Best of 2004

JP Juvenile Picture Books

(Read Aloud Stories)

Barry, Frances. Duckie's Rainbow. Candlewick Press. Hurrying past flowers and ponds to get home before the rain, duck passes familiar colors as the pages fold into a rainbow.

Blackstone, Stella. Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? Barefoot Books. Adorable felt animals of Australian origin depict an animal unsure of what breed it is until a surprise ending.

Bottner, Barbara. Wallace's Lists. Harper Collins. A friendship between a very organized Wallace and a spontaneous neighbor mouse named Albert.

Cook, Sally. Good Night, Pillow Fight. Harper Collins. A modern day romp of bedtime tactics from both the child and parent's points-of-view -- a lot of fun!

Cooper, Elisha. Magic Thinks Big. Greenwillow. A cat, a very fat cat, loves to imagine adventures beyond his gaze.

Crews, Nina. Neighborhood Mother Goose. Greenwillow. Urban scenes update old nursery rhymes.

Demas, Corinne. Saying Goodbye to Lulu. When her dog Lulu dies, a girl grieves but continues with her life.

Egan, Tim. The Trial of Cardigan Jones. Houghton Mifflin. When Moose Jones goes to smell Mrs. Brown's freshly baked apple pie, he accidentally tips it over and is accused of stealing.

English, Karen. Hot Day on Abbott Avenue. Clarion Books. With bold collage images from J. Steptoe, friends fight but end up having a “best-friends break-up day” with ice cream pops.

Ernst, Lisa Campbell. The Turn-Around Upside-Down Alphabet Book. Simon & Schuster. Every way you turn the large die-cut letters of the alphabet a new image appears.

Fleming, Candace. Gator Gumbo. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux. “Slip, slop, slurp into the pot,” chimes an old alligator as he makes stew, as in the Little Red Hen, but with a twist ending.

Frank, John. The Toughest Cowboy: Or How The Wild West Was Tamed. Simon & Schuster. Hilarious illustrations of how cowboys bring into their lives a pet poodle named “Foofey.”

Frazier, Craig. Stanley Goes For A Drive. Chronicle Books. A unique graphic style adds to the strange changes made by a farmer who wishes for rain from a cow on an afternoon drive.

Geisert, Arthur. Pigaroons. Houghton Mifflin. There are pirate pigs and then there are patrol pigs that compete for the best ice sculpture prize – all pranks included.

Gelman, Rita G. Doddler Doodling. Greenwillow. A child's imagination wanders during class to include creative expansions on the teacher's lesson: “teachers flying – fliers teaching flying”.

Hall, Bruce Edward. Henry and The Kite Dragon. Philomel Books. Two neighborhoods of 1920's NYC almost become enemies from a misunderstanding about kites and pigeons.

Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Flower Girl Butterflies. Greenwillow. Drawings with collage overlay depict the mounting preparations for Aunt Robin's big wedding day.

Kuskin, Karla. Under My Hood I Have a Hat. Harper Collins. A toddler shows how she gets dressed for a winter day in oh so many layers.

MacKen, JoAnn Early. Sing-Along Song. Viking. A wonderful toddler story showing a dancing young boy delighted in all that he sees in his neighborhood.

Nikola-Lisa, W. Setting the Turkeys Free. Hyperion. A young boy spends a creative day making hand prints and a homemade story of turkeys and a fox.

Paul, Ann Whitford. Mañana, Iguana. Holiday House. This is a tale of a lizard instead of the Little Red Hen. A fiesta is planned – but who will help?

Polacco, Patricia. John Philip Duck. Philomel. Based on the real ducks that still live at the Peabody Hotel.

Rush, Andy. Agent A to Agent Z. Scholastic. A clever rhyming alphabet book of secret agents invited to a party.

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Lemons Are Not Red. Roaring Book Press. Die-cut shapes fold to reveal the true colors of a variety of objects starting with a lemon cut-out shape over a red apple.

Scieszka, Jon. Science Verse. Viking. Another curse is bestowed on the boy of Math Curse that changes all his science facts into poetry and verse.

Shannon, David. Alice the Fairy. Blue Sky Press. Alice is not a permanent fairy just temporary when she wants a little extra magic dust (sugar) to change a cookie recipe.

Smith Jr., Charles R. I Am America. Scholastic. Bold colors, large type surround crisp photographs of children from America's entire cultural heritage.

Spinelli, Eileen. While You Are Away. Hyperion. A sentimental look at three families who miss a loved one away in the armed forces – contemporary.

Staake, Bob. Hello, Robots. Viking. Four robot roommates help to clean and cook until rain makes them rust and they have to switch heads to work again – vibrant, fun & rhyming.

Weatherby, Brenda & Mark. The Trucker. Scholastic. A husband & wife author/illustrator team takes their son's love of trucks and make him a driver for a day – stunning illustrations.

Weeks, Sarah. Two Eggs, Please. Atheneum. A variety of animals step into a diner and each order 2 eggs, each in a different way from the other breakfast eater.

Wells, Rosemary. Ruby's Tea for Two. Viking. An adorable story of Max and his older sister Ruby who with a friend, make Max the waiter and exclude him from their tea party. The tables are eventually turned in the end by Max.

Wellington, Monica. Crepes By Suzette. Dutton. A mix of photo collage, French facts, hidden images of Suzette and an introduction to paintings and the sites of Paris.

Woodson, Jacqueline. Coming on Home Soon. Putnam. During the Second World War many mothers had to find work far away from their families while the men were at war. Fabulous illustrations by E. B. Lewis.

JE Juvenile Easy Readers (Beginning Reader)
JYR Juvenile Young Readers (1st – 2nd Grade Reader)
J Juvenile Fiction (Novels / Stories 3rd Grade & Higher)

JE Aboff, Marcie. The Giant Jelly Bean Jar. Dutton. Try and guess how many jelly beans are in the jar at Jo-Jo's shop.

J Balliett, Blue. Chasing Vermeer. Scholastic. An art masterpiece is stolen and strange letters arrive bringing an exciting chase with lots of codes and clues for two brave kids.

JE Bottner, Barbara & Kruglik, Gerald. Pish and Posh. Harper Collins. Pish finds a magic fairy book and wonders if it will make a spell for doing the dishes.

J Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts. (older) Putnam. Moose, a twelve-year-old boy, his autistic older sister and parents move to Alcatraz Island in 1935 where his father finds work in the famous prison.

J YR Cohen, Miriam. Mimmy and Sophie: All Around the Town. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. A tender look at life in 1950's Brooklyn and the fun two sisters invent for themselves there.

J Creech, Sharon. Heart Beat. Harper Collins. Annie's life is measured by the changing rhythm of her heart, by her friend Max and by her mother's pregnancy – written in poetry form.

J Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bucking the Sarge. (mature) Wendy Lamb Books. Sarge, known as Mom, is a mean landlord who makes her son do all the nasty work – funny.

J YR Fleischman, Sid. The Ghost on Saturday Night. Harper Trophy. From plucking a chicken to nabbing a ghost, Opie manages to capture a thief.

J Funke, Cornelius. Dragon Rider. Chicken House. A young dragon named Firedrake, a feisty female Brownie called Sorrell, an orphaned boy named Ben and a homunculus known as Twigleg, all fly to the Himalayan Mountains in search of a lost dragon world – great adventure story.

J Giff, Patricia Reilly. A House of Tailors. Random House. Diva must leave war torn Germany in 1871 to begin a new life in Brooklyn learning a new trade, sewing.

J YR Hoffman, Mary. Encore, GRACE! Dial. Grace of Amazing Grace continues her acting pursuits in this novel.

J Horvath, Polly. The Pepins and Their Problems. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. A hilarious family with unique problems like having a cow that milks lemonade.

J YR Hurwitz, Johanna. Elisa Michaels, Bigger & Better. Harper Collins. The adventuresome life of a 2nd grader.

J Ibbotson, Eva. The Star of Kazan. Dutton. A foundling, Annika, awaits her mysterious royal past while living in beautiful Vienna. Wonderful characters and plot.

J Konigsburg, E. L. The Outcasts Of 19 Schuyler Place. Atheneum. Upon leaving an oppressive summer camp, 12 year old Margaret Rose Kane leads a campaign to preserve three unique towers built in her grand uncles' back yard.

J Lowry, Lois. Messenger. Houghton Mifflin. Matty is the only one able to leave his village to find Kira and bring her back before the evil forces of the forest close it forever. Sequel to, The Giver and Gathering Blue.

J McKay, Hilary. Indigo's Star. Margaret K. McElderry Books. The chaotic Casson family centers on Indigo and his new American friend, Tom. Sequel to Saffy's Angel.

J MacLachlan, Patricia. More Perfect than The Moon. Harper Collins. In the fourth book to follow Sarah, Plain and Tall, Anna and Caleb are grown and busy so youngest Cassie writes about life on the Witting farm.

J Marsden, Carolyn. Silk Umbrellas. Candlewick Press. In rural Thailand a young girl and her older sister must decide how to deal with factory work.

J Nimmo, Jenny. Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy. Orchard. Book 3. Unlike Harry Potter, Charlie only has one real power – to enter photographs or paintings. Other children at Bloor Academy have unusual powers of their own and are none too friendly except for Emma who helps Charlie discover the mysterious child locked in the attic.

J O'Connor, Barbara. Taking Care of Moses. Farrar, Straus & Giroux. A foundling is discovered on the front of the church steps. Young Randall knows who left the child and keeps his secret while the congregation becomes divided on racial issues.

J Paulsen, Gary. Molly McGinty Has A Really Good Day. Random House. With her notebook gone, panic and chaos set in for an otherwise organized 7th grader named Molly.

J Ryan, Pam Munoz. Becoming Naomi Leon. Scholastic. Having a trailer for a home becomes ideal when Naomi, her brother and their grandmother escape authorities and travel to Mexico to search for their lost father.

JE Rylant, Cynthia. Mr. Putter And Tabby Write The Book. Harcourt. An idea in chapter one turns into projects to do in chapter two then filled with nothing written in chapter three.

J Seidler, Tor. Toes. Harper Collins. A seven toed cat and a violinist become faithful friends in this endearing tale of confidence and love.

J Stewart, Paul. Beyond the Deep Woods. David Fickling Books. Edge Chronicles #1. On the land of Edge, a floating island, Twig sets off through the deep woods to discover his identity and becomes a sky pirate.

J Weeks, Sarah. So B. It. Harper Collins. After caring for a mentally disabled mother and living with neighbor Bernadette, twelve-year-old Heidi begins a search for her true past.

J Williams, Maiya. The Golden Hour. Amulet Books. Nina and Rowan's grief at the loss of their mother is channeled in a time-travel adventure back to Paris in 1789 just before the French Revolution.

CALDECOTT MEDAL BOOK

Kitten's First Full Moon, by Kevin Henkes

CALDECOTT HONORS BOOK

The Red Book, Coming On Home Soon, & Knuffle Bunny

NEWBERY AWARD WINNER

Kira-Kira, y Cynthia Kadohata

NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER

Lizzie Bright And The Buckminster Boy, Al Capone Does My Shirts, & The Voice That Challenged A Nation: Marian Anderson & The Struggle For Equal Rights

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD WINNER

Remember: The Journey To School Integration, by Toni Morrison & Ellington Was Not a Street, by Kadir A. Nelson

CORETTA SCOTT KING HONORS WINNER

Legend of Buddy Bush, Fortune's Bones: The Manumission Requiem, God Bless The Child,& The People Could Fly: Picture Book

JNF Juvenile Non-Fiction, including Biography
(Books on Different Subjects)

J 398.24 D Drake, Ernest. Dragonology. Candlewick. A fun book of faux facts concerning everything about dragons. Complete with maps, diagrams, and folklore.

J 523.2 J Jenkins, Alvin. Next Stop Neptune: Experiencing the Solar System. Houghton Mifflin. Illustrated by the author's son Steve. Riveting scientific facts about our solar system with images that enable readers to see the world a little differently.

J 591 J Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size. Hougton Mifflin. An amazing look at how animals differ in size and scope.

J 611.92 J Jackson, Donna. In Your Face: The Facts about Your Features. Viking. Interesting facts about the way we see ourselves, includes deformities and medical achievements.

J 811 O Once Upon A Poem: Favorite Poems That Tell Stories. Scholastic. Epic poems, tall tales and other stories introduced by famous authors like J. K. Rowling.

J 811 S Shange, Ntozake. Ellington Was Not A Street. Simon & Schuster. Powerful poetry surrounded by detailed images of famous Americans from a young girl's memories of Harlem.

J 811.54 G Grimes, Nikki. What Is Goodbye? Hyperion. A brother and sister's poetry convey their feelings about an older brother's death and the impact on the family.

J 919.89 B Bredeson, Carmen. After The Last Dog Died. National Geographic. The true-life, hair-raising account of the Douglas Mawson 1911-1914 Antarctic expedition.

J 919.89 M Myers, Walter Dean. Antarctica: Journeys to The South Pole. Scholastic. Fabulous black and white photographs take one on a journey to honor those who first explored the cold southern continent – informative with easy-to-grasp text.

J 940.5 D Drez, Ronald. J. Remember D-Day. National Geographic. The plan, pictures, invasion, & survivor stories.

J 940.531 T Talbott, Hudson. Forging Freedom: A True Story of Heroism During The Holocaust. Putnam. A great introduction to what life was like for Dutch citizens during WWII and how one young man used forgery to save lives.

J 973 P Piven, Hanoch. What Presidents Are Made Of. Atheneum. Fun facts surround wacky art made from bits of toys and artifacts which are associated with each president.

J B Whitman K Kerley, Barbara. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Large illustrations by Selznick show the joys and sorrows of his life during and after the Civil War.

J B Zhang Z Zhang, Ange. Red Land Yellow River. Groundwood Books. Zhang has written an autobiography with his own illustrations of his family and his personal experiences as a teen during the Moa Cultural Revolution.