The Announcements

Youth Media Awards
Press Release of Winners
Best Books for Young Adults 2007
BBYA Top Ten List for 2007
Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers 2007
2007 Notable Children's Books

The Awards
John Newbery Medal: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
Randolph Caldecott Medal: Flotsam by David Wiesner (written and illustrated)
Michael L. Printz Award: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Coretta Scott King Book Award (author): Copper Sun by Sharon Draper
Coretta Scott King Book Award (illustrator) Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom (written by Carole Boston Weatherford) illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award: Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
Schneider Family Book Award 0-10: The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger and Paul DuBois Jacobs
Schneider Family Book Award 11-13: Rules by Cynthia Lord
Schneider Family Book Award 13-18: Small Steps by Louis Sachar
Theodor Seuss Geisel Beginning Reader Award: Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
Margaret A. Edwards Award: Lois Lowry
Laura Ingalls Wilder Award: James Marshall
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award: Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh
Mildred L. Batchelder Award: The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

The Honor Books
Newbery Honors: Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, and Rules by Cynthia Lord
Caldecott Honors: Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet written and illustrated by David McLimans, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom (written by Carole Boston Weatherford and) illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Printz Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Surrender by Sonya Hartnett, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Coretta Scott King Honor (author) The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes
Coretta Scott King Honor (illustrator) Jazz (written by Walter Dean Myers) illustrated by Christopher Myers and Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes (edited by David Roessel and Arnold Rampersad) illustrated by Benny Andrews
Geisel Honor Books: Mercy Watson Goes For A Ride by Kate DiCamillo, Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont, Not A Box by Antoinette Portis
Sibert Honor Books: Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum, Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery, To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel
Batchelder Honor Books: The Killers Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux, The Last Dragon by Silvana de Mari

Booklist Editors Choice

Booklist Editors' Choice List 2006

Older Readers

• Clay by David Almond
  
• Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
  
• Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum
  
• Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos
  
• This Is All by Aidan Chambers
  
• The Poet Slave of Cuba by Margarita Engle
  
• The Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman
  
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  
• Over A Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen
  
• Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox
  
• Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
  
• Kampung Boy by Lat
  
• Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
  
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
  
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
  
• A Small White Scar by K.A. Nuzum
  
• Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  
• The Great Circle by Neil Philip
  
• Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
  
• Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud
  
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  

For Middle Readers

• Victory by Susan Cooper
  
• The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes
  
• The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
  
• La Linea by Ann Jaramillo
  
• Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
  
• The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin
  
• A Dog For Life by L.S. Matthews
  
• Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery
  
• Jazz by Walter Dean Myers
  
• Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson
  
• Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley
  

For the young

• Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
  
• Sea Horse by Chris Butterworth
  
• Best Best Friends by Margaret Chodos-Irvine
  
• Little Mama Forgets by Robin Cruise
  
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
  
• Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes
  
• Pancakes for Supper by Anne Isaacs
  
• Boo and Baa Have Company by Lena Landstrom
  
• Shivers in the Fridge by Fran Manushkin
  
• Adele and Simon by Barbara McClintock
  
• I'm Dirty by Kate McMullen
  
• Night Boat to Freedom by Margot Theis Raven
  
• Cookies: Bite Size Life Lessons by Amy Rosenthal
  
• Black? White! Day? Night! by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
  
• So Sleepy Story by Uri Shulevitz
  
• Meow Ruff by Joyce Sidman
  
• Baby Shoes by Dashka Slater
  
• The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
  
• Winter Is The Warmest Season by Laura Stringer
  
• I'm A Pill Bug by Yukihisa Tokuda
  
• Flotsam by David Weisner
  
• Dizzy by Jonah Winter
  

Celebrating 150!

Today I am celebrating my 150th post! I am also anticipating tomorrow's announcements of best lists and awards (Newbery, Caldecott, etc) from the American Library Association. So for today's post I have prepared my own list of 'bests' celebrating some of the books that made 2006 so great.

If I had to pick a top five list of books that just made me feel good--really good--that satisfied me as a reader and left me wanting more...

The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes--possibly one of the best books I've ever read

Rash by Pete Hautman--hysterically funny, sarcastic, and a real 'must read' of the year...

Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney--again a very funny book, one that would make a great read aloud or audio book. It is an intergenerational read as well.

Cookies: Bite Size Life Lessons by Amy Rosenthal--though some may find the pictures a bit too cutesy, I love the text of this picture book. And for the record, I'm not one of those criticizing the illustrations. I love everything about this picture book.

King Dork by Frank Portman--while King Dork isn't a book for everyone--some may find the narrator a bit too honest when it comes to some small details in a young boy's life--it is funny and enjoyable and had me hooked from the very first paragraph.

Best historical fiction:

Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson
Singing Hands by Delia Ray
Desperate Journey by Jim Murphy
A Summer of Kings by Han Nolan
Loving Will Shakespeare by Carolyn Meyer
The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring
Night of the Burning by Linda Press Wulf
Aftershock by William Lavender

Best realistic fiction and/or romance:

Skin by Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Mercy Unbound by Kim Antieau
Just Listen by Sarah Desse
King Dork by Frank Portman
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
Rash by Pete Hautman
When It Happens by Susane Colasanti
I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter
Hit the Road by Caroline Cooney
All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall
The Road to Paris by Nikki Grimes


Best fantasy, science fiction, or supernatural

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Storm Thief by Chris Wooding
Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Everlost by Neal Shusterman
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Here There Be Dragons by James A. Owen
Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean
Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Specials by Scott Westerfeld
Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs
River Secrets by Shannon Hale

Best picture books

But Excuse Me That Is My Book by Lauren Child
The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin
Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes
Cookies: Bite Size Lessons by Amy Rosenthal
Ballet of the Elephants by Leda Schubert

Best nonfiction

The American Story by Jennifer Armstrong
Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman
Up Before Daybreak by Deborah Hopkinson
Over A Thousand Hills I Walk With You by Hanna Jansen
Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim

Michael Cart's Best of 2006 List

Michael Cart's Best List as published in Booklist

I can’t resist the call to conjure up a—well, let’s call it a "discursive assembly of at least some of the best books of 2006." Why can’t I resist? Here are three reasons: (1) it’s fun; (2) it gives me a chance to revisit some of my favorite books of the year just ended; and (3) it affords an opportunity to give some attention to worthy titles that may be overlooked elsewhere.

• Clay by David Almond
  
• The Astonishing Life Of Octavian Nothing
  
• This Is All by Aidan Chambers
  
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  

For each of these books is simply too good to remain unread. Each, in its individual way, is unforgettable, both life-changing and lifesaving in its power. Forget Superman and Captain Marvel and all the rest. These books are the real superheroes as far as I’m concerned. And you don’t even have to say "Shazam!" to be transformed by them. All you have to do is open them and start reading. And discover the singular quality of the humane that shines from each of their pages. And maybe it’s that quality that has me so fired up about all of them. Frankly, I have seldom read books that have such a capacity for telling the tantalizing truth about the human ability to be at once horrible and sublime. I can’t offer higher praise than that.

Kidsreads.com Best Books of 2006

Kidsreads.com's Best Books of 2006

Stand-Alone Chapter Books/Middle Grade Novels

• The Adventures of Vin Fiz by Clive Cussler
  
• Cinderella (As If You Didn't Already Know the Story) by Barbara Ensor
  
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
  
• Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce
  
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry
  
• Heat by Mike Lupica
  
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
  
• Room One: A Mystery or Two by Andrew Clements
  
• Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open
  

Debut Series

• The Dragon's Eye: The Dragonology Chronicles, Volume 1 by Dugald A. Steer
  
• The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean (Harrien Bean Series) by Alexander McCall Smith
  
• Araminta Spookie: The Sword of the Grotto by Angie Sage
  
• Escape from the Carnival: A Never Land Adventure by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
  
• Ulysses Moore #1 : The Door to Time by Beth Dunfey
  
• Ulysses Moore #2 : The Long-Lost Map by Beth Dunfey
  

Series Updates

• The End by Lemony Snicket
  
• The Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket
  
• Ark Angel: An Alex Rider Adventure by Anthony Horowitz
  
• The Lost Colony: Artemis Fowl #5 by Eoin Colfer
  
• Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter's Companion by Captain Will Lubber, edited by Dugald A. Steer
  
• Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean
  
• Small Steps by Louis Sachar
  
• The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett
  
• Evil Star: Book Two of the Gatekeepers by Anthony Horowitz
  
• Sir Thursday: The Keys to the Kingdom, Book Four by Garth Nix
  
• Lord of the Shadows: Cirque du Freak Book #11 by Darren Shan
  
• Sons of Destiny: Cirque du Freak Book #12 by Darren Shan
  
• Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
  
• Flyte: Septimus Heap, Book Two by Angie Sage
  
• Spirit Walker: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #2 by Michelle Paver
  
• Mercy Watson Goes for A Ride by Kate DiCamillo
  
• Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo
  
• Amelia Bedelia Under Construction by Herman Parish
  
• Geronimo Stilton Series Geronimo Stilton
  
• Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff
  

Pop Up Books

• Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
  
• Mommy? by Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks, and Matthew Reinhart
  
• Sabuda and Reinhart Present-- Castle: Medieval Days and Knights by Kyle Olman, illustrated by Tracy Sabin
  

Picture Books

• The Berenstain Bears Go On Vacation by Stan and Jan Berenstain
  
• Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
  
• Eloise in Hollywood by Kay Thompson
  
• Is There Really A Human Race by Jamie Lee Curtis
  
• Lucille Lost: A True Adventure by Margaret George and Christopher J. Murphy, illustrated by Bob Dacey and Debra Bandelin
  
• A Million Dots by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Mike Reed
  
• Olivia Forms A Band by Ian Falconer
  
• Probuditi by Chris Van Allsburg
  
• Where's Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt by Martin Handford
  

Washington Post's Top 10 Novels for Children 2006

Washington Post's Top Ten Novels for Children

• The Book of Everything, by Guus Kuijer, translated from the Dutch by John Nieuwenhuizen
  
• Here Lies the Librarian, by Richard Peck
  
• Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City, by Kirsten Miller
  
• Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War: An Epic Tale From Ancient Iraq, by Kathy Henderson
  
• Peter Pan in Scarlet, by Geraldine McCaughrean
  
• Samurai Shortstop, by Alan Gratz
  
• The Unresolved, by T.K. Welsh
  
• Victory, by Susan Cooper
  
• The White Elephant, by Sid Fleischman
  
• Wintersmith, by Terry Pratchett
  

Washington Post's Top 10 Picture Books for 2006

Top 10 Picture Books for 2006

Read the full article for title descriptions, but here is the list of Washington Post's top ten.

• Flotsam by David Wiesner
  
• Lost and Found, by Oliver Jeffers
  
• Mommy? by Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks, and Matthew Reinhart
  
• Probuditi!, by Chris van Allsburg
  
• The Runaway Dinner by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Bruce Ingman
  
• Silly Suzy Goose by Petr Horacek
  
• The Squeaky Door by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma
  
• Stanley Goes Fishing by Craig Frazier
  
• The Three Witches by Zora Neal Hurston, adapted by Joyce Carol Thomas
  
• Wolves by Emily Gravett
  

NY Times Best Illustrated Books 2006

New York Times 2006 Best Illustrated Books Slideshow

Each year the New York Times makes a list of the ten best illustrated books. They create a slideshow and show illustrations from each book as well. Here are this year's winners.

• HELLO TWINS. Written and illustrated by Charlotte Voake. Candlewick. $15.99. (Ages 2 to 5)
  
• THE LITTLE RED HEN. Written and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin. $16.99. (Ages 4 and up)
  
• JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE & BEN. Written and illustrated by Lane Smith. Hyperion Books for Children. $16.99. (Ages 5 and up)
  
• THE RED LEMON. Written and illustrated by Bob Staake. Golden Books/Random House. $14.95. (Ages 4 to 8)
  
• SO SLEEPY STORY. Written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $16. (Ages 3 to 6)
  
• ADÈLE & SIMON. Written and illustrated by Barbara McClintock. Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux. $16. (Ages 4 to 8)
  
• MOMMY? Art by Maurice Sendak. Scenario by Arthur Yorinks. Paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart. Michael di Capua/Scholastic. $24.95. (All ages)
  
• MOVE! By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Houghton Mifflin. $16. (Ages 3 to 4)
  
• FLOTSAM. Written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Clarion/Houghton Mifflin. $17. (Ages 5 to 8)
  
• GONE WILD: AN ENDANGERED ANIMAL ALPHABET. Written and illustrated by David McLimans. Walker. $16.95. (All ages)
  

New York Times Notable Kid Books

NY Times Notable Kid Books

Notable Children's Books of 2006

• The End by Lemony Snicket. Illustrated by Brett Helquist
  
• Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu. Photographs by Peter Greste
  
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
  
• Good Boy, Fergus! by David Shannon, illustrated by David Shannon
  
• Rash by Pete Hautman
  
• John, Paul, George, & Ben by Lane Smith, illustrated by Lane Smith
  
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
  

Publishers Weekly Best of 2006

Publisher's Weekly Best of 2006

For the full list and article please go to the Publisher's Weekly site. However, I am choosing to highlight the titles geared towards children and young adults. A mere fraction of the full list.

Children’s Picture Books
The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey
Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu, photos by Peter Greste
Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes
Jazz by Walter Dean Myers, illus. by Christopher Myers
John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith
Flotsam by David Wiesner

Children’s Fiction (Includes Young Adults)
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline
Saint Iggy by K.L. Going
Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
Incantation by Alice Hoffman
Firestorm by David Klass
Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Sold by Patricia McCormick
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, illus. by Marla Frazee
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Children’s Nonfiction
Pick Me Up (DK)
Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman
To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel, illus. by Mark Siegel

Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews
Best Children’s Books 2006

Hi kids. Or, rather, hi to those who spend so much of their time looking for outstanding books for kids. As all of you know, we’re enjoying a rich period for children’s and young-adult titles. Thankfully for Kirkus, the esteemed, beloved and formidable Karen Breen, our Children’s Reviews editor, is on hand to help pick from among the best of the best of the year’s impressive crop. The Special reflects both Karen’s enthusiasm for the field in general and her gifts of discernment regarding specific works; I consider it an excellent sign that she protested limiting her recommendations to the number of titles the editors originally requested; there were simply too many she was excited about.
I asked her to share a few of the fundamental tenets and observations that went into, or came out of the selection process. “Here’s the thing,” she told me. “I picked books to represent what I thought was the best in each genre, but I’m always drawn to the funny stuff and to stuff that takes my breath away.” Pressed, she broke it down a bit more: For one thing, the choices reflect work that respects children’s intelligence. Graphic novels, which she notes seem to be aiming younger, made a particular impression. She did say that it was comparatively tough finding good early chapter books to put on the list, and that there were even fewer original easy readers. Building on her comment about looking to what’s funny, Karen said that a comic approach notably benefited even some nonfiction. She also called out the preponderance of picture books about jazz (but then, she’s from New Orleans--Slidell, really--so she’s particularly attuned to the art). But the phrase that may have made the strongest impression on me, indicative of the well-being of the field, was her description of multiple offerings that she identified as “creative, inventive, extraordinary mind-blowing fiction.” It’s work like that, of course, that opens doors and minds, and changes lives.

Jerome Kramer, Editor-in Chief

To read the full article please go to this site:
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/kirkusreviews/images/pdf/BestChildrens.pdf

• The Pox Party: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Vol. 1 by M.T. Anderson
  
• The American Story: 100 True Tales from American History by Jennifer Armstrong
  
• Once Upon a Banana by Jennifer Armstrong, illustrated by David Small
  
• Keeper of Soles by Teresa Bateman, illustrated by Yayo
  
• Framed by Frank Cottrell Boyce
  
• Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos
  
• Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection by F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada, illustrated by Felipe Davalos et al.
  
• Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
  
• Beach by Elisha Cooper, illustrated by Elisha Cooper
  
• The Last Dragon by Silvana De Mari
  
• Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini by Sid Fleischman
  
• The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming, illustrated by Denise Fleming
  
• The Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
  
• Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman
  
• The Braid by Helen Frost
  
• Emil and Karl by Yankev Glatshteyn
  
• Wolves by Emily Gravett, illustrated by Emily Gravett
  
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  
• Sardine In Outer Space by Emmanuel Guibert, illustrated by Joann Sfar
  
• It’s NOT the Stork!: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends by Robert H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley
  
• Duck and Goose by Tad Hills, illustrated by Tad Hills
  
• Houndsley and Catina by James Howe, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
  
• Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss
  
• Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle
  
• The Shivers in the Fridge by Fran Manushkin, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
  
• Aliens Are Coming!: The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast by Meghan McCarthy, illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
  
• A Drop of Water by Gordon Morrison, illustrated by Gordon Morrison
  
• Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock
  
• Jazz by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers
  
• Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
  
• Pompeii: Lost and Found by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Bonnie Christensen
  
• The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, illustrated by Matt Phelan
  
• King Dork by Frank Portman
  
• Five For A Little One by Chris Raschka, illustrated by Chris Raschka
  
• Larklight by Philip Reeve
  
• Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich by Adam Rex, illustrated by Adam Rex
  
• Just In Case by Meg Rosoff
  
• Ludie’s Life by Cynthia Rylant
  
• Ballet of the Elephants by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
  
• Black? White! Day? Night!: A Book of Opposites by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
  
• So Sleepy Story by Uri Shulevitz, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz
  
• Butterfly Eyes: And Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes
  
• Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
  
• Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 On the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh
  
• Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carol Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
  
• The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  
• Flotsam by David Wiesner, illustrated by David Wiesner
  
• Dizzy by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Qualls
  
• Mommy? Arthur Yorinks, Maurice Sendak, and Matthew Reinhart
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  

Also available in this special issue:

• The Best of ‘06 Fantasy Sequels
  
• The Best of ‘06 Continuing Series
  
• Q and A with M.T. Anderson
  
• The Best of ‘06 Early Chapter Books
  

Happy New Year!

Today's post brings you yet another "best-of" list this time from the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

2006 Blue Ribbons

Blue Ribbons are chosen annually by the Bulletin staff and represent what we believe to be the best of the previous year's literature for youth.

http://bccb.lis.uiuc.edu/blue06.html

Picture books

• Keeper of Soles by Teresa Bateman, illustrated by Yayo
  
• Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon
  
• Tickle the Duck! by Ethan Long, illustrated by Ethan Long
  
• The True Story of Stellina by Matteo Pericoli, illustrated by Matteo Pericoli
  
• Bad Bear Detectives: An Irving and Muktuk Story by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Jill Pinkwater
  
• Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Randy Cecil
  
• Good Boy, Fergus! by David Shannon, illustrated by David Shannon
  
• Clip-Clop by Nicola Smee, illustrated by Nicola Smee
  
• John, Paul, George, and Ben by Lane Smith, illustrated by Lane Smith
  
• Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
  
• Dizzy by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Qualls
  

Fiction

• The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen by M.T. Anderson
  
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  
• Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge
  
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
  
• Something Invisible by Siobhan Parkinson
  
• Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
  
• A Drowned Maiden's Hair by Laura Amy Schlitz
  
• Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  

Nonfiction

• Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Rights Movement by Ann Bausum
  
• Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by John Lawrence
  
• The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Sean Qualls
  
• 5,000 Miles to Freedom by Judith Bloom Fradin and Dennis Brindell Fradin
  
• Memories of Survival by Esther Nisenthal Krinitz and Bernice Steinhardt (a 2005 book)
  
• Giants of Science: Isaac Newton by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Boris Kulikov
  
• Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosaurs! by Kathleen V. Kudlinski, illustrated by S. D. Schindler
  
• Kampung Boy by Lat, illustrated by Lat
  
• Stompin’ at the Savoy: The Story of Norma Miller by Norma Miller, edited by Alan Govenar, illustrated by Martin French
  
• The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug for Troy by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Robert Byrd
  

Be sure to go to the official site to read brief descriptions of each title!

Teenread.com's Best of 2006 List

As I discover them, I will be providing links to other best lists. Today's selection is from teenreads.com.

http://www.teenreads.com/features/2006_best_books.asp

Here is a brief excerpt from their introduction to the list...

As 2006 comes to a close, we at Teenreads.com have compiled some of our favorite books of the year for teens.
We hope you enjoy our year-end feature and make new discoveries along the way, as you look forward to what lies ahead in 2007.

They then provide a title by title recommendation list divided into two main categories: stand alone titles and series books. Series books are further distinguished by whether they are debut series (first in an upcoming series) or series updates which would include all subsequent sequels. Each title is given a brief description and links are provided to reviews of each book.

Stand-Alone Titles

• Blind Faith by Ellen Wittlinger
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  
• The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
  
• A Brief Chapter In My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  
• Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman
  
• Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want To Know About Fast Food by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson
  
• Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  
• Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
  
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry
  
• Grand & Humble by Brent Hartinger
  
• Heat by Mike Lupica
  
• How To Be Popular by Meg Cabot
  
• It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
  
• Just In Case by Meg Rosoff
  
• Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
  
• King Dork by Frank Portman
  
• Ophelia by Lisa Klein
  
• The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks
  
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
  
• Something Remains by Inge Barth-Grozinger
  
• Tyrell by Coe Booth
  
• Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open by John Feinstein
  
• What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles
  
• The Wish House by Celia Rees
  

Series Books, pt. 1 Debut Series

• Terrier: A Tortall Legend--Beka Cooper #1 by Tamora Pierce
  
• The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
  
• Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller
  
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  

Series Books, pt 2 Series Updates

• Maximum Ride #2: School's Out Forever by James Patterson
  
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  
• Small Steps by Louis Sachar
  
• Party Princess: The Princess Diaries, Volume VII by Meg Cabot
  
• Sweet Sixteen Princess by Meg Cabot
  
• Valentine Princess: A Princess Diaries Book by Meg Cabot
  
• Only In Your Dreams: Gossip Girl #9 by Cecily von Ziegesar
  
• Would I Lie to You: Gossip Girl #10 by Cecily von Ziegesar
  
• Evil Star: Book Two of The Gatekeepers by Anthony Horowitz
  
• The Pretty Committee Strikes Back: The Clique # 5 by Lisi Harrison
  
• Dial L for Loser: The Clique #6 by Lisi Harrison
  
• Voices by Ursula K. Le Guin
  
• Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
  
• Specials by Scott Westerfeld
  
• Demon Thief: The Demonata, Book 2 by Darren Shan
  
• Slawter: The Demonata, Book 3 by Darren Shan
  
• Some Like It Hot: The A-List # 6 by Zoey Dean
  
• American Beauty: The A-List #7 by Zoey Dean
  
• Sun-Kissed: The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz
  

Wilde Novel List

Wilde Novel Awards 2006

Susie Wilde is a book reviewer in North Carolina. This best-of-2006 list was found on her website. This list includes everything that is not a picture book: chapter books, young adult novels, and nonfiction books. For the full article, including descriptions, visit her site.

http://wildewritingworks.com/

Best Younger Novels:

• Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow by James Howe
  
• Dear Max by Sally Grindley
  
• Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
  
• Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took A Really Long Nap by Wendy Mass
  
• Bella At Midnight by Diane Stanley
  
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
  

Young Adult Books
Best Sequels

• The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
  
• Ptolemy’s Gate by Jonathan Stroud
  
• River Secrets by Shannon Hale
  
• Green Jasper by K.M. Grant
  

Best Fairy Tale

• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
  

Best Futuristic Novel

• Rash

Best Collections

• Porch Lies by Patricia McKissack
  
• Scary Stories illustrated by Barry Moser; introduced by Peter Glassman
  

Best Non-fiction

• The American Story: 100 True Tales From American History by Jennifer Armstrong
  
• Nobody Gonna Turn Me ‘Round:Stories and Songs of the Civil Rights Movement by Doreen Rappaport
  
• Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea by Sy Montgomery
  
• Unexplained: An Encyclopedia of Curious Phenomena, Strange Superstitions, and Ancient Mysteries by Judy Allen
  
• The Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman
  
• Viktor Frankle: A Life Worth Living by Anna Redsand
  

Best Novels For Adults

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  
• Stay With Me by Garret Freymann-Weyr
  

Best Historical Fiction

• The Legend of Bass Reeves by Gary Paulsen
  
• Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata
  
• Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson
  
• Copper Sun by Sharon Draper
  
• Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher
  

Best New Mystery Series

• The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
  

Best Contemporary Fiction

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  
• A Brief Chapter In My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
  
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
  
• King Dork by Frank Portman
  
• The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  

Best Resource

• 500 Great Books for Teens by Anita Silvey

Wilde Picture Books Picks

Wilde Picture Book Awards 2006

Susie Wilde is a book reviewer in North Carolina. The full article was published in the Raleigh News and Observer, and is available to read online. The article describes each book and provides more details.

http://wildewritingworks.com/.

In the category of ‘best baby present’ :

• Baby: Unique Moments: A Record Book by David Ellwand
  

In the category of ‘best read-alouds for preschoolers’ :

• The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming
  
• Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont
  
• So Sleepy Story by Uri Shulevitz
  
• Why Do You Cry? Not A Sob Story by Kate Klise
  

In the category of ‘best fiction for 4-6s’ :

• I’m Dirty! by Kate and Jim McMullan
  
• Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
  
• Moose Tracks! by Karma Wilson
  
• Who Is Your Favorite Monster, Mama? by Barbara Shook Hazeen
  

In the category of ‘best picture books for 6-10s’ :

• Clever Ali by Nancy Farmer
  
• Dear Mr. Rosenwald by Carole Boston Weatherford
  
• Flotsam by David Wiesner
  
• Muti’s Necklace by Louise Hawes
  
• Night Boat to Freedom by Margot Theis Raven
  
• Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg
  

In the category of ‘most welcome returning characters’ :

• Don’t Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
  
• Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes
  
• Olivia Forms A Band by Ian Falconer
  

In the category of ‘retellings’ :

• Can’t Catch Me by John and Ann Hassett
  
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  
• Pancakes For Supper! by Anne Isaacs
  

In the category of ‘non-fiction picture books’ :

• Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins
  
• Dizzy by Jonah Winter
  
• Great Estimations by Bruce Goldstone
  
• I’m A Pill Bug by Yukihisa Tokuda
  
• Is There Really A Human Race by Jamie Lee Curtis
  
• It’s Not the Stork: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends by Robie Harris
  
• Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and others) Left Behind by Jacob Berkowitz
  
• Little Lost Bat by Sandra Markle
  
• Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford
  
• Owen and Mzee: The True Story of A Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff
  
• Unlikely Pairs: Fun With Famous Works of Art by Bob Raczka
  

In the category of ‘best celebrity book’ :

• Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah
  

In the category of ‘most playful concept books’ :

• Blue 2 by David Carter
  
• Eric Carle’s Animal Flash Cards
  

In the category of ‘quirkiest picture book’

• Wolves by Emily Gravett
  

Amazon's Best Books of 2006

Amazon’s Best Books of 2006

Top 10 Editors’ Picks for Teens:

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  
• Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
  
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
  
• Desert Crossing by Elise Broach
  
• Cathy’s Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233 by Sean Stewart
  
• Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  
• The Wish House by Celia Rees
  
• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
  
• The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman
  
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  

Top 10 Editors’ Picks for Middle Readers:

• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo
  
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
  
• Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter’s Companion by William Captain Lubber
  
• Here There Be Monsters by Alan Snow
  
• Pick Me Up by Jeremy Leslie
  
• Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
  
• Crispin: At The Edge of the World by Avi
  
• Far-Flung Adventures: Corby Flood by Paul Stewart
  
• Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
  
• Owen & Mzee: The True Story of A Remarkable Friendship by Craig Hatkoff
  

Top 10 Editors’ Picks: Picture Books

• Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
  
• Mommy? by Maurice Sendak
  
• Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  
• Mrs. Crump’s Cat by Linda Smith
  
• Alphabet Explosion!: Search Count from Alien to Zebra by John Nickle
  
• Wolves by Emily Gravett
  
• Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich by Adam Rex
  
• Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock
  
• Encyclopedia Prehistorica Sharks and Other Sea Creatures: The Definitive Pop-Up by Robert Sabuda
  
• Moon Plane by Peter McCarty
  

For a fuller description of each book, read the full article on Amazon.

Teri Lesesne's Best of 2006 List

I am always on the lookout for various best of 2006 lists--particularly those focused on children's and young adult literature. I discovered this list quite by accident while reading a question on Yahoo Answers. I wasn't expecting to find a gem at a website called "professornana" but that is exactly what I found.

http://www.professornana.com/index.htm

Calling herself the Goddess of YA Literature, Teri Lesesne is the author of two books. Her first book is called Making the Match: The Right Book for the Right Reader at the Right Time, Grades 4-12. Her second book is called Naked Reading: Uncovering What Tweens Need To Become Lifelong Readers. Both books are published by a company called Stenhouse.

http://www.stenhouse.com/

For her best list, Teri Lesesne devotes at least a paragraph to each book she is highlighting. I urge all who are interested to read her entire article.

http://www.professornana.com/2006booksofnote.htm

Titles she highlights include:

• The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos
  
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  
• The Astonishing Adventures of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson
  
• Everlost by Neal Shusterman
  
• The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin
  
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
  
• Gossamer by Lois Lowry
  
• Saint Iggy by K.L. Going
  
• Vampirates by Justin Somper
  
• Wide Awake by David Levithan
  
• Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
  
• Rules by Cynthia Lord
  
• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  
• Part of Me by Kimberly Willis Holt
  
• Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
  
• The Boy Book by E. Lockhart
  
• Long Gone Daddy by Helen Hemphill
  
• Summer of the Kings by Han Nolan
  
• Nailed by Patrick Jones
  
• Under the Baseball Moon by John H. Ritter
  
• What Happened to Cass McBride by Gail Giles
  
• Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
  
• Diva by Alex Flinn
  
• Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck
  
• Going Under by Kathe Koja
  
• Hazing Meri Sugarman by M. Apostolina
  
• True Confessions of A Hollywood Starlet by Lola Douglas
  
• Firegirl by Tony Abbott
  
• Rx by Tracy Lynn
  

Orson Scott Card's Best List

Those who know me know that I absolutely LOVE Orson Scott Card. I not only read his books, but I religiously read his weekly columns. This week Orson Scott Card wrote about some of his favorite books of the year. He included a "Best Books For Teens" section which I've just got to share with you.

Best Teen Novels

Neal Shusterman's Everlost is the story of the spirits of dead children, trapped in this world until they find a way to "get where they were going." Sad and hopeful at the same time, Shusterman turns it into a fantasy adventure with such truth and emotional power that you could safely get this book as a gift for an adult. No better teen novel was published this year.

But don't stop with Everlost. David Lubar's Hidden Talents will make an extraordinarily good gift -- a sort of much-more-believable version of Heroes, starring teenagers trapped in a last-resort high school.

Both these novels are contemporary fantasies; for wonderful fantasies in a medieval setting, Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia series -- The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia -- are a perfect gift set, which will set teen (and younger) readers dreaming.

To read his article in its entirety:

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