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Animals Welcome

By Peg Kehret

Non-fiction memoir of a popular author who shares true stories of animals and family while living on a wildlife sanctuary as an animal rescuer.

Honor

2014-2015 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 6.0

Published by Penguin

ISBN# 9780525423997 (HB)

Anna Maria’s Gift

By Janice Shefelman, Illustrated by Robert Papp

Anna Maria lives in an orphanage in Venice. It is also a famous music school that allows her to continue to play the violin until a rival throws it in the canals.

Nominated

2011-2012 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Random House Children's Books

ISBN# 9780375898280 (HB)

Anna the Bookbinder

By Andrea Cheng, Illustrated by Ted Rand

Anna loves to watch her father at his bookbinding business. When he is unable to finish an important client’s books, Anna is determined to take matters into her own hands.

Nominated

2005-2006 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Walker

ISBN# 0-8027-8831-9 (HB)

Anna Was Here

By Jane Kurtz

Three generations of the Nickel family reunite, when Anna, her mom, dad, and younger sister Isabella, relocate to Oakwood, Kansas.

Nominated

2016-2017 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 978-0060564933 (HB)

Anne Frank

By Josephine Poole, Illustrated by Angela Barrett

A biography of Anne Frank, written and illustrated for younger children.

Nominated

2007-2008 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.1

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0375832420 (PB, HB)

Annie Henry and the Birth of Liberty

By Susan O’Lasky

In 1775 Patrick Henry’s ten-year-old daughter, Annie, tries to concentrate on her day-to-day activities but is increasingly caught up in her father’s role in the colonists’ growing unrest. This title was on the Crown list in 1994 and has been republished as a set of four books. By request from the publisher an endorsement was given by Sandra Morrow, the originator of the Children’s Crown Awards.

Nominated

2013-2014 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by P & R Publishing

ISBN# 9781596383753 (PB)

Annie’s War

By Jacqueline Levering Sullivan

Jack Plank Tells Tales, by Natalie Babbitt, RL 5. 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: 4.0

Published by Eerdmans Books

ISBN# 802853544 (PB)

Another Day as Emily

By Eileen Spinelli, Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Eleven-year-old Suzy just can’t win. Her brother is a local hero for calling 911 after seeing their elderly neighbor collapse, and only her best friend was able to win a role in the play they both auditioned for. Feeling cast aside from all angles, Suzy sees a kindred spirit in Emily Dickinson, the subject of her summer project. Suzy decides to escape from her disappointments by emulating the poet’s life of solitude: no visitors or phone calls (only letters delivered through her window), no friends (except her goldfish, Ottilie), and no outings (except church, but only if she can wear her long white Emily dress). But being a recluse is harder than Suzy predicted. Will she find a way to fold Emily into her life while also remaining true to herself?

Nominated

2017-2018 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.2

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0449809884 (PB)

Ark In The Park

By Wendy Orr

Sophie and Mr. and Mrs. Noah, owners of a pet store, become special friends as they share their love for animals.

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Holt

ISBN# 0-8050-6221-1 (PB, HB)

Around the World in 100 Days

By Gary Blackwood

It is 1891 and Harry Fogg and his crew have 100 days to circle the entire globe. Only cars on land and boats in the water are allowed.

Nominated

2012-2013 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

ISBN# 9780142419632 (PB)

As Warm as the Sun

By Kate and Jim McMullan

Toby loves basking in the morning sun, snuggling in a lap in the afternoon, and toasting his tummy by the fireside at night, but somehow his warm spots never last. What Toby wants more than anything is to find something as warm as the sun that never fades or fizzles.

Winner

2020-2021 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Neal Porter Books

ISBN# 978-0823443277 (HB)

Ashes

By Laurie Halse Anderson

As the Revolutionary War rages on, Isabel and Curzon have narrowly escaped Valley Forge—but their relief is short-lived. Before long they are reported as runaways, and the awful Bellingham is determined to track them down. With purpose and faith, Isabel and Curzon march on, fiercely determined to find Isabel’s little sister Ruth, who is enslaved in a Southern state—where bounty hunters are thick as flies.

Nominated

2018-2019 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.6

Published by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

ISBN# 978-1416961468 (HB)

Ask Albert Einstein

By Lynne Barasch

In 1952, a young girl writes a letter to Albert Einstein, the most famous mathematician and scientist of the day, to request help for her fifteen- year-old sister, Annabel, in solving a very important math problem. A fictionalized story based on an actual event that appeared in The New York Times in May 1952.

Nominated

2007-2008 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.6

Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux

ISBN# 0-374-30435-1 (HB)

At the Sign of the Star

By Katherine Sturtevant

In 17th century London, Meg dreams of becoming a bookseller like her father.

Nominated

2002-2003 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by FSG

ISBN# 374404585 (PB, HB)

B is for Bookworm: A Library Alphabet

By Anita C. Prieto, Illustrated by Renee Graef

A guided A – Z tour through the institution called the “library”, including its earliest forms, systems and practices, famous booklovers and librarians, and even definitions of basic book components.

Nominated

2007-2008 Crown Award

Reading Level: 6.1

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

ISBN# 1-58536-145-3 (PB, HB)

Baby Whale’s Journey

By Jonathan London

After Baby Whale is born he swims with his mother and, surrounded with a protective pod, he begins to grow and learn. As he watches all around him, soon Baby Whale comes to know all the ways of the whales and of the sea.

Winner

2001-2002 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Chronicle

ISBN# 0-8118-2496-9 (PB, HB)

Back to School with Betsy

By Carolyn Haywood

Third grader Betsy and her friend Billy seem to be always getting into scrapes both inside and outside of school.

Nominated

2006-2007 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-205105-8 (HB)

Balloons over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

By Melissa Sweet, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This is a picture book biography of Tony Sarg, the man who developed Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, beloved by Americans for generations.

Honor

2015-2016 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.4

Published by Houghton

ISBN# 0547199457 (PB)

Bamboo People

By Mitali Perkins

This book tells the story of two boys on opposite sides of the conflict between the Burmese government and the Karenni. One serves in the Burmese army while the other fights for independence.

Honor

2012-2013 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.

ISBN# 9781580893299 (PB)

Banana Dream

By Hasan Namir, Illustrated by Daby Zainab Faidhi

Growing up in Iraq after the Gulf War, Mooz didn’t always like his name, which means “banana”. But when he learns the story behind it, he’s proud, even when being teased by his classmates. Now all he yearns for is to taste a banana—a lofty dream in a time when few countries are trading with Iraq, where bananas don’t grow.

Nominated

2024-2025 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Neal Porter Books

ISBN# 978-0823451005 (HB)

Buy  Banana Dream on Amazon

Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero

By Megan Hoyt, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

Gino Bartali pedaled across Italy for years, winning one cycling race after another, including the 1938 Tour de France. Gino became an international sports hero! But the next year, World War II began, and it changed everything. Soldiers marched into Italy. Tanks rolled down the cobbled streets of Florence. And powerful leaders declared that Jewish people should be arrested.

To the entire world, Gino Bartali was merely a champion cyclist. But Gino’s greatest achievement was something he never told a soul—that he secretly worked with the Italian resistance to save hundreds of Jewish men, women, and children, and others, from certain death, using the one thing no authority would question: his bicycle.

Nominated

2022-2023 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 4.2

Published by Quill Tree Books

ISBN# 978-0062908117 (HB)

Buy  Bartali’s Bicycle: The True Story of Gino Bartali, Italy’s Secret Hero on Amazon

Basket Moon

By Mary Lyn Ray

A young backwoods boy wants to make baskets just like his family until he is taunted during a trip to a big city.

Nominated

2002-2003 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Little, Brown

ISBN# 0-316-73521-3 (PB, HB)

Be a Friend

By Salina Yoon

Dennis is an ordinary boy who expresses himself in extraordinary ways. Some children do show-and-tell. Dennis mimes his. Some children climb trees. Dennis is happy to BE a tree . . . But being a mime can be lonely. It isn’t until Dennis meets a girl named Joy that he discovers the power of friendship—and how special he truly is! At its core, this book is a heartwarming story of self-acceptance, courage, and unbreakable friendship for anyone who has ever felt ‘different.’

Nominated

2018-2019 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 1.9

Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

ISBN# 978-1619639515 (HB)

Be Kind

By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Jen Hill

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind?

From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.

Nominated

2019-2020 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.2

Published by Roaring Brook Press

ISBN# 978-1626723214 (HB)

Be Loved

By Emma Mae Jenkins

Readers will experience the chain-breaking liberty of knowing the Lord’s presence and the freedom to be unique. This full-color, hardback book includes pictures from Emma Mae’s life, along with key Bible verses that God used to strengthen and guide her through the ups and downs of her high school years as a young Christian. Readers will learn to face the challenges of their student years with religion, courage, hope, and lifegiving love for others.

Nominated

2021-2022 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by New Growth Press

ISBN# 9781948130929 (HB)

Buy  Be Loved on Amazon

Bear Dogs: Canines With a Mission

By Ted Wood

These 50-pound bundles of energy and courage routinely take on 400-pound grizzlies to steer problem bears away from trouble.

Nominated

2003-2004 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Walker

ISBN# 0-8027-8759-2 (HB)

Because of the Rabbit

By Cynthia Lord

On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They’re supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night. The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school. But things don’t go as planned. On the first day of school, she’s paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can’t stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he’s obsessed with animals. Jack doesn’t fit in, and Emma’s worried he’ll make her stand out. Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she’s meant to have?

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.3

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-0545914246 (HB)

Becoming Joe DiMaggio

By Maria Testa, Illustrated by Scott Hunt

The highlight of Joseph Paul’s growing up years was listening to baseball games on the radio & learning the rules of the game at his grandfather’s knee.

Nominated

2004-2005 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Candlewick

ISBN# 0-7636-1537-4 (PB, HB)

Before She Was Harriet

By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James E.Ransome

We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called by many names. As General Tubman she was a Union spy. As Moses she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As Minty she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken. An evocative poem and opulent watercolors come together to honor a woman of humble origins whose courage and compassion make her larger than life.

Nominated

2018-2019 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Holiday House

ISBN# 978-0823420476 (HB)

Believe: The Victorious Story of Eric LeGrand

By Eric LeGrand

LeGrand tells a real life story of his journey as he fights to walk again after being tackled on the football field in a college game leaving him paralyzed. He inspires his fans with his personal motto to “believe.”

Winner

2014-2015 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 6.4

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 9780062225825 (HB)

Ben and the Sudden Too-Big Family

By Colby Rodowsky, Illustrated by Michael Wertz

Ten-year-old Ben thinks he and his father make a “cool” family, but Ben has to rethink what is “all right” and “not all right” when his father remarries and adopts a baby from China.

Nominated

2009-2010 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN# 9780374706876 (HB)

Best Family Ever

By Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell

Brooke is the perfect older sister. For that reason, Kari and Ashley work hard to make their parents just as proud of them as they are of Brooke. Each girl has her own talents. Brooke is an excellent student. Kari is a great soccer player. Ashley, a talented artist. And they are always there for each other. But when the news comes that Dr. Baxter is moving the family from Ann Arbor to Bloomington, Indiana, and the Baxters need to leave the only home and friends they’ve ever known, no one is happy. Saying goodbye is hard but the family still has what’s most important—their faith and their love for each other.

Winner

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.2

Published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

ISBN# 978-1534412156 (HB)

Beyond Me

By Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu

In the aftermath of the natural disasters that have struck her country, eleven-year-old Maya is luckier than many. Her family didn’t lose their home, their lives, or each other. But Maya still can’t help feeling paralyzed with terror, and each aftershock that ripples out in the days that follow makes her fear all over again that her luck could change in an instant.

Nominated

2021-2022 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Atheneum Books

ISBN# 9781481437899 (HB)

Buy  Beyond Me on Amazon

Beyond the Bright Sea

By Lauren Wolk

Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow’s only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar. Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn’t until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.

Nominated

2018-2019 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 4.8

Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-1101994856 (HB)

Beyond the Laughing Sky

By Michelle Cuevas, Illustrated by Julie Morstad

Ten-year-old Nashville doesn’t feel like he belongs with his family, in his town, or even in this world. He was hatched from an egg his father found on the sidewalk and has grown into something not quite boy and not quite bird. Despite the support of his loving parents and his adoring sister, Junebug, Nashville wishes more than anything that he could join his fellow birds up in the sky. After all, what’s the point of being part bird if you can’t even touch the clouds?

Nominated

2016-2017 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.4

Published by Penguin Young Readers Group

ISBN# 9780142423059 (PB)

Beyond the Valley of Thorns

By Patrick Carman

When thirteen-year-old Alexa embarks on a mysterious quest, she finds her old friends Yipes, the little man, Murphy, the squirrel, Odessa, the wolf, and Squire, the hawk have been designated to help her.

Winner

2007-2008 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 6.2

Published by Orchard

ISBN# 0-439-70094-9 (PB, HB)

Bicycle Madness

By Jane Kurtz, Illustrated by Beth Peck

In the late nineteenth century, Lillie gains friendship and help with a spelling bee from a neighbor who braves criticism to speak out about women’s rights.

Nominated

2005-2006 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Henry Holt

ISBN# 0-8050-6981-X (HB)

Billy Miller Makes A Wish

By Kevin Henkes

On his eighth birthday, Billy Miller wishes for something exciting to happen. None of his wishes are answered the way he expects, but he does have lots of surprises, and the final one is possibly the best one ever.

Nominated

2023-2024 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.1

Published by Greenwillow Books

ISBN# 978-0063042797 (HB)

Buy  Billy Miller Makes A Wish on Amazon

Bird Boy

By Elizabeth Hill

Chang cannot talk, at least not to people. The only sounds he can make are the squawks and caws of the cormorants that his father trains for fishing. Chang loves birds, and he is thrilled when he is finally old enough to join his father on important fishing trips.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by FSG

ISBN# 0-374-30723-7 (PB, HB)

Black All Around

By Patricia Hubbell, Illustrated by Don Tate

An African American girl ponders the many black things around her, from the inside of her pocket to the cozy night where there is no light.

Nominated

2005-2006 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Lee & Low

ISBN# 1-58430-048-5 (PB)

Black Beauty’s Early Days in the Meadow

By Jane Monroe Donovan, Illustrated by Jane Monroe

Black Beauty is depicted in the first few months of the horse’s life as a foal frolicking in the meadow.

Nominated

2008-2009 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

ISBN# 1-58536-296-4 (HB)

Black Nell

By Shirley Woods

This is the story of the first year of Nell and her four coyote siblings. Her black coat makes her a hunter’s prize. So not only must she learn how to feed herself, but also about the dangers that humans thrust upon all wildlife.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Groundwood

ISBN# 0-88899-318-8 (PB, HB)

Black Whiteness

By Robert Burleigh

Admiral Richard Byrd stayed alone on the continent of Antarctica for almost six months in 1934. He battled the elements, the loneliness, and an illness that nearly killed him, all the while continuing to record his scientific observations.

Nominated

2000-2001 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Atheneum

ISBN# 0-689-81299-X (PB, HB)

Bloomability

By Sharon Creech

When her aunt and uncle take her from New Mexico to Lugano, Switzerland, to attend an international school, thirteen-year-old Dinnie discovers an expanding world and her place in it.

Winner

2000-2001 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harper Collins

ISBN# 0-06-026993-6 (PB, HB)

Blue Skies

By Anne Bustard

Glory Bea Bennett knows that miracles happen in Gladiola, Texas, population 3,421. After all, her grandmother—the best matchmaker in the whole county—is responsible for thirty-nine of them. Now, Glory Bea needs a miracle of her own. The war ended three years ago, but Glory Bea’s father never returned home from the front in France. Glory Bea understands what Mama and Grams and Grandpa say—that Daddy died a hero on Omaha Beach—yet deep down in her heart, she believes Daddy is still out there. When the Gladiola Gazette reports that one of the boxcars from the Merci Train (the “thank you” train)—a train filled with gifts of gratitude from the people of France—will be stopping in Gladiola, she just knows daddy will be its surprise cargo. But miracles, like people, are always changing, until at last they find their way home.

Nominated

2021-2022 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Simon & Schuster

ISBN# 9781534446069 (HB)

Buy  Blue Skies on Amazon

The Blue Whale

By Jenni Desmond

A nonfiction picture book, The Blue Whale draws children into the life and world of this enormous whale by situating facts within a familiar context that is fun and engaging.

Nominated

2016-2017 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 5.3

Published by Enchanted Lion Books

ISBN# 978-1592701650 (HB)

Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton

By Matt Phelan

During a typically boring summer in a small town, a vaudeville troupe with various exotic animals, come to stay at a nearby lake. Henry meets Buster Keaton, a real performer a long time ago, and exciting things begin to happen.

Nominated

2016-2017 Crown Award

Reading Level: 2.5

Published by Candlewick

ISBN# 978-0763650797 (HB)

Bonyo Bonyo: The True Story of a Brave Boy from Kenya

By Vanita Oelschlager, Illustrated by Kristin Blackwood and Mike Blanc

Picture-book biography about a poor child in rural Kenya who becomes a doctor and returns to his village to open a medical clinic.

Honor

2013-2014 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Vanita Books

ISBN# 9780981971445 (PB)

Book Scavenger

By Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it’s the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game.

Winner

2016-2017 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.5

Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

ISBN# 9781627791151 (HB)

Born in the Breezes: The Seafaring Life of Joshua Slocum

By Kathryn Lasky, Illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop

In 1895, a former sea captain attempts to be the first to sail around the world in his rebuilt sloop.

Nominated

2003-2004 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Orchard

ISBN# 0-439-29305-7 (HB)

Boxes for Katje

By Candace Fleming, Illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

After a young Dutch girl writes to her new American friend in thanks for the care package sent after World War II, she begins to receive increasingly larger packages.

Honor

2005-2006 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Farrar, Strauss, Giroux

ISBN# 0-374-30922-1 (HB)

A Boy Called Bat

By Elana K. Arnold, Illustrated by Charles Santoso

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

Nominated

2019-2020 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.6

Published by Walden Pond Press

ISBN# 978-0062445827 (HB)

The Boy on the Porch

By Sharon Creech

A young couple inexplicably finds a boy on their porch. John and Marta know they have been chosen to care for the boy and they try to unravel his history.

Winner

2016-2017 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 978-0061892356 (HB)

Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders: 50 True Stories of Daring Men of God

By Shirley Raye Redmond, Illustrated by Katya Longhi

Meet men who have used their God-given talents to live out their faith to the fullest. They come from a variety of backgrounds, eras, and ethnicities, but each one has answered the Lord’s call on their life in bold and innovative ways.

Nominated

2022-2023 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harvest Kids

ISBN# 978-0736981330 (HB)

Buy  Brave Heroes and Bold Defenders: 50 True Stories of Daring Men of God on Amazon

Bright Freedom’s Song

By Gloria Houston

In the years before the Civil War, Bright realizes her parents are providing a safe house for the Underground Railroad. When she discovers a runaway slave in the barn, her life beyond their farm is suddenly vastly expanded.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harcourt

ISBN# 0-15-201812-3 (PB, HB)

The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America

By Jan Lower, Illustrated by Susan Reagan

Long before calculators were invented, little Edith Clarke devoured numbers, conquered calculations, cracked puzzles, and breezed through brainteasers. Edith wanted to be an engineer—to use the numbers she saw all around her to help build America.

Nominated

2024-2025 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Calkins Creek

ISBN# 978-1662680069 (HB)

Buy The Brilliant Calculator: How Mathematician Edith Clarke Helped Electrify America on Amazon

Britfield and the Lost Crown

By C. R. Stewart

He’s spent the majority of his life locked behind the cruel walls of Weatherly Orphanage, but when Tom learns that his parents might actually be alive, he is determined to find them. Together with his best friend Sarah, and armed with only the word “Britfield,” as a clue to Tom’s mysterious past, the two make a daring escape.

Soon, they are on the run from a famous Scotland Yard detective and what appears to be half of the police officers in England! The hunt is on, but will Tom and Sarah be able to evade capture long enough to solve an even bigger conspiracy that could tear our world apart

Nominated

2021-2022 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.6

Published by Devonfiled Publishing LLC

ISBN# 9781732961210 (HB)

Buy  Britfield and the Lost Crown on Amazon

Broken Crayons Still Color

By Toni Collier, Illustrated by Natalie Vasilica

Avery has big emotions and bubbling anxieties about changes in her life. When her crayons break as she scribbles furiously, she discovers that they have personalities and feelings too! And they can show her how to use her love of coloring to manage scary, overwhelming feelings and embrace curiosity and joy. As Avery follows the crayons’ advice, gets creative, and chooses bravery and positive thinking, she discovers that God can use her to make beautiful things, even with broken crayons.

Nominated

2024-2025 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Tommy Nelson

ISBN# 978-1400242900 (HB)

Buy  Broken Crayons Still Color on Amazon

Bronco and Friends: A Party to Remember

By Tim Tebow, Illustrated by Jane Chapman

Bronco the dog and three animal friends, all reluctant to attend a party for various reasons, receive a warm welcome when they do decide to go.

Honor

2023-2024 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.9

Published by WaterBrook

ISBN# 978-0593232040 (HB)

Buy  Bronco and Friends: A Party to Remember on Amazon

Brooklyn Bridge

By Karen Hesse, Illustrated by Chris Sheban

In 1903 Brooklyn, Joseph Michtom’s life changes when his parents, Russian immigrants, invent the teddy bear and turn their apartment into a factory, while nearby the glitter of Coney Island contrasts with the dismal lives of children dwelling under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Honor

2010-2011 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Square Fish

ISBN# 9780312674281 (PB)

Brothers

By E. Yin, Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet

The story of Patrick and Ming, fictional characters based on actual historical events.

Nominated

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.1

Published by Philomel Books

ISBN# 0-399-23406-3 (HB)

Buddy is a Stupid Name for a Girl

By Willo Davis Roberts

When her father disappears mysteriously, Buddy must live with dysfunctional relatives and learns of the whole family’s past secrets.

Nominated

2003-2004 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Atheneum

ISBN# 0-689-81670-7 (PB, HB)

Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly

By Anne Bustard, Illustrated by Kurt Cyrus

A biography of the musician, born Charles Hardin Holley, during the Depression in Texas, who pioneered a new kind of music.

Nominated

2006-2007 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Simon Schuster

ISBN# 0-689-86667-4 (HB)

By and By: Charles Albert Tindley, the Father of Gospel Music

By Carole Weatherford, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

At a time when most African Americans were still enslaved, Charles Tindley was born free. His childhood was far from easy, with backbreaking hours in the fields, and no opportunity to go to school. But the spirituals he heard as he worked made him long to know how to read the Gospel for himself. Late at night, he taught himself to read from scraps of newspapers. From those small scraps, young Charles raised himself to become a founding father of American gospel music whose hymn was the basis for the Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”

Nominated

2021-2022 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.7

Published by Atheneum Books

ISBN# 9781534426368 (HB)

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Byrd & Igloo: A Polar Adventure

By Samantha Sieple

An engaging story about polar explorer and aviator, Admiral Richard E. Byrd and his travels with his fox terrier companion, as they both explore travelling to the North and South poles.

Nominated

2015-2016 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 6.7

Published by Scholastic

ISBN# 9780545562768 (HB)

Caleb’s Story

By Patricia MacLachlan

This sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall and Skylark, focuses on Caleb who finds a mysterious old man in the barn, and forces his father to deal with his past.

Nominated

2003-2004 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 0-06-023606-X (PB)

Can We Save the Tiger?

By Martin Jenkins and Vicki White

The author spotlights the ways human behavior affects the amazing animals on our planet. Ms. White’s outstanding illustrations further excite us to preserve these stunning creatures.

Nominated

2013-2014 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Candlewick

ISBN# 9780763673789 (PB)

Can You Do This, Old Badger?

By Eve Bunting

Although Old Badger cannot do some things as easily as he used to, he can still teach Little Badger the many things he knows about finding good things to eat and staying safe and happy.

Nominated

2000-2001 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0152016548 (PB/HB)

Can You Hear A Rainbow?

By Jamee Riggio Heelan, Illustrated by Nicola Simmonds

A deaf child tells how he uses sign language, hearing aids, and his other senses to communicate and how his friends help him, and his attendance in public school with an interpreter.

Nominated

2004-2005 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Peachtree

ISBN# 1-56145-268-8 (HB)

Cars on Mars

By Alexandra Siy

Twin robotic Rovers searched for clues on Mars to help scientists determine if life ever existed there. This book chronicles some of the trials and discoveries experienced.

Nominated

2011-2012 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.

ISBN# 9781570914638 (PB)

Carter Reads the Newspaper

By Deborah Hopkinson, Illustrated by Don Tate

Carter G. Woodson was born to two formerly enslaved people ten years after the end of the Civil War. Though his father could not read, he believed in being an informed citizen. So Carter read the newspaper to him every day. When he was still a teenager, Carter went to work in the coal mines. There he met a man named Oliver Jones, and Oliver did something important: he asked Carter not only to read to him and the other miners, but also research and find more information on the subjects that interested them. “My interest in penetrating the past of my people was deepened,” Carter wrote. His journey would take him many more years, traveling around the world and transforming the way people thought about history.

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.5

Published by Peachtree Publishing Company C

ISBN# 978-1561459346 (HB)

Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science

By Susan Hughes, Illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier

Scientists, archeologists and historians peer into nine unsolved mysteries from the past. Readers will learn about the tools and techniques used to explain these cases.

Nominated

2012-2013 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Kids Can Press, Limited

ISBN# 9781554533633 (PB)

Castaways in Lilliput

By Henry Winterfeld, Illustrated by William M. Hutchinson

Three Australian children, adrift on a rubber raft, are cast ashore in a land of tiny people.

Nominated

2004-2005 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Odyssey Classics

ISBN# 0-15-216286-0 (PB, HB)

Cat Diaries:  Secret Writings of the MEOW Society

By Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey, and Laurie Myers, Illustrated by Erik Brooks

The MEOW Society has gathered from all over the world to share their stories. Stories of discovered treasure and halting crime are just some of the tales.

Nominated

2012-2013 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

ISBN# 9780805087178 (HB)

Century Farm

By Cris Peterson

The story of a 110 year-old farm in Wisconsin is told in photos and anecdotes about the three generations of Petersons who have owned and farmed the land.

Nominated

2001-2002 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Boyds Mills

ISBN# 1-56397-710-9 (HB)

Chained

By Lynne Kelly

To work off a family debt, ten-year-old Hastin leaves his desert village in India to work as a circus elephant keeper but many challenges await him, including trying to keep Nandita, a sweet elephant, safe from the cruel circus owner.

Honor

2014-2015 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by FSG

ISBN# 9780374312374 (HB)

Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf

By Sam Wedelich, Illustrated by Sam Wedelich

Chicken Little is NOT afraid of anything, not even a wolf. No matter how big or bad he is. In fact, she’s never even seen a wolf. So when a real wolf shows up and ruffles her feathers, what’s a fretful fowl to do: Join the frenzied flock and fly the coop? Or find out if this newcomer is as bad as his reputation?

Winner

2022-2023 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.1

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-1338359008 (HB)

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Chinese Cinderella

By Adeline Yen Mah

Adeline revisits the territory she covered in her adult bestseller, Falling Leaves, for this powerful and poignant memoir aimed at young readers.

Winner

2001-2002 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Delacorte

ISBN# 0-385-32707-2 (PB, HB)

Chip and Curly: The Great Potato Race

By Cathy Breisacher, Illustrated by Joshua Heinsz

Chip the potato chip is sure he has the annual Spud City Festival sack race in the bag—he’s been practicing all year. The Home Fries (local baseball team) and Sweet Potatoes (cheer squad) are all rooting for him. The French Fries even bring their tots over for an autograph. But when Curly the springy curly fry shows up, Chip knows he’s in trouble. This totally funny story is filled with clever potato puns—and subtle themes of sportsmanship and persistence. It will have kids and adults alike laughing out loud.

Winner

2021-2022 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 2.9

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

ISBN# 9781585364084 (HB)

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Christian the Lion

By Anthony (Ace) Bourke and John Rendall

Two men purchased a lion for sale in a London department store. The men shared their home with Christian until he became too big and they gave him a chance to live in the wild where he belonged.

Winner

2012-2013 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

ISBN# 9780805091823 (HB)

Christmas Eve

By Ann M. Martin

This title portrays the magic and the spirit of hope that makes the holidays merry.

Nominated

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.7

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 0-439-74588-8 (PB, HB)

Cicada Summer

By Andrea Beaty

Lily mourns her brother, and has not spoken since the accident she feels she could have prevented. The summer Tinny comes to town, she is the only one who realizes Lily’s secret.

Nominated

2010-2011 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.0

Published by Abrams, Harry N., Inc

ISBN# 9780810984196 (PB)

Clara and Davie

By Patricia Polacco

Polacco shares the story of her distant relative, Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. Focusing on Clara’s childhood, the author tells of Clara’s close relationship with her older brother and how her brother encouraged her to pursue her gifts of caring and nurturing others

Nominated

2015-2016 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.9

Published by Scholastic

ISBN# 978-0545354776 (HB)

Close to Famous

By Joan Bauer

Foster has a big dream which is to have her own cooking show. While she keeps baking, she discovers she is not the only one with dreams of fame.

Nominated

2012-2013 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

ISBN# 9780142420171 (PB)

Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars

By Laurie Wallmark, Illustrated by Brooke Smart

This biography tells the story of Elizebeth Friedman (1892–1980), a brilliant American code breaker who smashed Nazi spy rings, took down gangsters, and created the CIA’s first cryptology unit.

Nominated

2023-2024 Crown Award

Reading Level: 6.3

Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-1419739637 (HB)

Buy  Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars on Amazon

Code Word Courage

By Kirby Larson

Billie has lived with her great-aunt ever since her mom passed away and her dad left. Billie’s big brother, Leo, is about to leave, too, for the warfront. But first, she gets one more weekend with him at the ranch. Billie’s surprised when Leo brings home a fellow Marine from boot camp, Denny. She has so much to ask Leo—about losing her best friend and trying to find their father—but Denny, who is Navajo, or Diné, comes with something special: a gorgeous, but injured, stray dog. As Billie cares for the dog, whom they name Bear, she and Bear grow deeply attached to each other. Soon enough, it’s time for Leo and Denny, a Navajo Code Talker, to ship out. Billie does her part for the war effort, but she worries whether Leo and Denny will make it home, whether she’ll find a new friend, and if her father will ever come back. Can Bear help Billie—and Denny—find what’s most important?

Nominated

2020-2021 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.1

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-0545840750 (HB)

Colonial Voices:  Hear Them Speak

By Kay Winters, Illustrated by Larry Day

During World War II in England, David and Roger and their families endure the direct attacks by the Luftwaffe from Nazi Germany. The story relates the magnificent Royal Air Force victory during the Battle of Britain and the decisive contributions of the mighty Armada of the Eighth Air Force.

Nominated

2010-2011 Crown Award

Reading Level: 5.0

Published by Penguin Young Readers Group

ISBN# 978-0525478720 (PB)

Comanche Song

By Janice Shefelman

A young Comanche experiences his tribe’s conflicts with the Tejanos in the 1840s.

Nominated

2002-2003 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Eakin Press

ISBN# 1-57168-397-6 (PB, HB)

Confessions from the Principal’s Kid

By Robin Mellom

During the school day, fifth-grader Allie West is an outsider. Everyone knows the principal’s kid might tattle to her mom! But after school, Allie is an insider. She’s friendly with the janitor, knows the shortest routes around the building, and hangs out with the Afters, a group of misfits whose parents are teachers at their school. Although Allie secretly loves her insider life, she’s sick of being an outsider—so she vows to join the Pentagon, the popular math team led by her ex–best friend. But can Allie change her status without betraying where she really belongs?

Honor

2019-2020 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.9

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

ISBN# 978-0544813793 (HB)

Cookies

By Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Illustrated by Jane Dyer

Everyone knows that cookies taste good but these cookies have something good to say.

Nominated

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.1

Published by HarperCollins

ISBN# 0-06-058081-X (HB)

Cooper’s Story

By W. Bruce Cameron

Cooper, a malamute-Great Dane puppy, finds purpose as service dog and emotional support animal to fifth-grader Burke, a boy in a wheelchair.

Honor

2023-2024 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.4

Published by Starscape

ISBN# 978-1250163387 (HB)

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Cora Cooks Pancit

By Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, Illustrated by Kristi Valiant

Cora’s mother finally lets her help make pancit, a Filipino noodle dish, while all her older siblings are away.

Nominated

2011-2012 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 3.0

Published by Shen's Books

ISBN# 9781885008350 (HB)

Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God

By Shirley Raye Redmond

Meet women who have used their God-given talents to live out their faith to the fullest. They come from a variety of backgrounds, eras, and ethnicities, but each one has answered the Lord’s call on their life in bold and innovative ways.

Nominated

2021-2022 Crown Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Harvest House

ISBN# 9780736977340 (HB)

Buy  Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God on Amazon

Courageous: A Novel of Dunkirk

By Yona Zeldis McDonough

Aiden has been afraid of the ocean since his brother’s ship was sunk by the Germans. Then the call comes in: British forces are stranded at Dunkirk, and they need help from civilian boats.

Nominated

2020-2021 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 5.1

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN# 978-1338226850 (HB)

Cozy in Love

By Jan Brett, Illustrated by Jan Brett

After losing a test of strength to another musk ox in his herd, Cozy is convinced he’ll never impress his crush, Lofti. But while he’s sulking, he learns of a bigger concern. His friend Bella, a beluga whale, is still playing in an inlet even though it’s cold enough for ice to form and block her way out. Cozy races to the inlet and, sure enough, Bella is in trouble. Luckily, Cozy thinks of a new way to use his strong legs and tough horns that might help save Bella and win Lofti’s heart as well.

Nominated

2024-2025 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.5

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

ISBN# 978-0593109854 (HB)

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Crocodile Listens

By April Sayre, Illustrated by JoEllen Stammen

A hungry crocodile listens for a special sound from her nesting place. Includes factual information about Nile crocodiles.

Nominated

2003-2004 Gallery Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Greenwillow

ISBN# 0-688-16505-2 (PB)

Crossing Bok Chitto

By Tim Tingle, Illustrated by Jeanne Rirex Bridges

Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, crosses a river called Bok Chitto, thus begins the story about seven slaves who find their freedom on the other side of the river led by a Choctaw angel.

Nominated

2008-2009 Crown Award

Reading Level: 4.4

Published by Cinco Puntos Press

ISBN# 0-938317-77-6 (PB, HB)

Curiosity

By Gary Blackwood

In 1835, when his father is put in debtors’ prison, 12-yr-old chess prodigy Rufus Goodspeed is relieved to be recruited to secretly operate a chess-playing automaton but soon questions his own safety.

Winner

2017-2018 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 6.3

Published by Dial Books

ISBN# 978-0803739246 (PB)

Curse of the Spider King

By Wayne Thomas Batson

Seven young Elf Lords must decide whether to remain on Earth or return to Allyra as they learn secrets of the past and dark strangers are watching their every move.

Winner

2011-2012 Lamplighter Award

Reading Level: 0.0

Published by Nelson, Thomas, Inc.

ISBN# 9780718029876 (PB)

Dad, Jackie, and Me

By Myron Uhlberg, Illustrated by Colin Bootman

In Brooklyn, New York, in 1947, a young boy learns about discrimination and tolerance as he and his deaf father share their enthusiasm over baseball and the Dodger’s first baseman, Jackie Robinson.

Honor

2007-2008 Crown Award

Reading Level: 3.8

Published by Peachtree

ISBN# 1-56145-329-3 (PB, HB)