Award Books

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for 2021
"Though not as widely known as other basketball legends, hall-of-famer Elgin Baylor was one of the game's all-time greatest players--an innovative athlete, team player, and quiet force for change. A member of the early, scrappy NBA and one of the first professional African American players, Elgin (b. 1934) played in the late 1950s and early 1960s for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, taking risks on and off the court. Known for his acrobatic style of moving and shooting, he inspired others to get creative with their game. But when traveling for away games, hotels and restaurants weren't as welcoming of Elgin as they were of his white teammates. Together, Elgin and his teammates boycotted places practicing segregation until the entire NBA followed suit. From picture book powerhouses Jen Bryant and Frank Morrison, Above the Rim is a peek into the early days of the NBA, a poetic telling of the life of an under-known athlete, and a celebration of standing up for what is right"--Provided by publisher

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Newbery Honor Book, 2021; Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Honor Title, 2021
On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon's adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. Combining firsthand interviews of rescue workers with in-depth science and details of the region's culture and religion, the author shows how both the complex engineering operation above ground and the mental struggles of the thirteen young people below proved critical in the life-or-death mission.--adapted from publisher's description.

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor. 2021
"It's not easy living with a bear, but one little boy learns that sometimes, a bear in the family can end up to be the best thing in the world"--Provided by publisher.

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Coretta Scott King Award 2021
National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson's stirring novel explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed. For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone's hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he's as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with as he is to his millions of adoring sports fans. But lately life at ZJ's house is anything but charming. His dad is having trouble remembering things and seems to be angry all the time. ZJ's mom explains it's because of all the head injuries his dad sustained during his career. ZJ can understand that--but it doesn't make the sting any less real when his own father forgets his name. As ZJ contemplates his new reality, he has to figure out how to hold on tight to family traditions and recollections of the glory days, all the while wondering what their past amounts to if his father can't remember it. And most importantly, can those happy feelings ever be reclaimed when they are all so busy aching for the past'

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Newbery Honors 2021
Henry Brown wrote that long before he came to be know as "Box," he "entered the world a slave." He was put to work as a child and passed down from one generation to the next - as property. When he was an adult, his wife and children were sold away from him out of spite. Henry Brown watched as his family left, bound in chains, headed to the deeper South. What more could be taken from him? But then hope - and help - came in the from of the Underground Railroad. Escape! The author, in poems, narrates Henry Brown's story of how he came to ship himself in a box from slavery to freedom.

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Caldecott Honors 2021
"The Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats. Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and traditional sword sharpening. His neighborhood is empty except for the many cats left behind. Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay. He can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe." -- Publisher.
"In the midst of the Syrian Civil War, Alaa takes care of Aleppo's abandoned cats."--Provided by publisher. Includes notes from the authors.

Children's Notable Book, 2021; Pura Belpre Award 2021 (Illustrator Award Winner)
"Little Lobo, a Mexican American wolf, and Bernabé, his dog, gather tacos, frutas picadas, cuernos, and more and deliver them to los luchadores preparing for Lucha Libre 5000."--Provided by publisher.