NOMINEES FOR THE YEAR 2005
Annotated by members of the Book Award
Committee
your comments on the
nominated books you have read. Your comments
will appear on this web site within a few days.
A World of Wonders:
Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme,
by J. Patrick Lewis
Grades 3-6
Would you like to travel the world and never leave your room? Well, the poems in this book will take you to some fun, faraway, and fabulous places.
Chang and the Bamboo Flute, by Elizabeth Starr Hill
Grades 3-5
Chang is unable to talk but he sure can play his bamboo flute. When the rains flood their fishing boat, it is Chang who finds a way to replace what they have lost.
The Case of the Graveyard Ghost, by Michele Torrey
Grades 3-5
Doyle and Fossey, fifth grade detectives, are not your ordinary detectives. They're science detectives. They pair their sleuthing skills with their science knowledge to solve some crazy mysteries.
Donuthead,
by Sue Stauffacher
Grades 4-6
Franklin Delano Donuthead worries about everything - germs, accidents, and bullies. When Sarah enters his life, he learns about courage, friendship, and kindness. Meet two of the most eccentric and lovable characters you'll ever read about.
Facing the Lion: Growing
Up Massai on the African Savanna,
by Joseph Lekuton
Grades 5-6
Imagine growing up in a place where cows are your most important possession. Your yard and your school is the African savanna, filled with lions and elephants. That was Joseph's life until he was chosen to attend a real school.
Fame and Glory in Freedom,
Grades 4-6
Burdette "Bird" Weaver
has two goals in life: To be noticed in her small town of
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, by Sharon Creech
Grades 4-6
Friendships are sometimes hard to understand, especially when you're 12. But Granny Torrelli has a way of making things a little easier to understand while making her famous zuppa.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, by Kathleen Krull
Grades 3-6
When Cesar Chavez's family loses their farm because of a drought, they find work as migrant farm workers. Cesar is angered by the workers' conditions and dedicates his life to make their lives better.
Hatching Magic, by Ann Downer
Grades 5-6
A dragon on the loose!
Wizards in
Hippos in the Night, by Christina Allen
Grades 3-5
Surrounded by hippos?
Eating camel meat? Bicycling through thick African Dust? This is
Christina Allen's story as she travels to
It's a Hummingbird's Life, by Irene Kelly
Grades 3-5
It reaches speeds of 25 miles per hour. It flies backwards, forwards, and upside down. It's a plane! It's Superman! It's a bird! Yes, a hummingbird, a small, but mighty amazing creature.
The Impossible Journey, by Gloria Whelan
Grades 5-6
In
Jackie's Wild
Grades 4-6
While their parents travel abroad for Doctors Without Borders, Shannon and Cody stay with their uncle Neil, an animal rescue ambulance drive and find themselves racing from one rescue to another.
Grades 4-6
Locomotion, by Jacqueline Woodson
Grades 4-6
Lonnie Collins Motion is having trouble moving on after his Mama and Daddy were taken by a fire and his little sister Lili was adopted. Then the poems his teacher encourages him to write help him get on track. Clickety-Clack, Locomotion is back!
Saving Grace, by Priscilla Cummings
Grades 4-6
It is the Great Depression and Grace's family has been evicted from their home. She is sent to the children's home until her father can find a job. Will her family ever be together again?
Song of
Grades 5-6
Leaving
The Tale of Despereaux, Kate DiCamillo
Grades 4-6
Despereaux, a tiny mouse with very large ears, has huge problems - he's in love with Princess Pea, banished to the dungeon, and pursued by rats. When he uncovers a plot to replace the Princess, he must be stronger and braver than he has ever been.
Truly Winnie, by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Grades 3-4
Summer camp is such fun for Winnie - swimming, rock climbing, new friends - until she get caught in a series of white lies. Can she talk her way out and still keep her friends?
Vote!,
by Eileen Christelow
Grades 3-6
Vote on Election Day. Sounds easy, but a lot happens from rallies to recounts. Just remember - every vote counts. Well, maybe not the dog's!
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