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Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention

By Pip Jones, Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

Izzy Gizmo has been invited to Technoff Isle’s Genius Convention where the inventor of the best machine will win coveted admittance to the Genius Guild. But with fearsome foe Abi von Lavish getting the best of her at every turn, how can Izzy and Fixer come up with the winning invention?

Nominated

2021-2022 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Peachtree

ISBN# 9781471145230 (HB)

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I’m Not Who You Think I Am

By Peg Kehret

Ginger is the target of mistaken identity by a disturbed mother.

Winner

2002-2003 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Dutton

ISBN# 0-525-46153-1 (PB, HB)

Jabari Tries

By Gaia Cornwall, Illustrated by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard! But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister. A tale that shows that through perseverance and flexibility, an inventive thought can become a brilliant reality.

Nominated

2022-2023 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.3

Published by Candlewick

ISBN# 978-1536207163 (HB)

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Jack Plank Tells Tales

By Natalie Babbitt

An out-of-work pirate, Jack Plank, comes ashore to look for a different line of work, but every night he explains how each non-sailing career he has investigated just won’t work for him.

Nominated

2009-2010 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Michael di Capua Books

ISBN# 545004977 (PB)

Jack vs. the Tornado

By Amanda Cleary Eastep

10-year-old Jack is shocked to discover his parents are moving from their rural homestead to the boring suburbs of Chicago. Full of energy and determination, Jack devises a plan to get himself back to his beloved farmhouse forever. Only three things stand in his way: a neighbor in need, a shocking discovery, and tornado season.

Nominated

2023-2024 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Moody Publishers

ISBN# 978-0802421029 (HB)

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Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

By Liesl Shurtliff

All his life, Jack has longed for an adventure, so when giants turn up in the neighbor’s cabbage patch, he is thrilled! Soon Jack is chasing them to a land beyond the clouds, with his little sister, Annabella…The king of the giants has taken something that belongs to them, and they’ll do anything—even dive into a smelly tureen of green bean soup—to get it back.

Honor

2016-2017 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 4.4

Published by Random House Children's Books

ISBN# 9780385755801 (HB)

Jackie’s Wild Seattle

By Will Hobbs

Fourteen-year-old Shannon and her little brother, Cody, spend the summer with their uncle, helping at a wildlife rescue center named Jackie’s Wild Seattle.

Nominated

2005-2006 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harper Collins

ISBN# 0-688-17474-4 (HB)

Jam & Jelly by Holly & Nellie

By Gloria Whelan, Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

Nellie and her mother pick berries all summer in order to make enough money so that Nellie can have a coat to wear to school in the winter.

Nominated

2004-2005 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

ISBN# 1-58536-109-7 (HB)

Janitor’s Boy

By Andrew Clements

Jack turns his anger onto his father, the school janitor, after the fifth grader is ridiculed by the students.

Honor

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Simon and Schuster

ISBN# 0-689-81818-1 (PB, HB)

Jesus

By Brian Wildsmith

The story of Jesus’s life with stunning paintings by this gifted artist.

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Eerdmans

ISBN# 0-8028-5212-2 (HB)

Jimmy the Joey: the True Story of an Amazing Koala Rescue

By Susan Kelly and Deborah Lee Rose,, Illustrated by Susan Kelly

An orphaned koala is rescued and rehabilitated at the Koala Hospital in Australia.

Honor

2015-2016 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 4.2

Published by National Geographic

ISBN# 978-1426313714 (HB)

Johann Gutenberg and the Amazing Printing Press

By Bruce Koscielniak

A history of the modern printing industry, including how paper and ink are made, looking particularly at the printing press invented by Gutenberg round 1450 but also at its precursors.

Nominated

2005-2006 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Houghton Mifflin

ISBN# 0-618-26351-9 (HB)

John Muir

By Kathryn Lasky, Illustrated by Stan Fellows

Quoting liberally from John Muir’s diaries, Kathryn Lasky tells the inspiring tale of one of America’s most dedicated and influential environmentalists.

Nominated

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 6.1

Published by Candlewick Press

ISBN# 076361957-4 (PB, HB)

John Ronald’s Dragons

By Caroline McAlister, Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

John Ronald loved dragons. He liked to imagine dragons when he was alone, and with his friends, and especially when life got hard or sad. After his mother died and he had to live with a cold-hearted aunt, he looked for dragons. He searched for them at his boarding school. And when he fought in a Great War, he felt as if terrible, destructive dragons were everywhere. But he never actually found one, until one day, when he was a grown man but still very much a boy at heart, when he decided to create one of his own.

Nominated

2019-2020 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Roaring Brook Press

ISBN# 978-1626720923 (HB)

Joseph’s Choice

By Bonnie Pryor

During the Civil War, Joseph must decide whether to defend his stepfather’s abolitionist and pro-Union beliefs.

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 0-06-029226-1 (PB)

Julia Gillian(and the Art of Knowing)

By Alison McGhee, Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan

Julia Gillian learns a lot about facing fear as she and her St. Bernard take long walks through their neighborhood. One hot summer she seeks the courage to finish a book that could have an unhappy ending.

Nominated

2010-2011 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

ISBN# 9780545033527 (PB)

Julia’s Kitchen

By Brenda A. Ferber, Illustrated by Pep Montserrat

When her mother and younger sister are killed in a house fire, eleven-year-old Cara struggles to find a way to deal with her emotions and to reach out to her grieving father.

Honor

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.9

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN# 0-374-39932-8 (HB)

The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky

By Holly Schindler

Auggie and her grandfather use found objects to transform the appearance of their home and, in the process, change a whole town’s perceptions of beauty and art.

Nominated

2016-2017 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Dial

ISBN# 978-0803737259 (HB)

Just Gus

By McCall Hoyle, Illustrated by Vivienne To

Gus is a livestock guardian dog with one job―protecting his farm from coyotes and foxes. He likes keeping the sheep, the chickens, and his humans safe, and he’s very good at it.One day, Diego and his dad come to visit the farm, and Gus immediately connects to the small boy. They both like to sit still and enjoy the quiet, and Gus can tell that Diego likes being around a gentle giant of a dog, that it helps relieve the boy’s constant worry.When Gus detects the scent of a bear in the woods, he rushes to protect his flock, injuring his leg in a fight with the dangerous beast. Wounded, Gus needs to rest and heal away from his sheep, so he doesn’t risk reinjuring his leg. Diego suggests Gus come home with them to the North Carolina coast.Suddenly, Gus is thrust into a new world of saltwater and sand and neighbors who don’t appreciate the presence of a large guard dog, like the neighbor who reminds Gus of his first owner―the junkyard man with the heavy boots.Gus realizes Diego might need a friend as much as his sheep need a protector, but if he can’t learn to control his instincts, like barking and patrolling the neighborhood, Gus might lose his chance to stay in his new home. If he can’t protect the farm or his boy, Gus worries he might never find his place in the world.

Nominated

2024-2025 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Shadow Mountain Publishing

ISBN# 978-1639930937 (HB)

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Kate’s Light: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse

By Elizabeth Spires, Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

This biography profiles the life of Kate Walker, one of the first women on the Eastern seaboard to be put in charge of an offshore lighthouse.

Nominated

2023-2024 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 5.2

Published by Margaret Ferguson Books

ISBN# 978-0823443482 (HB)

Buy  Kate’s Light: Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse on Amazon

Kensuke’s Kingdom

By Michael Morpugo

When Michael is swept off his family’s yacht, he washes up on a desert island, where he struggles to survive—until he finds he is not alone.

Nominated

2005-2006 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Scholastic

ISBN# 0-439-38202-5 (HB)

Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome

By Robby Novak and Brad Montague

In his Guide to Being Awesome, Kid President pulls together lists of awesome ideas to help the world, awesome interviews with his awesome celebrity friends.

Nominated

2016-2017 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.5

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 978-0062358684 (HB)

Kindred Souls

By Patricia MacLachlan

Ten-year-old Jake has always been close to his grandfather Billy—so close that Jake’s mother calls them kindred souls. Each morning, Jake and Billy take a walk around the family farm. Billy often tells Jake stories of living in a sod house on the prairie .When Billy goes into the hospital; Jake decides the best gift he can give his beloved grandfather is to build a sod house.

Honor

2014-2015 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Harper Collins

ISBN# 9780060522995 (PB)

Kit

By Shirley Woods

Readers will be entranced by the many adventures of a raccoon as he learns to survive in the wilds of Nova Scotia.

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Groundwood

ISBN# 0-88899-375-7 (PB, HB)

Knight Owl

By Christopher Denise

Owl wants nothing more than to be a knight. When his dream comes true, he proves to be both brave and clever.

Winner

2023-2024 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.6

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books

ISBN# 978-0316310628 (HB)

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Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World

By Juliana, Isabella, and Craig Hatkoff

Thomas Doflein and Zoo Berlin dedicate a year to successfully raising a polar bear in captivity and in so doing, gain the attention of the world for maintaining natural habitats.

Honor

2009-2010 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 545047161 (HB)

Kringle

By Tony Abbott, Illustrated by Greg Call

Back in the days of long ago, when elves and goblins still roamed the earth, there was a boy named Kringle who would be cast out into the wilderness with a destiny to be filled.

Honor

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.8

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 0-439-74942-5 (PB, HB)

Lass

By Roland Gebauer

Based on a true story, Lessons From a Sheepdog, by Phillip Keller, this account tells how he rescues Lass from an unhappy life in the city. Lass learns to trust and to become the great dog she was created to be.

Nominated

2000-2001 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Tommy Nelson

ISBN# 0-8499-1449-3 (HB)

Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s Rescue from War

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

The last Canadian airlift rescue operation that left Saigon in 1975 had fifty seven babies and children aboard. One of those, was Son Thi Anh Tuyet, and this is the story of her suspenseful journey.

Nominated

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.8

Published by Pajama Press

ISBN# 0986949515 (PB)

Last Holiday Concert

By Andrew Clements

Life is unusually easy for popular sixth grader Hart Evans, but when his music teacher puts him in charge of the holiday concert, Hart must use all of his leadership skills to unite the other students.

Nominated

2006-2007 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Simon & Schuster

ISBN# 0-689-84516-2 (HB)

Last Stop on Market Street

By Matt De La Peña , Illustrated by Christian Robinson

CJ and his nana have a Sunday morning routine. After church they walk to the bus stop, board the bus, and take a ride. The book follows them on their bus ride one Sunday. CJ wishes he didn’t have to go. He’s envious of his friends who have cars, and who get to go home after church. But every time he complains, his nana points out all the good parts of their day and the blessings they enjoy.

Nominated

2016-2017 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.3

Published by Penguin

ISBN# 978-0399257742 (HB)

Laugh with the Moon

By Shana Burg

Battling the death of her mother, 13 year old Clare spends several weeks in Malawi with her father. She meets new friends that will help her open her heart after loss.

Nominated

2014-2015 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 4.5

Published by Random House

ISBN# 9780440422105 (PB)

Leaf Man

By Lois Ehlert

A man made of leaves blows away, traveling wherever the wind may take him.

Nominated

2007-2008 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 1.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-205304-2 (PB, HB)

Lenny & Lucy

By Philip C. Stead, Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

Peter and his father are moving to a new house beyond the dark unfriendly woods. When they arrive at their new home, Peter wants to turn back. Fortunately, he has Harold for company, but Harold is just a dog and can’t help Peter. Scared of the things hidden in the woods, Peter makes a tall pile of pillows. He stitches and sews. He pushes and pulls. And when he is done, he has Lenny, Guardian of the Bridge, to protect him and Harold. Lenny is a good guard but Peter worries that Lenny will get lonely out by the woods all by himself, so he makes Lucy, who is a good friend. Together, Lenny, Lucy, Peter, and Harold discover that this new place isn’t so scary after all.

Nominated

2017-2018 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.3

Published by Roaring Brook Press

ISBN# 978-1596439320 (HB)

Letters to God

By Patrick and Heather Doughtie

A young boy searches for his special compass. Along the way he decides to write a letter to God and discovers the miracle of God’s hand in everyday situations.

Honor

2012-2013 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.0

Published by Zondervan

ISBN# 9780310597360 (PB)

Lety Out Loud

By Angela Cervantes

Lety Muñoz’s first language is Spanish, and she likes to take her time putting her words together. She loves volunteering at the Furry Friends Animal Shelter because the dogs and cats there don’t care if she can’t always find the right word. When the shelter needs a volunteer to write animal profiles, Lety jumps at the chance. But grumpy classmate Hunter also wants to write profiles—so now they have to work as a team. Hunter’s not much of a team player, though. He devises a secret competition to decide who will be the official shelter scribe. Whoever helps get their animals adopted the fastest wins. The loser scoops dog food.

Nominated

2021-2022 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.5

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 9781338159349 (HB)

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Lewis & Clark & Me

By Laurie Myers, Illustrated by Michael Dooling

Meriwether Lewis’s dog, Seaman, describes Lewis and Clark’s expedition, which he accompanied from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean.

Nominated

2004-2005 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Henry Holt

ISBN# 0-8050-6368-4 (HB)

Lewis and Papa

By Barbara Joosse

When spring comes, Papa will take a wagonload of goods to sell in Santa Fe. Lewis feels so grown-up because his dad has said he is old enough to go along. During the trip Papa continues to build confidence in his son as they share rich daily experiences.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Chronicle ’98

ISBN# 0-8118-1959-0 (HB)

Library Mouse

By Daniel Kirk

When Sam, a mouse who lives in a library begins shelving with the other books the stories he has been writing and illustrating himself,everyone wants to meet the author of these intriguing little books.

Honor

2009-2010 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Harry N. Abrams

ISBN# 810993465 (PB, HB)

Life According to Og the Frog

By Betty G. Birney

Og the Frog has just moved into Room 26, and the place is hopping. There are lively kids, new routines, and a furry neighbor who seems to squeak all day. Luckily, everyone seems friendly and—BING, BANG, BOING!—some even put juicy crickets in his tank. But just as Og is getting used to this new life, there is talk of sending him back to the pond. Sure, he misses his friends, but now he has a lot more time for his favorite hobby—making up songs and poems—and he loves listening to his new friends and giving them encouraging BOINGS just when they need them. And there’s that steady supply of crickets . . . Og doesn’t want to say goodbye to his new life or his furry neighbor. But will his classmates decide to keep Og as their classroom pet or take him back to his old life, at the pond?

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.2

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Reader

ISBN# 978-1524739942 (HB)

Life In The Slow Lane

By Conrad J. Storad, Illustrated by Nathaniel P. Jensen

In delightful rhymed verse, Conrad J. Storad tells the story of the tortoise and explains how it has adapted to survive in the desert.

Nominated

2008-2009 Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by RGU Group

ISBN# 1-891795-07-4 (PB, HB)

Lighthouse Christmas

By Toni Buzzeo, Illustrated by Nancy Sippel Carpenter

A girl and her little brother spend a Depression-era Christmas on an island off the coast of Maine with their recently widowed father in this nostalgic, touching Christmas Story. Inspired by the Flying Santa program, a New England tradition since 1929.

Nominated

2014-2015 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.1

Published by Dial Press

ISBN# 9780803730533 (HB)

Like Me: A Story About Disability and Discovering God’s Image in Every Person

By Laura Wifler, Illustrated by Skylar White

This children’s picture book follows a sibling of a child with a disability as they go through their day. A simple story with an important message, Like Me helps kids recognize the many similarities they share with disabled kids and model a loving and understanding approach to the differences.

Nominated

2024-2025 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harvest Kids

ISBN# 978-0736985758 (HB)

Buy  Like Me: A Story About Disability and Discovering God’s Image in Every Person on Amazon

Like Pickle Juice On a Cookie

By Julie Sternberg, Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

When Eleanor’s beloved babysitter, Bibi, has to move away to take care of her ailing father, Eleanor must try to bear the summer without Bibi and prepare for the upcoming school year.

Winner

2013-2014 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.2

Published by Amulet

ISBN# 9780810984240 (HB)

Lily’s Promise

By Kathryn Erskine

While finding her own voice, a shy sixth grader speaks up for bullied students.

Nominated

2023-2024 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Quill Tree Books

ISBN# 978-0063058156 (HB)

Buy  Lily’s Promise on Amazon

Linked

By Gordon Korman

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it’s woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika.

Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing?

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face. It seems the crimes of the present may be connected to crimes of the past.…

Winner

2022-2023 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.3

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-1338629118 (HB)

Buy  Linked on Amazon

Listen to the Wind:  The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea

By Greg Mortenson, Illustrated by Susan L. Roth

This is the story of Greg Mortenson and his first building project in Pakistan. The highlights of this incredible experience are chronicled.

Nominated

2011-2012 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Dial Press

ISBN# 9780803730588 (HB)

Listen!

By Stephanie S. Tolan

The story of a twelve-year girl, Charley and her difficult emotional and physical journey as the themes of nature, family, and love are weaved into a complex and powerful portrait of recovery.

Nominated

2008-2009 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by HarperCollins Publishers

ISBN# 9780060579371 (PB)

Listening for Lions

By Gloria Whelan

Left an orphan after the influenza epidemic in British East Africa in 1918, thirteen-year-old Rachel is tricked into assuming a deceased neighbor’s identity to travel to England, where her only dream is to return to Africa and rebuild her parents’ mission hospital.

Nominated

2007-2008 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.7

Published by Harper Collins

ISBN# 0-06-058175-1 (PB)

Litte Ree

By Ree Drummond, Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

Little Ree trades in her city days for a country way of life when she moves with her family to her grandparents’ ranch. She’s excited to ride horses, swim in the pond, and help Grandma cook for everyone. But on her first day, she finds that living on a ranch can be tough.

Nominated

2018-2019 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.4

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 978-0062453181 (HB)

Little Dog, Lost

By Marion Dane Bauer, Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

This is a novel in verse about Mark, a lost dog, a small town, and small acts of bravery that bring lost-feeling neighbors together.

Nominated

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.4

Published by Simon & Schuster

ISBN# 1442434236 (PB, HB)

Little Elliot, Big City

By Mike Curato

Amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, the big crowds and bigger buildings, Little Elliot leads a quiet life. In spite of the challenges he faces, Elliot finds many wonderful things to enjoy―like cupcakes! And when his problems seem insurmountable, Elliot discovers something even sweeter―a friend.

Nominated

2016-2017 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.1

Published by Henry Holt

ISBN# 978-0805098259 (HB)

Little Leap Forward

By Guo Yue and Clare Farrow, Illustrated by Helen Cann

In Communist China in 1966, Leap Forward learns about freedom while flying kites with his best friend, by trying to get a caged bird to sing, and through the music he is learning to play on a bamboo flute.

Nominated

2010-2011 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Barefoot Books

ISBN# 9781846865398 (PB)

Littlejim’s Dreams

By Gloria Houston

In 1920 in the mountains of North Carolina, fourteen-year-old Jim Houston sees his hopes of continuing his education fade when his mother becomes seriously ill and his logger father must deal with underhanded businessmen.

Nominated

2000-2001 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt Brace

ISBN# 0-15-201509-4 (HB)

Longest Journey: An Artic Tern’s Migration, The

By Amy Hevron

Follow the epic annual migration of an Arctic Tern on its sixty-thousand-mile journey to the South Pole and back again, the longest such migration in the animal kingdom.

Nominated

2023-2024 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Neal Porter Books

ISBN# "978-0823447008 (HB)

Buy  Longest Journey: An Artic Tern’s Migration, The on Amazon

Look! Zoom in on Art!

By Gillian Wolfe

Mr.Wolfe has selected 18 paintings from around the world and across art history to teach young art enthusiasts the most important skill in enjoying beauty on a canvas.

Nominated

2004-2005 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Oxford

ISBN# 0-19-521912-0 (HB)

Looking for Me…in this Great Big Family

By Betsy R. Rosenthal

Set in the 1930s, Edith is the fourth of twelve children, so it seems she is always taking care of someone younger while trying to understand just how a big family works in these hard times.

Nominated

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 0544022718 (PB, HB)

Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan

By Jane Yolen and Steve Adams

This is a picture book biography of J. M. Barrie and the events of his life that led him to write one of the world’s most beloved children’s books.

Nominated

2013-2014 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Penguin Group

ISBN# 9780525478867 (HB)

Lost City: the Discovery of Machu Picchu

By Ted Lewin

In 1911, Yale professor Hiram Bingham, on a trek to find a rumored lost city of the Incas, discovers another a lost Incan city with the help of a Peruvian boy. What he stumbled onto was even more beautiful and amazing.

Nominated

2005-2006 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Philomel

ISBN# 0-399-23302-4 (HB)

Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers

By Pendrad Noyce

Thirteen- year -old couch potato cousins find themselves lost in a mysterious world called Lexicon, where they must solve puzzles of math and grammar.

Nominated

2013-2014 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 4.9

Published by Scarletta Press

ISBN# 9780983021926 (PB)

Lost in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy

By Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick

A spring tale of trust, patience, and waiting for your time. Woodland creatures are concerned for a newborn white-tailed fawn they believe is lost.

Winner

2006-2007 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Carl R. Sams II Photography, Inc.

ISBN# 0-9671748-8-0 (PB, HB)

Louisa May & Mr. Thoreau’s Flute

By Dunlap & Marybeth Lorbiecki, Illustrated by Mary Azarian.

In 1831, in Concord, Massachusetts, seven-year-old Louisa May Alcott joins other children on varied excursions led by Henry David Thoreau, and is inspired to write her first poem.

Nominated

2004-2005 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Penguin

ISBN# 0-80372-470-5 (HB)

Louisiana’s Way Home

By Kate DiCamillo

When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes.

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.5

Published by Candlewick Press

ISBN# 978-0763694630 (HB)

Love Does for Kids

By Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich, Illustrated by Michael Lauritano

In the same way that Love Does has struck a deep chord with adults, kids will experience God in new and thrilling ways and see that living out our faith certainly isn’t boring! With this book, children will laugh, dream, and be inspired to make a difference for God.

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Thomas Nelson

ISBN# 978-0718095222 (HB)

Love Is…

By Wendy Halperin

A beautifully illustrated adaptation of one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible, I Corinthians 13, given to us by the apostle Paul.

Nominated

2003-2004 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Simon & Schuster

ISBN# 0-689-82980-9 (PB, HB)

Love Twelve Miles Long

By Glenda ArGlenda ArmandmandGlenda Armand, Illustrated by Colin Bootman

Set on a plantation in 1820s Maryland, this story based on the life of young Frederick Douglass, shows the power of his mother’s love. The faith she has in her son puts him on a path to escape enslavement and to become a champion of human rights.

Nominated

2014-2015 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.2

Published by Lee & Low

ISBN# 9781600602450 (HB)

Love, Amalia

By Alma Flor Ada, Illustrated by Gabriel M. Zubizarreta

Another loss comes and Amalia wonders if she will ever make any sense of it all.

Nominated

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.8

Published by Simon and Schuster

ISBN# 1442424028 (PB, HB)

Love, Ruby Lavender

By Deborah Wiles

ile her grandmother spends the summer in Hawaii, Ruby learns self-reliance by writing letters and befriending a new girl in town.

Nominated

2003-2004 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-202314-3 (PB, HB)

Loving Marley

By Donald and Sara Hassler, Illustrated by Carol Newsom

From the first moment the Barkers saw the puppy it was love at first sight. They soon learn that adopting a pet is a big responsibility and a decision that will lead to a lifetime of fun and adventures.

Winner

2010-2011 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.0

Published by Pugtale Publishing

ISBN# 9780976639077 (HB)

Lucy’s Wish

By Joan L. Nixon

It’s 1866, and ten-year-old Lucy Grigg’s mother has just died, leaving Lucy alone on the streets of New York City. She learns about a group that sends orphans out west to new homes, and hopefully, a new, loving family—maybe even a little sister.

Honor

2000-2001 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Delacorte

ISBN# 0-385-32293-3 (HB)

Lula Bell on Geekdom, Freakdom, and the Challenges of Bad Hair

By C. C. Payne

Ten-year-old Lula Bell Bonner of White House, Tennessee, tries to fade in the background to avoid a bully, but after her beloved grandmother’s death Lula Bell understood about letting her light shining in the darkness.

Nominated

2014-2015 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Amazon Children’s

ISBN# 9780761462255 (HB)

Lunch Money

By Andrew Clements, Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Twelve-year old Greg, who always has been good at moneymaking projects, is surprised to find himself teaming up with his lifelong rival, Maura, to create a series of comic books to sell at school.

Honor

2007-2008 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.2

Published by Simon & Schuster

ISBN# 0-689-86683-6 (HB)

Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog

By Lisa Papp

Madeline Finn and Star are off to Walker Oaks, a retirement community where Star will take his tests to become a Therapy Dog. Accompanied by Mom, Mrs. Dimple, and Bonnie the library dog, she and Star make their way through a variety of challenges and meet several new friends. But Madeline Finn can’t stop thinking about an elderly man in a wheelchair who never smiles. Is there something she and Star can do to help?

Honor

2021-2022 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.6

Published by Peachtree

ISBN# 9781682631492 (HB)

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Mahalia Jackson: Walking with Kings and Queens

By Nina Nolan, Illustrated by John Holyfield

Mahalia Jackson went down in history as the Queen of Gospel. This picture book biography follows her life starting in childhood. It highlights her struggles, victories and career as a singer over several decades. She never gave up or let others put her down due to the color of her skin. She paved the way for many other people of color to follow in her successful footsteps.

Nominated

2016-2017 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Harper

ISBN# 978-0060879440 (HB)

Malala’s Magic Pencil

By Malala Yousafzai, Illustrated by Kerascoët

As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

Nominated

2019-2020 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.6

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0316319577 (HB)

Malcolm at Midnight

By W. H. Beck, Illustrated by Brian Lies

A rat named Malcolm loves living at a school with a secret society of pets that keep children out of trouble. This mystery involves an iguana that has disappeared!

Winner

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.8

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 0547681003 (PB, HB)

Mama Played Baseball

By David A. Adler

While her dad is away serving in WW II, Amy helps her mother get a job as a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Winner

2005-2006 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-202196-5 (HB)

Marguerite Makes a Book

By Bruce Robertson

This story tells how a young but talented girl who lived in France more that 600 years ago. Her father is a manuscript illuminator, but when he falls ill it is up to Marguerite to finish his current work so that a grand lady can get her book on time.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Getty Museum

ISBN# 0-89236-372-X (HB)

Mark of the Thief

By Jennifer A. Nielsen

When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods—magic some Romans would kill for. Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic’s newfound powers for their own dark purposes. In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire’s most powerful and savage leaders.

Honor

2017-2018 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.2

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

ISBN# 978-0545561556 (PB)

Market Day

By Carol Foskett Cordsen, Illustrated by Douglas B. Jones

The Benson family oversleeps and there is so much to do to get ready for the market. In a hurry they don’t remember if they fed the cows or closed the farm gate. One hungry, lovable cow helps make the day at the farmer’s market more exciting.

Nominated

2010-2011 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 1.0

Published by Penguin Group

ISBN# 9780525478836 (HB)

Marsupials

By Nic Bishop

This book explores marsupials of all sizes. It further tells about their habits, physical appearance, and environment.

Nominated

2011-2012 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

ISBN# 9780439877589 (HB)

Mary Cassat: Family Pictures

By Jane O’Connor, Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis

Discusses the life and the work of impressionist painter Mary Cassat, as told from a child’s point of view.

Nominated

2005-2006 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Grosset & Dunlap

ISBN# 0-448-43153-X (PB, HB)

Mary On Horseback

By Rosemary Wells

Mary Breckinridge, trained as a nurse during World War I, rode on horseback into the isolated mountains of Appalachia to bring medical help to those in need. Joined by others, her work became a model for rural health care worldwide.

Nominated

2000-2001 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Dial Press

ISBN# 0-8037-2154-4 (HB)

Masterpiece

By Elise Broach, Illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as a birthday gift for James, a human. The two new friends work together to help recover a drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Winner

2010-2011 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Square Fish

ISBN# 9780312608705 (PB)

May B.

By Caroline Starr Rose

When a failed wheat crop nearly bankrupts the Betterly family, Pa pulls twelve-year-old May from school and hires her out to a couple new to the Kansas frontier.

Nominated

2014-2015 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Random

ISBN# 9780385374149 (PB)

Maybe Tomorrow?

By Charlotte Agell, Illustrated by Ana Ramirez

This tender exploration of loss illuminates how kindness, empathy, and friendship can lift our spirits and see us through many tomorrows. It will resonate with anyone who has experienced hardship or grief, from the death of a loved one or a pet, to a friend moving away, or the transition to a new home or family situation.

Nominated

2020-2021 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.2

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-1338214888 (HB)

Mei Fuh

By Edith Schaeffer

This is Edith Schaeffer’s (also named Mei Fuh when she was born) lively memoir of her first five years growing up the daughter of American teachers living in southern China. Learn the culture of a fascinating people through the eyes of a curious child.

Nominated

2000-2001 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 0-395-72290-X (HB)

Mercedes & the Chocolate Pilot

By Margot Theis Raven, Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

To relieve the hunger in Germany in 1948, pilots began airlifting supplies including candy and gum for the children, which gave them a reason to hope for a better life.

Honor

2004-2005 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

ISBN# 1-58536-069-4 (HB)

Merry Christmas, Merry Crow

By Kathi Appelt, Illustrated by Jon Goodell

A busy crow flies around town picking up all kinds of discarded items and uses them to create a beautiful Christmas tree.

Nominated

2007-2008 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.1

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-202651-7 (PB, HB)

Miles’ Song

By Alice McGill

Miles, a slave, endures trying to have his spirit broken by secretly learning to read.

Nominated

2002-2003 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 0-395-97938-2 (PB, HB)

Million-Dollar Throw

By Mike Lupica

Quarterback Nate Brodie’s family is feeling the stress of the economy. His best friend is going blind, so when he gets the chance to win a million dollars for completing a pass during halftime at a New England Patriots game, he is overwhelmed by the pressure.

Honor

2011-2012 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

ISBN# 9780142415580 (PB)

Minette’s Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat

By Susanna Reich, Illustrated by Amy Bates

Introduces the iconic American chef Julia Child to a new audience of young readers through the story of her spirited cat, Minette, whom Julia adopted when living in Paris.

Nominated

2014-2015 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 5.1

Published by Abrams

ISBN# 9781419701771 (HB)

Mirror Mirror

By Marilyn Singer, Illustrated by Josee Masse

In this book of poems based on fairy tales, a new twist is given. The poems are read top to bottom and then reversed to create a new take on the fairy tales.

Nominated

2012-2013 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Penguin Young Readers Group

ISBN# 9780525479017 (HB)

Mischief, Mad Mary, And Me

By Dawn Knight

All the kids call the strange old woman Mad Mary, and they steer clear of her. But that doesn’t stop Brit from spying on her, during which time she discovers Mischief!

Nominated

2000-2001 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Avon

ISBN# 0-380-73135-5 (PB, HB)

Miss Alainus: A Vocabulary Disaster

By Debra Fraiser

Sage turns her misunderstanding over a spelling word into pure inspiration for the vocabulary parade

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-202163-9 (PB, HB)

Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies & Little Misses of Color

By Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson, Illustrated by Floyd Cooper

This collection of poetry tells the story of Prudence Crandall and her students in the days before prejudice and persecution closed her 19th century school for African American girls in Canterbury, Connecticut.

Nominated

2009-2010 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Highlights Press

ISBN# 9781590784563 (HB)

Miss Lady Bird’s Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America

By Kathi Appelt, Illustrated by Joy Fisher Hein

A biography of Lady Bird Johnson, who, as the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, reminded citizens about the importance of conserving natural resources and promoted the beautification of cities and highways by planting wildflowers.

Nominated

2006-2007 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 0-06-001107-6 (HB)

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise, How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children

By Jan Pinborough, Illustrated by Debby Atwell

There was a time in America when children were not allowed to enter a library much less take books home because they might ruin them or forget to bring them back, until Miss Moore came along!

Nominated

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.6

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 054747105X (HB)

Missing From Haymarket Square

By Harriette Gillem Robinet

Three children in Chicago in 1886 experience the Haymarket Riot in response to the exploitative working conditions.

Nominated

2003-2004 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Atheneum

ISBN# 0-689-83895-6 (PB, HB)

Missing on Superstition Mountain

By Elise Broach

When Simon, Henry, and Jack move with their parents to Arizona, they are irresistibly drawn to explore the aptly named Superstition Mountain, despite warnings it is not safe. Ms. Broach is the recipient of the 2011 Children’s Crown Award for Masterpiece.

Winner

2014-2015 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Square Fish

ISBN# 9781250004772 (PB)