The books I couldn’t put down.

The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron

Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

A nice blend of humor and creepiness made me glad I broke my vow to never read another book about vampires.

Playing Through the Turnaround by Mylisa Larson

Published by Clarion Books

I do love a good band story, and this one has an empowering message and a great cast of characters with issues that many middle schoolers will relate to. Short chapters and multiple points of view made ut a quick and enjoyable read.

You Only Live Once, David Bravo by Mark Oshiro

Published by HarperCollins

Although this story addresses some serious topics, it is also a ton of fun: a narrator with a great self-deprecating sense of humor, a wisecracking talking dog, and a plot that adeptly handles the intricacies of time travel.

The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon

Published by Charlesbridge

Rory deals with middle school, bullying, and speech therapy in this realistic and sympathetic debut novel.

A Song Called Home by Sara Zarr

Published by Balzer + Bray

A new home with a new stepfather, an absent father, a rebellious sister…Lou is coping with a lot of upheaval, and Sara Zarr tells her story with empathy and a lot of heart.

Kid-tested and approved.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Published by Orchard Books

A gross troll who speaks in funny rhymes and a hilariously oversized billy goat who defeats him. Kids got a big kick out of this, and I think we can all look forward to the future fairy tale retellings that have been promised us from this team.

Puppy Bus by Drew Brockington

Published by Harry N. Abrams

If you’re trying to get kids over their back-to-school jitters, climb aboard the puppy bus for a riotously good time with a boy who accidentally gets on the wrong bus on his first day of school.

Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books

A wise little owl finds out what has been wiping out the bigger knights and uses his nocturnal skills to defeat it–and then befriend it. Don’t rule this out for a Caldecott.

Hot Dog by Doug Salati

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

This nearly wordless book was a close second in many of my mock Caldecott votes. The colors and details help the reader share the relief of the dog and its owner when they escape the city on a hot summer day.

Endlessly Ever After: Pick Your Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endings by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Dan Santat

Published by Chronicle Books

This choose-your-own fairy tale adventure was one of the biggest hits of the year with both students and teachers. It’s engaging and interactive, and Dan Santat’s fabulous illustrations could win him another Caldecott.

I couldn’t narrow this list down to five, nor do I want to speculate on if they will earn recognition for the writing or the artwork. These books could also be Caldecott and/or Newbery contenders.

I have a Coretta Scott King mock awards PowerPoint for sale on TPT with ten contenders each for author and illustrator awards or honors.

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

Published by HarperAlley

Longlisted for the National Book Award, this graphic novel has lots of popular appeal as well as excellent craftsmanship in both the writing and art.

Ablaze with Color: A Story of Alma Thomas by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Loveis Wise

Published by HarperCollins

Ablaze with color is right, with the brilliant illustrations that celebrate artist Alma Thomas’s work.

H Is for Harlem by Dinah Johnson, illustrated by April Harrison

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books

I was ready to hop on the train to NYC after reading this lively book with its colorful illustrations covering the history of Harlem and filled with interesting places to visit.

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington

Published by Roaring Brook Press

I learned a lot about Mamie Till-Mobley’s courageous life in this stunning book that combines Angela Joy’s free verse with Janelle Washington’s unique cut-paper illustrations.

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Carole Boston Weatherford’s reworking of this spiritual and Frank Morrison’s graffiti-inspired illustrations make this a great resource for teaching Black history. Morrison could also be considered for Kick Push and Uncle John’s City Garden, and Weatherford for The Faith of Elijah Cummings.

Star Child: A Biographic Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by Ibi Zoboi

Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers

Ibi Zoboi’s admiration for science fiction author Octavia Estelle Butler shines through in both the writing and art of this unique biography.

There are some years when I choose a book on this list with a sense of obligation, but not this year. I love all five of these books for a variety of reasons and would be very happy to see any of them win.

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Sophie Blackall already has two Caldecott Medals, so maybe the committee will decide to spread the wealth a little, but I don’t see how this book can’t be a top contender with its incredible artistry, craftsmanship, and circle-of-life story.

The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López

Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

The Day You Begin by this team has become a first-day-of-school favorite, and I think this one is even better, reminding us of how we get through difficult times, with oblique references to 2020, both the pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement.

Action! How Movies Began by Meghan McCarthy

Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

This may be more of a personal favorite than a top contender, but I was just wowed by the detailed renditions of movie scenes as well as the cohesive writing of many different topics in movie history.

Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, ill. by Daniel Minter

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Caldecott, Sibert, King…there are many awards that could go to this fascinating and gorgeous picture book that covers so many different aspects of the color blue.

Gibberish by Young Vo

Published by Levine Querido

In my mock Caldecott, second and third graders voted this as their favorite. Kids loved the illustrations and how they show a friendship blossoming on Dat’s first day in an American school.

As I did last year, I’ve created a Mock Caldecott slideshow that I’m selling on Teachers Pay Teachers. It includes an introduction to the award and 20 books that I think may win. Each book gets its own slide with the title, author, and publisher, as well as a picture and facts, questions, and things to notice about the book.

I’m trying something new this year: a Coretta Scott King Award slideshow, also available on Teachers Pay Teachers. This has a similar introduction, with ten slides for the illustrator award and ten different books for the author award.

Each slideshow sells for $6.00. Please stop by and take a look!

Published by Levine Querido

Summary:  Dat has sailed on a boat, flown on a plane, and today he is taking a school bus.  His mother warns him that when people speak it will sound like gibberish but tells him, “Just listen and do the best you can.”  As the day unfolds, that’s exactly what Dat does.  The world is gray, people look unfamiliar, and adults call him Dav or Dan.  But one girl keeps popping up unexpectedly, playing with him at recess, eating with him at lunch, and riding home with him on the bus.  By the time they get home, the two kids are friends who understand each other’s names and can introduce each other to their moms.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I love how this story builds empathy for non-English speaking kids thrown into American schools.  The illustrations are clever, incorporating a code that can be cracked if you study the endpapers, and showing how Julie gradually transitions in Dat’s eyes from a gray monster-like creature into a colorful human.

Cons:  The story sets the bar pretty high for finding success and a new friend on the first day of school.

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Jasper Rabbit of Creepy Carrots and Creepy Pair of Underwear fame is back with a new reason to be scared: a purple crayon that seems to have all the answers.  Jasper’s been struggling with school (he’s failing all his subjects except art) but he discovers that when he writes his assignments with his new crayon friend, he gets straight A’s.  Jasper seems to feel like he’s losing his identity when his work is not his own and decides the crayon must be destroyed.  That’s not as easy as it looks, as the crayon turns out to have the ability to regenerate itself after being broken, melted, and thrown into the trash.  Flushing it down the toilet winds up being the most effective solution, and Jasper can enjoy whatever grades he gets, knowing that they’re the result of his own efforts.  (Creepy epilogue: the crayon travels through the sewer system and washes up on a beach where it’s discovered by Elliot Pelican.)  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Jasper’s many fans will welcome him back (and enjoy glimpses from the other two books) just in time for the spooky fall season.  With literal bathroom humor and just the right touches of creepiness, this is sure to be another hit with young readers.

Cons:  I wasn’t so clear on what made the crayon creepy. Wouldn’t most kids like having a crayon that gave them all the right answers?

I’ve just finished adding books from the past year to my book lists. Some lists that may be of particular interest during the next couple of months include:

Back to School

Fall

Food and eating (Thanksgiving is November 24)

Hispanic Heritage (Hispanic Heritage month is from September 15 – October 15)

Indigenous Americans (Indigenous Peoples’ Day is October 10, and November is National Native American Heritage Month)

Kindness and community (Start the school year off on the right foot)

Labor Day (September 5 this year)

Persistence and grit (Stay on the right foot as the school year continues)

September 11 (9/11)

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Home is different now for Noemí.  Her papá is gone, and the streets are unsafe.  Her mamá tells her they have to go on a long journey.  After many days, joined by many others, they reach the border, but they’re not allowed to cross.  The man there says they have to find the notebook keeper so she can enter their names.  That’s how they meet Belinda, a kind woman who keeps track of everyone in camp, so they know when their number has been called to go across the border.  Weeks go by, and Noemí struggles with the wait and the living conditions, but she tries to be kind to the younger kids.  Then Belinda’s number is called, and it’s time to find a new notebook keeper.  She chooses “someone with generosity in their heart and kindness in their soul”: Noemí and her mamá.  Includes an author’s note, a photo of a real notebook keeper, and a list of sources.  40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  A simple but powerful story of the difficulties of being a refugee and the importance of kindness in even the most trying times.  The beautiful illustrations help tell the story.

Cons:  It would have added some authenticity to have more Spanish words in the English version of the story.

Published by Quill Tree Books

Summary:  Ai Shi (or Anna) is excited to finally be moving from Taiwan to “the beautiful country” of America, where her father has already been living for months.  He moved there with a plan to go into business with a friend who owned an electronics store, but when he arrived, the man backed out of the deal.  So Ba bought a restaurant in L.A. County, and Ai Shi and her mother go to work there immediately upon arrival.  The long hours at the restaurant and the dingy apartment are a far cry from what Anna dreamed about, but worst of all is the racist bully at school and the two teenagers who keep vandalizing the restaurant.  A grocery store cashier takes the family under her wing, and Anna and her parents learn the value of kindness and forgiveness–lessons they apply to other new immigrant families as they finally begin to see a profit from the restaurant.  By the end of the story, Anna’s parents are no longer considering moving back to Taiwan, and Anna has learned enough from her year in America to begin to dream about “the beautiful country” again.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This debut novel-in-verse doesn’t shy away from the hardships of immigrating to America, but also shows how caring people and hard work can ultimately lead to success.  Details about the 1980’s and the relationship between China and Taiwan are well integrated into the narrative. Fans of Kelly Yang or Reem Faruqi will enjoy this.

Cons:  The back flap says that the book is based on the author’s experiences growing up in California in the 1980’s and working in her family’s restaurant.  I wish she had written an author’s note to tell more about that.