Mouse a CookieIf You Give A Mouse A CookieIf You Give a Mouse a Cookie is the title of a 1985 book illustrated by Felicia Bond. It is the tenth and best-known book written by Laura Numeroff. Its plot deals with a boy who gives a cookie to a mouse. After eating a cookie, the mouse has some milk. Then he decides to clean his face...
, by Laura Joffe Numeroff - 1988 Intermediate: Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days, by Stephen ManesStephen ManesStephen Manes is the author of the 2011 nonfiction book Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear: Inside the Land of Ballet. Its subject, the workings of a ballet company, marked a significant departure for an author best known for his journalism on technology and his books for children.Manes wrote the...
- 1988 Middle School/Junior High: The Root CellarThe Root CellarThe Root Cellar is a children's historical novel by Janet Lunn. It won the 1982 Canada Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award. In 1988 the book won the California Young Reader Medal-Plot:...
, by Janet LunnJanet LunnJanet Louise Lunn, is a Canadian children's writer.Born in Dallas, Texas, she moved with her family to Vermont when she was an infant. In 1938, she moved again to the outskirts of New York, New York. In 1946, she came to Canada to attend Queen’s University and married a fellow student, Richard... - 1988 Young Adult, Interstellar PigInterstellar PigInterstellar Pig, published in 1984 by Bantam Books, is a science fiction novel for young adults written by William Sleator. It was listed as an ALA Notable Book, a SLJ Best Book of the Year, and a Junior Literary Guild Selection.-Plot introduction:...
, by William SleatorWilliam SleatorWilliam Warner Sleator III , known as William Sleator, was an American science fiction author who wrote primarily young adult novels but also wrote for younger readers. His books typically deal with adolescents coming across a peculiar phenomenon related to an element of theoretical science, then... - 1989 Primary: What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs?, by Carol Carrick
- 1989 Intermediate: The Castle in the AtticThe Castle in the AtticThe Castle in the Attic is a children's fantasy novel by Elizabeth Winthrop, first published in 1985. The novel has won the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award and the California Young Reader Medal...
, by Elizabeth WinthropElizabeth WinthropElizabeth Winthrop is a female author whose work is largely children's fiction. She is the daughter of Stewart Alsop and currently resides in New York CityHer book The Castle in the Attic was awarded the 1987 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award... - 1989 Middle School/Junior High: The Stalker, by Joan Lowery NixonJoan Lowery NixonJoan Lowery Nixon was an American journalist and author, specializing in historical fiction and mysteries for children and young adults.-Biography:...
- 1989 Young Adult: The Face at the Edge of the World, by Eve BuntingEve BuntingAnne Evelyn Bunting , better known as Eve Bunting, is an Irish author who has written more than 250 books. Her work covers a broad array of subjects and includes fiction and non-fiction books. Her novels are primarily aimed at children and young adults, but her works also include picture books...
1990s
- 1990 Primary: Eyes of the Dragon, by Margaret Leaf
- 1990 Intermediate: The War with Grandpa, by Robert Kimmel SmithRobert Kimmel SmithRobert Kimmel Smith is an award-winning American children's author.Between 1957 and 1965, he was a copywriter at an ad agency, and was a partner and creative director at Smith and Toback from 1967 to 1970. In 1970 he became a full-time writer; his first children's book, Chocolate Fever, was...
- 1990 Middle School/Junior High: The Other Side of Dark, by Joan Lowery NixonJoan Lowery NixonJoan Lowery Nixon was an American journalist and author, specializing in historical fiction and mysteries for children and young adults.-Biography:...
- 1990 Young Adult: Izzy, Willy Nilly, by Cynthia VoigtCynthia VoigtCynthia Voigt is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as adventure, mystery, racism and child abuse. Her first book in the Tillerman family series, Homecoming, was nominated for several international prizes and made into a 1996 film...
- 1991 Primary: Tacky the Penguin, by Helen LesterHelen LesterHelen Lester was born in 1936. She is an American children's author, best known for her character Tacky the Penguin in many of her children's stories....
- 1991 Intermediate: Harry's Mad, by Dick King-SmithDick King-SmithRonald Gordon King-Smith OBE, Hon.M.Ed. , better known by his pen name Dick King-Smith, was a prolific English children's author, best known for writing The Sheep-Pig, retitled in the United States as Babe the Gallant Pig, on which the movie Babe was based...
- 1991 Middle School/Junior High: December Stillness, by Mary Downing HahnMary Downing HahnMary Downing Hahn is an award-winning American author of young adult novels. Her first published book, The Sara Summer, was released in 1979, when she was forty-one years old. Since then she has written over twenty novels...
- 1991 Young Adult: Night Kites, by M.E. Kerr
- 1992 Primary: Never Spit on Your Shoes, by Denys CazetDenys CazetDenys Cazet is the French-American author of 25 picture books, including the Minnie and Moo...
- 1992 Intermediate: All About SamAll about SamAll about Sam is a young-adult novel by Lois Lowry. It is part of a series of books that Lowry wrote about Anastasia and her younger brother Sam.-Plot summary:Sam is a mischievous little boy, but mostly curious...
, by Lois LowryLois LowryLois Lowry is an American author of children's literature. She began her career as a photographer and a freelance journalist during the early 1970s... - 1992 Middle School/Junior High: Sniper, by Theodore TaylorTheodore Taylor (author)Theodore Taylor was an American author of more than 50 fiction and non-fiction books for young adult readers, including The Cay, The Weirdo , Ice Drift, Timothy of the Cay, The Bomb, Sniper, and Rogue...
- 1992 Young Adult: A Sudden Silence, by Eve BuntingEve BuntingAnne Evelyn Bunting , better known as Eve Bunting, is an Irish author who has written more than 250 books. Her work covers a broad array of subjects and includes fiction and non-fiction books. Her novels are primarily aimed at children and young adults, but her works also include picture books...
- 1993 Primary: Julius, the Baby of the World, by Kevin HenkesKevin HenkesKevin Henkes is a successful children's book illustrator and author known for winning both the Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Honor for writing...
- 1993 Intermediate: Fudge-a-ManiaFudge-a-ManiaFudge-a-Mania is a 1990 children's novel by Judy Blume and the third in the "Fudge" series .-Plot:...
, by Judy BlumeJudy BlumeJudy Blume is an American author. She has written many novels for children and young adults which have exceeded sales of 80 million and been translated into 31 languages... - 1993 Middle School/Junior High: Something UpstairsSomething UpstairsSomething Upstairs is a young adult horror fiction novel written by Avi first published in 1988.- Plot summary:...
, by Avi - 1993 Young Adult: The Silver KissThe Silver KissThe Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause published in 1992, available in hardcover and Mass Market Paperback. In 2009, the book is republished with two bonus short stories by Klause: The Summer of Love and The Christmas Cat....
, by Annette Curtis KlauseAnnette Curtis KlauseAnnette Curtis Klause is an American author and librarian, specializing in young adult fiction. Annette is currently a children's materials selector for Montgomery County Public Libraries in Montgomery County, Maryland. Born in Bristol, England, she now lives in Hyattsville, Maryland with her... - 1994 Primary: High-Wire Henry, by Mary Calhoun
- 1994 Intermediate: Scared Stiff, by Willo Davis RobertsWillo Davis RobertsWillo Davis Roberts was an American writer chiefly known for her mystery and suspense novels for children and young adults. She won Edgar Allan Poe awards in 1989, 1995, and 1997 for best juvenile and best young adult mysteries...
- 1994 Middle School/Junior High: There's a Girl in My HammerlockThere's a Girl in My Hammerlock-Plot:Maisie Potter tries out for the wrestling team in her junior high to get close to a boy she likes, but she soon finds out that what she really loves is the sport of wrestling....
, by Jerry SpinelliJerry SpinelliJerry Spinelli is an author of children's novels on adolescence and early adulthood. He is best known for the novels Maniac Magee and Wringer.... - 1994 Young Adult: We All Fall Down, by Robert CormierRobert CormierRobert Edmund Cormier was an American author, columnist and reporter, known for his deeply pessimistic, downbeat literature. His most popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War was challenged...
- 1995 Primary: Martha SpeaksMartha Speaks (book)Martha Speaks is the fictional book written by Susan Meddaugh. It is the first in a series of six books featuring the title character Martha.-Setting:...
, by Susan MeddaughSusan MeddaughSusan Meddaugh is an American author, best known for writing children's books.-Martha Speaks books:Susan Meddaugh has written six Martha Speaks books:* Martha Speaks: 1A* Martha and Skits 2A* Martha Blah Blah 6A* Perfectly Martha 7B... - 1995 Intermediate: Stonewords, by Pam ConradPam ConradPam Conrad was an author for children. Her book Our House: Stories of Levittown was a Newbery Medal finalist.Ms. Conrad was born in New York City and graduated the New School for Social Research.-Books:*Holding Me Here...
- 1995 Middle School/Junior High: Rescue Josh McGuire, by Ben MikaelsenBen MikaelsenBen Mikaelsen is a writer of children's literature.Mikaelsen is a Settler in the United States of Danish descent. He wasn't sent to school until the fourth grade where he was heavily bullied for his race. Some years later, Mikaelsen moved with his family to the United States where he entered the...
- 1995 Young Adult: Downriver, by Will HobbsWill HobbsWill Hobbs is an American young-adult novelist. Hobbs was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Selected publications:*Ghost Canoe*Beardance*Bearstone*The Big Wander*Changes in Latitudes*Far North*Jason's Gold*Kokopellis Flute...
- 1996 Primary: StellalunaStellalunaStellaluna is a fictional female fruit bat in a children's book of the same name by author Janell Cannon, written in 1993. In fact, this book aired on the PBS series Reading Rainbow in 1994. On that episode, Anne Jackson narrated the story. It is featured in the 2001 movie I am Sam and is a very...
, by Jannell CannonJannell CannonJanell Cannon is an American children's writer and illustrator.Janell was born in 1957 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the daughter of Burton H. and Nancy A. Cannon. She attended Burnsville High School, and graduated in 1975... - 1996 Intermediate: Time for Andrew, by Mary Downing HahnMary Downing HahnMary Downing Hahn is an award-winning American author of young adult novels. Her first published book, The Sara Summer, was released in 1979, when she was forty-one years old. Since then she has written over twenty novels...
- 1996 Middle School/Junior High: Freak the MightyFreak the MightyFreak the Mighty is a young adult novel by Rodman Philbrick. Published in 1995, it was l Max the Mighty in 1998. The primary characters are friends Maxwell Kane, a large, very slow, but kind-hearted boy, and Kevin Avery, nicknamed “Freak,” who is physically crippled but very intelligent...
, by Rodman PhilbrickRodman PhilbrickRodman Philbrick is an author of novels for adults and children. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1951, and currently lives in Maine and Florida. Since 1980 he has been married to Lynn Harnett, who sometimes co-writes with him. They have no children. He has also written using the pen names... - 1996 Young Adult: Shadow of the DragonShadow of the Dragon"Shadow of the dragon" is a book written by Sherry Garland, with Sang Le as a protagonist who has a hard time adjusting to American life.-Overview of the Plot:...
, by Sherry Garland - 1997 Primary: Don't Fidget a Feather, by Erica Silverman
- 1997 Intermediate: Jennifer Murdley's Toad, by Bruce CovilleBruce CovilleBruce Coville is an American author of children's and young adult novels. He was born in Syracuse, New York and lives there currently; he has spent most of his life there, leaving to attend Duke University and then to live in New York City....
- 1997 Middle School/Junior High: Sparrow Hawk Red, by Ben MikaelsenBen MikaelsenBen Mikaelsen is a writer of children's literature.Mikaelsen is a Settler in the United States of Danish descent. He wasn't sent to school until the fourth grade where he was heavily bullied for his race. Some years later, Mikaelsen moved with his family to the United States where he entered the...
- 1997 Young Adult: Staying Fat for Sarah ByrnesStaying Fat For Sarah ByrnesStaying Fat For Sarah Byrnes is a young-adult fiction novel by Chris Crutcher. It has been recognized by the American Library Association as a "Best of the Best Books for Young Adults". It is also one of fifty books on Young Adult Library Services Association's The Ultimate Teen Bookshelf...
, by Chris CrutcherChris Crutcher-Biography:Crutcher was born to a World War II bomber pilot and a homemaker on July 17, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio. They later moved to Cascade, Idaho, where Crutcher grew up.... - 1998 Primary: Dog Breath, by Dav PilkeyDav PilkeyDavid "Dav" Pilkey was born on March 4, 1966, is a popular author and illustrator of children's literature. Dav Pilkey is best known as the author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants book series. He also uses the pen names, George Beard and Harold Hutchins...
- 1998 Intermediate: The Junkyard Dog, by Erika Tamar
- 1998 Middle School/Junior High: The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 is a historical fiction book by Christopher Paul Curtis, written in 1995, and republished in 1997. It is about an African American family living in the town of Flint, Michigan who goes to their grandmother's home in Birmingham, Alabama to get Byron to behave, in...
, Christopher Paul CurtisChristopher Paul CurtisChristopher Paul Curtis is an American children's author and a Newbery Medal winner who wrote The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963 and the critically acclaimed Bud, Not Buddy. Bud, Not Buddy is the first novel to receive both the Coretta Scott King Award and the Newbery Medal... - 1998 Young Adult: Ironman, Chris CrutcherChris Crutcher-Biography:Crutcher was born to a World War II bomber pilot and a homemaker on July 17, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio. They later moved to Cascade, Idaho, where Crutcher grew up....
- 1999 Primary: Livingstone Mouse, by Pam Edwards
- 1999 Intermediate: The 13th Floor, by Sid FleischmanSid FleischmanAlbert Sidney Fleischman , pen name Sid Fleischman, was a Newbery Medal-winning author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and books on magic. His works for children are known for their humor, imagery, zesty plotting, and exploration of the byways of American history...
- 1999 Middle School/Junior High: Under the Blood Red SunUnder the Blood Red SunUnder the Blood Red Sun is a Scott O'Dell Award-winning historical novel by Graham Salisbury, published in 1994. It details the life of Tomi, a Japanese-American boy, and his family during World War II, when Americans of Japanese descent were being sent to internment camps. Tomi lives in Hawaii,...
, by Graham SalisburyGraham SalisburyGraham Salisbury is an American author. He has written many books including Under the Blood Red Sun, his most famous novel. He lives with his family in Lake Oswego, Oregon.... - 1999 Young Adult: The Only Alien on the Planet, by Kristen Randle
2000s
- 2000 Primary: Lost, by Celeste Lewis
- 2000 Intermediate: Riding Freedom, by Pam Muñoz RyanPam Muñoz RyanPam Muñoz Ryan is a Mexican-American author.Muñoz Ryan began writing when she was encouraged by a professor while in graduate school. "It took me a number or years to make that leap of faith," she states when commenting on becoming a full-time writer...
- 2000 Middle School/Junior High: Ella EnchantedElla EnchantedElla Enchanted is a Newbery Honor book written by Gail Carson Levine and published in 1997. The story is a retelling of Cinderella featuring various mythical creatures including fairies, elves, ogres, gnomes, and giants...
, by Gail Carson LevineGail Carson LevineGail Carson Levine is an American author of young adult books. Her first novel, Ella Enchanted, received a Newbery Honor in 1998.-Early life:... - 2000 Young Adult: Breaking Bones, by A.M. Jenkins
- 2001 Primary: Grandpa's Teeth, by Rod Clement
- 2001 Intermediate: Honus and MeHonus & MeHonus & Me is a children's novel by Dan Gutman, published in 1997, and the first in the Baseball Card Adventures series. It was rejected by many publishers before HarperCollins finally accepted...
, by Dan GutmanDan GutmanDan Gutman is an American author from New Jersey. A prolific writer, Gutman has written 80 books, both fictional and non-fictional, under publishers including Penguin Books, Macmillan, Scholastic Press, and HarperCollins... - 2001 Middle School/Junior High: Among the HiddenAmong the HiddenAmong the Hidden is a 1998 young adult novel by Margaret Peterson Haddix concerning a fictional future in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation. It is the first of seven novels in the Shadow Children series.-Plot summary:...
, by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 2001 Young Adult: Armageddon SummerArmageddon SummerArmageddon Summer is a 1998 novel by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville. It chronicles the experiences of two teens, Marina and Jed, whose parents have joined a millennialist movement whose members call themselves "The Believers"...
, by Jane YolenJane YolenJane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
and Bruce CovilleBruce CovilleBruce Coville is an American author of children's and young adult novels. He was born in Syracuse, New York and lives there currently; he has spent most of his life there, leaving to attend Duke University and then to live in New York City.... - 2002 Primary: Hooway for Wodney Wat, by Helen LesterHelen LesterHelen Lester was born in 1936. She is an American children's author, best known for her character Tacky the Penguin in many of her children's stories....
- 2002 Intermediate: The Million Dollar Shot, by Dan GutmanDan GutmanDan Gutman is an American author from New Jersey. A prolific writer, Gutman has written 80 books, both fictional and non-fictional, under publishers including Penguin Books, Macmillan, Scholastic Press, and HarperCollins...
- 2002 Middle School/Junior High: Joey Pigza Swallowed the KeyJoey Pigza Swallowed the KeyJoey Pigza Swallowed the Key, written by Jack Gantos, is the first in a series of books featuring Joey Pigza. The book was a National Book Award finalist.-Plot summary:...
, by Jack GantosJack GantosJohn Bryan Gantos, Jr., better known as Jack Gantos is an American author of children's books renowned for his portrayal of fictional Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD. Gantos has won a number of awards, including the Newbery Honor, the Printz Honor, and the Sibert Honor from the American Library... - 2002 Young Adult: Bad, by Jean FerrisJean FerrisJean Ferris is an American writer of young adult books. She now lives in San Diego, California with her husband who is a lawyer.-Biography:...
- 2002 Picture Books for Older Readers: WeslandiaWeslandiaWeslandia is a novel by Newbery Medal winner Paul Fleischman, with illustrations by Kevin Hawkes. It was published in 1999 by Candlewick Press.-Plot Overview:...
, by Paul FleischmanPaul FleischmanPaul Fleischman is an American author of children's books. Both he and his father, children's author Sid Fleischman, have won the Newbery Medal. Paul is the 2012 US author nominee for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award.-Early life:... - 2003 Primary: I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato, by Lauren ChildLauren ChildLauren Child MBE is an English author and illustrator. She is best known for writing the Charlie and Lola books and Clarice Bean novels....
- 2003 Intermediate: Because of Winn-DixieBecause of Winn-DixieBecause of Winn-Dixie is a children's novel by Kate DiCamillo published in 2000 and winner of a Newbery Honor distinction the following year. It also won the 2000 Josette Frank Award, and 2003 Mark Twain Award...
, by Kate DiCamilloKate DiCamilloKatrina Elizabeth "Kate" DiCamillo is an American children's author. She is known for the Newbery Medal-winning book The Tale of Despereaux, the Newbery Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie, and the Mercy Watson series, plus numerous other award-winning and honored books.-Early life:Born in... - 2003 Middle School/Junior High: Touching Spirit BearTouching Spirit BearTouching Spirit Bear is a sex addict2001 young adult novel written by the American author, Ben Mikaelsen. The book isabout a troubled Minneapolis teen named Cole Matthews who completely changes after spending a year on a isolated southwestern Alaskan island.-Plot:Cole Matthews is a fifteen year-old...
, by Ben MikaelsenBen MikaelsenBen Mikaelsen is a writer of children's literature.Mikaelsen is a Settler in the United States of Danish descent. He wasn't sent to school until the fourth grade where he was heavily bullied for his race. Some years later, Mikaelsen moved with his family to the United States where he entered the... - 2003 Young Adult: Define "Normal", by Julie Anne PetersJulie Anne Peters-Personal life:Julie Anne Peters was born in Jamestown, New York, on 16 January 1952. When she was five, her family moved to the Denver suburbs in Colorado. Her parents divorced when she was in high school...
- 2003 Picture Books for Older Readers: The Babe and I, by David A. AdlerDavid A. AdlerDavid Abraham Adler is an American author of nearly 200 books for children and young adults, most notably the Cam Jansen mystery series, the "Picture Book of..." series, and several acclaimed works about the Holocaust for young readers....
- 2004 Primary: A Fine, Fine School, by Sharon CreechSharon CreechSharon Creech is an American novelist of children's fiction.-Biography:Sharon Creech was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where she grew up with her parents , one sister , and three brothers...
- 2004 Intermediate: The School StoryThe School StoryThe School Story is a children's novel by Andrew Clements, published in 2001. It is about two twelve-year-old girls who try to get a school story published.-Plot summary:...
, by Andrew ClementsAndrew ClementsAndrew Clements is an American author of children's books. Clements grew up in Camden, New Jersey and Springfield, Illinois, United States,. As a child, he enjoyed summers at a lakeside cabin in Maine where he spent his days swimming and fishing and his evenings reading books... - 2004 Middle School/Junior High: FlippedFlippedFlipped is a young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen set from c.1994-2000. It is a stand-alone teen romance in a he-said she-said style with the two protagonists alternately presenting their perspective on a shared set of events....
, by Wendelin Van DraanenWendelin Van DraanenWendelin Van Draanen is an American author of children's books.- Biography :Van Draanen lives in California with her husband Mark Parsons and two sons, Colton and Connor. She is the daughter of chemists who emigrated to the U.S. from Holland... - 2004 Young Adult: Ties that Bind, Ties that BreakTies that Bind, Ties that BreakTies that Bind, Ties that Break is a children's historical novel written by Chinese-American author Lensey Namioka and published in 1999. Set in early twentieth-century China, the story follows a girl named Ailin who refuses to have her feet bound, which comes to affect her future...
, by Lensey NamiokaLensey NamiokaLensey Chao Namioka is a children's book author and mathematician. She is best known for the short story -Awards:* Washington State Governor's Writers Award, 1976, 1990 Island of Ogres... - 2004 Picture Books for Older Readers: And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, by Janet Stevens
- 2005 Primary: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, by Candace Fleming
- 2005 Intermediate: Ruby HollerRuby HollerRuby Holler is a children's novel with elements of magic realism by American writer Sharon Creech. It won the 2002 Carnegie Medal.-Plot:...
, by Sharon CreechSharon CreechSharon Creech is an American novelist of children's fiction.-Biography:Sharon Creech was born in South Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, where she grew up with her parents , one sister , and three brothers... - 2005 Middle School/Junior High: Things Not SeenThings Not SeenThings Not Seen is a Third person 2000 fiction book written by Andrew Clements in which a teenage boy, Bobby, suddenly turns invisible. The story revolves around Bobby as he deals with his 'disease', tries to get back to normal, and even befriends a blind girl...
, by Andrew ClementsAndrew ClementsAndrew Clements is an American author of children's books. Clements grew up in Camden, New Jersey and Springfield, Illinois, United States,. As a child, he enjoyed summers at a lakeside cabin in Maine where he spent his days swimming and fishing and his evenings reading books... - 2005 Young Adult: StormbreakerStormbreaker (novel)Stormbreaker is the first novel in the Alex Rider series by British author Anthony Horowitz. It was released in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000 and in the United States on 21 May 2001...
, by Anthony HorowitzAnthony HorowitzAnthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's... - 2005 Picture Books for Older Readers: Mr. Lincoln's WayMr. Lincoln's WayMr. Lincoln’s Way is a children’s book written by Patricia Polacco published in 2001. It was published by Philomel Books in New York, NY. This book deals with the issue of racism and can be used as a tool to introduce diversity and tolerance in a classroom setting. It tells the story of a principal...
, by Patricia PolaccoPatricia PolaccoPatricia Barber Polacco is the author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children.She struggled in school because she was unable to read until age 14 due to dyslexia; she found relief by expressing herself through art... - 2006 Primary: Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook, by Michael Garland
- 2006 Intermediate: The Good DogThe Good DogThe Good Dog is a children's novel by Newbery Medalist Edward Irving Wortis published under his pseudonym, Avi, in 2001. Written for ages 8–12, the book has been described as having "a very cinematic feel" comparable to the movies The Incredible Journey and Beethoven.-Plot summary:The story takes...
, by Avi - 2006 Middle School/Junior High: 12 Again, by Sue Corbett
- 2006 Young Adult: After, by Francine ProseFrancine ProseFrancine Prose is an American writer. Since March 2007 she has been the president of PEN American Center. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1968 and received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1991....
- 2006 Picture Books for Older Readers: Boxes for Katje, by Candace Fleming and Stacey Dressen-McQueen
- 2007 Primary: My Lucky Day, by Keiko Kasza
- 2007 Intermediate: Christopher Mouse, by William Wise
- 2007 Middle School/Junior High: Al Capone Does My ShirtsAl Capone Does My ShirtsAl Capone Does My Shirts is a 2004 young adult novel written by Southern California-based author Gennifer Choldenko. The book was named as a Newbery Honor selection and in 2007 it received the California Young Reader Medal.-Plot summary:...
, by Gennifer CholdenkoGennifer CholdenkoGennifer Choldenko is a Newbery Honor-winning American writer of popular books for children and adolescents.-Early life:Gennifer Choldenko is a native of Santa Monica, California. She is the youngest of four siblings: two sisters and one brother... - 2007 Young Adult: Shattering Glass, by Gail GilesGail GilesGail Giles is the author of five young adult novels. Her debut novel, Shattering Glass, was an ALA Best of the Best Book, a Book Sense 76 selection, and a Booklist Top 10 Mystery for Youth selection...
- 2007 Picture Books for Older Readers: The Cats in Kransinski Square, by Karen HesseKaren HesseKaren Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings.-Life:...
- 2008 Primary: Superdog: The Heart of a Hero, by Caralyn Buehner
- 2008 Intermediate: Each Little Bird That SingsEach Little Bird That SingsEach Little Bird That Sings is a 2005 book aimed for people of all ages, by Deborah Wiles, the author of Love, Ruby Lavender. It won the 2006...
, by Deborah WilesDeborah WilesDeborah Wiles is an award-winning children's book author. Her second novel, Each Little Bird That Sings, was a 2005 National Book Award finalist.-Personal life:... - 2008 Middle School/Junior High: The Schwa Was HereThe Schwa Was HereThe Schwa Was Here is a young adult novel by Neal Shusterman. Published by Penguin Books and Dutton Books in 2004. It is about an eighth-grader's friendship with another student named Calvin Schwa, who is capable of seemingly not being noticed by the people around him.The book received critical...
, by Neal ShustermanNeal ShustermanNeal Shusterman is a popular and successful American author of Young Adult literature.Shusterman was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Even from a young age, Shusterman was an avid reader. At age 8, Shusterman sent a letter to E. B. White, informing him that he believed Charlotte's Web... - 2008 Young Adult: Private PeacefulPrivate PeacefulPrivate Peaceful is a novel for older children by Michael Morpurgo, first published in 2003. It is about a soldier called Thomas "Tommo" Peaceful, who is looking back on his life from the trenches of World War I. Structurally, each chapter of the book brings the reader closer to the present until...
, by Michael MorpurgoMichael MorpurgoMichael Morpurgo, OBE FKC AKC is an English author, poet, playwright and librettist, best known for his work in children's literature. He was the third Children's Laureate.-Early life:... - 2008 Picture Books for Older Readers: Mr. Maxwell's Mouse, by Frank AschFrank AschFrank Asch is an American children's writer, best known for his Moonbear picture books.In 1968, Asch published his first picture book, George's Store. The following year he graduated from Cooper Union with a BFA...
- 2009 Primary: Stanley's Wild Ride, by Linda Bailey
- 2009 Intermediate: Sheep, by Valerie Hobbs
- 2009 Middle School/Junior High: HeatHeat (novel)Heat is a novel written by Mike Lupica that was published in 2006. The story is about a young boy named Michael Arroyo, a baseball player. But there is one problem: the coaches from other teams say that he is too good to be just 12 years old...
, by Mike LupicaMike LupicaMichael Lupica is an American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.-Biography:... - 2009 Young Adult: SoldSold (novel)Sold is a novel by Patricia McCormick, published in 2006. It tells the story of a girl from Nepal named Lakshmi, who is sold into sexual slavery in India. The novel is written in a series of short, vignette-style chapters, from the point of view of the main character.Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old...
, by Patricia McCormick - 2009 Picture Books for Older Readers: Mystery at the Club Sandwich, by Doug CushmanDoug CushmanDoug Cushman is an artist who has worked as a cartoonist and a book illustrator. He is also the author of a series of children books. He received the National Cartoonist Society Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1996, and was nominated for their 2000 Book Award.-External links:* *...
2010s
- 2010 Primary: Millie Waits for the Mail, by Alexander Steffensmeier
- 2010 Intermediate: No TalkingNo TalkingNo Talking is a children's novel written by Andrew Clements. It is about the noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School who challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest. The book won the 2010 California Young Reader Medal...
, by Andrew ClementsAndrew ClementsAndrew Clements is an American author of children's books. Clements grew up in Camden, New Jersey and Springfield, Illinois, United States,. As a child, he enjoyed summers at a lakeside cabin in Maine where he spent his days swimming and fishing and his evenings reading books... - 2010 Middle School/Junior High: Alabama MoonAlabama Moon (novel)Alabama Moon is a 2006 novel by Watt Key. The story follows the adventures of Alabama native Moon Blake.The novel was originally published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2006....
, by Watt KeyWatt KeyAlbert Watkins Key, Jr., publishing under the name Watt Key, is an award-winning southern fiction author. A resident of Alabama, his debut novel Alabama Moon was published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 2006 and was the 2007 winner of the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award for older readers. It received... - 2010 Young Adult: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is a novel for young adults written by Sherman Alexie. It is told in the first-person, from the viewpoint of Native American teenager and budding cartoonist Arnold Spirit, Jr....
, by Sherman AlexieSherman AlexieSherman Joseph Alexie, Jr. is a writer, poet, filmmaker, and occasional comedian. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American. Two of Alexie's best known works are The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven , a book of short stories and Smoke Signals, a film... - 2010 Picture Books for Older Readers: Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch, by Mona Kerby
- 2011 Primary: Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, by Carmen Agra DeedyCarmen Agra DeedyCarmen Agra Deedy is an internationally known, award winning author of children’s literature, storyteller and radio contributor. Born in Havana, Cuba, she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1963 after the Cuban Revolution...
- 2011 Intermediate: ZorgamazooZorgamazooZorgamazoo is Canadian children's author Robert Paul Weston's first novel. The work is a fantasy adventure, written entirely in rhyming anapestic tetrameter....
, by Robert Paul WestonRobert Paul WestonRobert Paul Weston is a British-born Canadian children's author. His debut was the award-winning novel-in-verse, Zorgamazoo. His short fiction has appeared in literary journals in Canada, the UK and the United States.... - 2011 Middle School/Junior High: Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam, by Cynthia KadohataCynthia KadohataCynthia Kadohata is a Japanese American writer known for winning the 2005 Newbery Medal. Her first published short story appeared in The New Yorker in 1986....
- 2011 Young Adult: The Hunger GamesThe Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games is a first person young-adult science fiction novel written by Suzanne Collins. It was originally published on September 14, 2008, by Scholastic. It is the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy. It introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world...
, by Suzanne CollinsSuzanne CollinsSuzanne Collins is an American television writer and novelist.-Early life:Suzanne Collins is the daughter of an Air Force officer. She graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts and earned her M.F.A. from New York University in Dramatic Writing.... - 2011 Picture Books for Older Readers: John, Paul, George, and BenJohn, Paul, George, and BenJohn, Paul, George, and Ben is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Lane Smith. Released in 2006 through Hyperion Books, it is a picture book that tells the story of five of the Founding Fathers of American independence: John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, Benjamin...
, by Lane SmithLane Smith (illustrator)Lane Smith is an American children's book author and illustrator.-Background:Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but moved to Corona, California at a young age...