2017 CLA Notables

2017 NCTE Children's Literature Assembly 

Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts Award Books 

(2016 Copyright)

27 Magic Words Written by Sharelle Byars Maronville, Published by Holiday House.

Before Morning Written by Joyce Sidman, Illustrated by Beth Krommes, Published by Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.

Booked Written by Kwame Alexander, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

A Child of Books Written by Oliver Jeffers, Illustrated by Sam Winston, Published by Candlewick
Press.

Cloud and Wallfish Written by Anne Nesbet, Published by Candlewick Press.

Du Iz Tak? Written and illustrated by Carson Ellis, Published by Candlewick Press.

Fishbone’s Song Written by Gary Paulsen, Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Free Verse Written by Sarah Dooley, Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan Written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, Published by Atheneum.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark Written by Debbie Levy, Illustrated by Elizabeth
Baddeley, Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

The Island of Beyond Written by Elizabeth Atkinson, Published by Carolrhoda Books.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph Written by Roxanne Orgill, Illustrated by Francis
Vallejo, Published by Candlewick Press.

Mayday Written by Karen Harrington, Published by Little, Brown and Company.

OCDaniel Written by Wesley King, Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Olinguito de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado: Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest Written by Lulu DeLacre, Published by Lee and Low.

Plants Can’t Sit Still Written by Rebecca Hirsch, Illustrated by Mia Posada, Published by
Millbrook Press.

A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day Written by Andrea Pinkney, Illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson.

Raymie Nightingale Written by Kate DiCamillo, Published by Candlewick Press.

Soar Written by Joan Bauer, Published by Viking.

Some Writer: The Story of E.B. White Written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Published by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Sound of Silence Written by Katrina Goldsaito, illustrated by Julia Kuo, Published by Little,
Brown and Company.

Snow White: A Graphic Novel Written and illustrated by Matt Phelan, Published by Candlewick
Press.

Speaking American: How Y’all, Youse, and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide Written and illustrated by Josh Katz, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Storyteller Written and illustrated by Evan Turk, Published by Atheneum Books for Young
Readers.

Treat Written and illustrated by Mary Sullivan, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems Written and illustrated by Bob Raczka, Published by
Roaring Brook Press.

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons Written by Julie Fogliano, Illustrated by Julie Morstad, Published by Roaring Brook Press.

When the Sea Turned to Silver Written and illustrated by Grace Lin, Published by Little, Brown
and Company.

Wills Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk Written by Jane Sutcliffe,
Illustrated by John Shelley, Published by Charlesbridge.

Yaks Yak: Animal Word Pairs Written by Linda Sue Park, Illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt,
Published by Clarion Books.

2017 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Selection Committee Members: Pamela
Jewett-Professor Emerita, University of South Carolina, Diana Porter-Eastern Kentucky
University, Jennifer Sanders-Oklahoma State University, Holly Sims-Western Oregon
University, Jane Bean-Folkes-Marist College, New Jersey, Cynthia Alaniz-Coppell Independent
School District, Texas and Sue Corbin-Notre Dame College, Ohio.

2016 NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

THE CHILDREN'S LITERATURE ASSEMBLY OF NCTE 

PRESENTS 

THE 2016 

NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOKS 

IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS

28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World Written by Charles R. Smith,
Illustrated by Shane W. Evans, Published by Roaring Brook Press.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns Written by Betsy R. Rosenthal,
Illustrated by Jago, Published by Millbrook Press.

A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters Written by Betsy Franco, Illustrated by Michael Wertz,
Published by Millbrook Press.

Bigfoot is Missing! Written by J. Patrick Lewis and Karen Nesbitt, Illustrated by MinaLima,
Published by Chronicle.

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, and Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore Written by Vaunda Micheaux
Nelson, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, Published by Carolrhoda.

The Book Scavenger Written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, Published by Henry Holt and
Company.

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Written and illustrated by Don Brown,
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Echo Written by Pam Munoz Ryan, Published by Scholastic.

Enchanted Air Written by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Edel Rodriguez, Published by
Atheneum.

Enormous Smallness: A Story of E. E. Cummings Written by Matthew Burgess, Illustrated by
Kris Di Giacomo, Published by Enchanted Lion.

Flutter and Hum: Animal Poems Written and illustrated by Julie Paschkis, Published by Henry
Holt and Company.

How to Read a Story Written by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Mark Siegel, Published by
Chronicle.

Jumping Off Library Shelves Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Illustrated by Jane Manning,
Published by Wordsong.

The Marvels Written and illustrated by Brian Selznick, Published by Scholastic.

My Seneca Village Written by Marilyn Nelson, Published by Namelos.

My Two Blankets Written by Irena Kobald, Illustrated by Freya Blackwood, Published by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Plan Written by Alison Paul, Illustrated by Barbara Lehman, Published by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.

Poems in the Attic Written by Nikki Grimes, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Published by Lee &
Low.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton Written and illustrated by Don Tate,
Published by Peachtree.

Red: A Crayon’s Story Written and illustrated by Michael Hall, Published by Greenwillow.

Stella by Starlight Written by Sharon M. Draper, Published by Atheneum.

The Thing About Jellyfish Written by Ali Benjamin, Published by Little, Brown Books.

Use Your Imagination (But be careful what you wish for!) Written and illustrated by Nicola
O’Byrne, Published by Nosy Crow.

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hammer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement Written by
Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes, Published by Candlewick.

W is for Webster Written by Tracey Fern, Illustrated by Boris Kulikov, Published by Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.

Where’s the Baboon? Written by Michaël Escoffier, Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo, Published by
Enchanted Lion.

The Whisper Written and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, Published by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt.

Willy’s Stories Written and illustrated by Anthony Browne, Published by Candlewick.

The Wonder Written and illustrated by Faye Hanson, Published by Templar.

A Year in the Life of a Complete and Total Genius Written by Stacey Matson, Published by
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.


2016 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Selection Committee Members: 
Chair -- Christine Draper-Georgia Southern University
Committee members -- Evelyn Freeman-The Ohio State University, Dick Koblitz-Webster University in St. Louis and University of Missouri, Pamela Jewett-Professor Emerita at the University of South Carolina, Diana Porter-Eastern Kentucky University, Jennifer Sanders-Oklahoma State University, and Holly Sims-Independence Elementary School, Oregon.

2015 Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts

2015 Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts

A Library Book for Bear Written by Bonny Becker, Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton, Published by Candlewick Press.

Any Questions? Written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay, Published by Groundwood Books.

A Snicker of Magic Written by Natalie Lloyd, Published by Scholastic.

Ava and Pip Written by Carol Weston, Published by Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky.

brown girl dreaming Written by Jacqueline Woodson, Published by Nancy Paulson Books/Penguin/Random House.

Construction Written by Sally Sutton, Illustrated by Brian Lovelock, Published by Candlewick Press.

Firefly July Written by Paul B Janeczko, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Published by Candlewick Press.

Help! We Need a Title! Written and illustrated by Herve Tullet, Published by Candlewick Press.

It’s an Orange Aardvark! Written and illustrated by Michael Hall, Published by Greenwillow/HarperCollins.

Josephine Written by Patricia Hruby Powell, Illustrated by Christian Robinson, Published by Chronicle.

Migrant Written by Jose Manuel Mateo, Illustrated by Javier Martinez Pedro, Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

On the Wing Written by David Elliott, Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander, Published by Candlewick Press.

Rain Reign Written by Ann M. Martin, Published by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan.

Revolution Written by Deborah Wiles, Published by Scholastic.

Rhyme Schemer Written by K. A. Holt, Published by Chronicle.

Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal Written by Margarita Engle, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Written and illustrated by John Hendrix, Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Take Away the A Written by Michael Escoffier, Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo, Published by Enchanted Lion Books.

Tap Tap Boom Boom Written by Elizabeth Bluemle, Illustrated by G. Brian Karas, Published by Candlewick Press.

The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee Written by Barry Jonsberg, Published by Chronicle.

The Crossover Written by Kwame Alexander, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The Great Big Green Written by Peggy Gifford, Illustrated by Lisa Desimini, Published by Boyds Mills/Highlights.

The Noisy Paint Box Written by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Mary Grandpré, Published by Knopf/Random House.

The Pilot and the Little Prince Written and illustrated by Peter Sis, Published by Farrar Straus Giroux/Macmillan.

The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus Written by Jen Bryant, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life Written by Lois Ehlert, Published by Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster.

Voices from the March on Washington Written by J. Patrick Lewis & George Ella Lyon, Published by WordSong/Highlights.

Weeds Find a Way Written by Cindy Jenson-Elliott, Illustrated by Carolyn Fisher, Published by Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster.

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold Written by Joyce Sidman, Illustrated by Rick Allen, Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

what flowers remember Written by Shannon Wiersbitzky, Published by namelos.


2015 Notable Childrens’ Books in the Language Arts Selection Committee: Jean Schroeder, chair, and committee members Shanetia Clark, Evelyn Freeman, Dick Koblitz, Christine Draper, Pamela Jewett, and Holly Sims

Celebrate! CLA's 2014 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts!

Celebrate this week with others by visiting Ruth Ayres Writes.

This week, we are celebrating another great list of Notables from the Children's Literature Assembly of NCTE. Great work, Committee! Great books, Authors!

 2014 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts 

www.childrensliteratureassembly.org 

Ah Ha!, by Jeff Mack, published by Chronicle Books. 

Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan, published by Dial. 

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, by Chris Grabenstein, published by Random House. 

Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet, by Andrea Cheng, published by Lee & Low Books. 

Exclamation Mark, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, published by Scholastic Press. 

Forest Has a Song, by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater, illustrated by Robbin Gourley, published by Clarion Books. 

Gaby, Lost and Found, by Angela Cervantes, published by Scholastic Press. 

Hold Fast, by Blue Balliett, published by Scholastic Press. 

Journey, by Aaron Becker, published by Candlewick Press. 

Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me, by Daniel Beaty, illustrated by Bryan Collier, published by Little, Brown and Company. 

Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret, by Lesa Cline-Ransom, illustrated by James E. Ransome, published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books. 

Little Red Writing, by Joan Holub, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, published by Chronicle Books. 

Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard, by Annette LeBlanc Cate, published by Candlewick Press. 

Martin and Mahalia: His Words Her Song, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney, published by Little, Brown and Company. 

Navigating Early, by Clare Vanderpool, published by Delacorte Press. 

Nelly May has Her Say, by Cynthia DeFelice, illustrated by Henry Cole, published by Margaret Ferguson Books/Farrar Straus Giroux. 

Prisoner 88, by Leah Pileggi, published by Charlesbridge. 

Sure Signs of Crazy, by Karen Harrington, published by Little, Brown and Company. 

The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny), by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, illustrated by Stacy Innerst, published by Harcourt Children’s Books. 

The Candy Smash, by Jacqueline Davies, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 

The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, published by Philomel Books. 

The Language Inside, by Holly Thompson, published by Delacorte. 

The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist, by Margarita Engle, published by Harcourt. 

The Long, Long Journey: The Godwit’s Amazing Migration, by Sandra Markle, illustrated by Mia Posada, published by Millbrook Press. 

The Matchbox Diary, by Paul Fleischman, Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, published by Candlewick Press. 

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, by Kathi Appelt, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

This Journal Belongs to Ratchet, by Nancy J. Cavanaugh, published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. 

When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders, by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Jim Burke, R. Gregory Christie, Tonya Engel, John Parra, and Meilo So, published by Chronicle Books. 

Words with Wings, by Nikki Grimes, published by WordSong. 

Zebra Forest, by Adina Rishe Gewirtz, published by Candlewick Press. 

2014 Notable Childrens’ Books in the Language Arts Selection Committee Members: Patricia Bandré, chair; Shanetia Clark, Christine Draper, Evie Freeman, Dick Koblitz, Jean Schroeder, and Barbara Ward 

2013 CLA/NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

2013 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts

The charge of the seven-member national committee is to select thirty titles each year that best exemplify the criteria established for the Notables Award. Books considered for this annual list are works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written for children, grades K-8. The books must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language;
• demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style;
• invite child response or participation. In addition, books are to:
• have an appealing format;
• be of enduring quality;
• meet generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

43 Cemetery Road: the Phantom of the Post Office, by Kate Klise, illustrated by Sarah Klise, published by Houghton Mifflin.

A Leaf Can Be, by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Violeta Dabija, published by Lerner.

and then it's spring, by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin Stead, published by Macmillan.

Bear has a Story to Tell, by Philip Stead, illustrated by Erin Stead, published by Macmillan.

Book of Animal Poetry, edited by J. Patrick Lewis, published by National Geographic.

Cat Tale, by Michael Hall, published by HarperCollins.

Chopsticks, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Scott Magoon, published by Disney/Hyperion.

Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, published by Penguin.

Encyclopedia of Me, by Karen Rivers, published by Scholastic.

 

Endangered, by Eliot Schrefer, published by Scholastic. 

 

Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It: False Apology Poems, by Gail Carson Levine, illustrated by Matthew Cordell, published by HarperCollins. 

Hades, Lord of the Dead, by George O'Connor, published by Macmillan.

His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg, by Louise Borden, published by Houghton Mifflin.

House Held Up by Trees, by Ted Kooser, illustrated by Jon Klassen, published by Candlewick. 

I Have the Right to be a Child, by Alain Serres, illustrated by Aurelia Fronty, published by Groundwood.

I Lay My Stitches Down, by Cynthia Grady, illustrated by Michele Wood, published by Eerdmans.

Lions of Little Rock, by Kristin Levine, published by Penguin.

Moonbird, by Phillip Hoose, published by Macmillan.

No Crystal Stair, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, published by Lerner. 

Obstinate Pen, by Frank Dormer, published by Macmillan.

Sadie and Ratz, by Sonya Hartnett, illustrated by Ann James, published by Candlewick.

See You at Harry's, by Jo Knowles, published by Candlewick.

Snakes, by Nic Bishop, published by Scholastic. 

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, published by HarperCollins.

Unbeelievables, by Douglas Florian, published by Simon & Schuster. 

Unspoken, by Henry Cole, published by Scholastic.

 

Walking on Earth & Touching the Sky, by Lakota Youth at Red Cloud Indian School, illustrated by S.D. Nelson, published by Abrams.

Water Sings Blue, by Kate Coombs, illustrated by Meilo So, published by Chronicle.

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, published by Random House.

Z is for Moose, by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul Zelinsky, published by HarperCollins.

Tracy Smiles, Chair; Donalyn Miller, Patricia Bandre, Yoo Kyung Sung, Barbara Ward, Shanetia Clark, and Jean Schroeder.

2012 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

The Notable Books in the Language Arts Committee, sponsored by the Children’s Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English, selects thirty titles each year that best exemplify the criteria established for the Notables Award. Books considered for this annual list are works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written for children, grades K-8. The books must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language;
•demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style;
•invite child response or participation.

         In addition, books are to:

•have an appealing format;
•be of enduring quality;
•meet generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

2012 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts 

A Butterfly Is Patient, by Diana Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long, published by Chronicle Books.

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, published by Candlewick.

Addie on the Inside, by James Howe, published by Atheneum.

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, by Candace Fleming, published by Schwartz & Wade.

Balloons over Broadway, by Melissa Sweet, published by Houghton Mifflin.

Bluefish, by Pat Schmatz, published by Candlewick.

BookSpeak: Poems about Books, by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Josee Bisaillon, published by Clarion.

Breadcrumbs, by Anne Ursu, published by Walden Pond.

Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Heart and Soul, by Kadir Nelson, published by Balzer + Bray.

Hound Dog True, by Linda Urban, published by Harcourt.

Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, published by Harper.

Lemonade: And Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word, by Bob Raczka, published by Roaring Brook Press.

Me...Jane, by Patrick McDonnell, published by Little, Brown.

Okay for Now, by Gary Schmidt, published by Clarion.

Over and Under the Snow, by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal, published by Chronicle Books.

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People, by Monica Brown, illustrated by Julie Paschkis, published by Henry Holt.

Passing the Music Down, by Sarah Sullivan, illustrated by Barry Root, published by Candlewick.

Requieum: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto, by Paul Janezko, published by Candlewick.

Shout! Shout it Out!, by Denise Fleming, published by Henry Holt.

Stars, by Mary Lynn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee, published by Beach Lane.

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred, by Samantha R. Vamos, illustrated by Rafael Lopez, published by Charlesbridge.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat, by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, illustrated by Barry Moser, published by Peachtree.

The Friendship Doll, by Kirby Larson, published by Delacorte.

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, by Wendy Wan-long Shang, published by Scholastic.

The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater, published by Scholastic.

These Hands, by Margaret H. Mason, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, published by Houghton Mifflin.

True…Sort of, by Katherine Hannigan, published by Greenwillow.

Underground, by Shane W. Evans, published by Roaring Brook Press.

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku, by Lee Wardlaw, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, published by Henry Holt.



NCBLA 2012 Committee: April Bedford—Chair
Donalyn Miller, Nancy Roser, Tracy Smiles, Yoo Kyung Sung, Barbara Ward, Trish Bandre
Mary Lee Hahn—Past Chair

There Is No Frigate Like A Book

Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924.

Part One: Life
XCIX


THERE is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.

This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul.

















2011 NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
Complete list here


Sara has the Poetry Friday Roundup today at Read Write Believe.

ANNOUNCING!! 2011 NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

2011 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts

Angleberger, Tom. (2010). The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. New York: Abrams.

Appelt, Kathi. (2010). Keeper. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Aronson, Marc and Budhos, Marina. (2010). Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Baker, Keith. LMNO Peas. (2010). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Bond, Victoria and Simon, T.R. (2010). Zora and Me.  Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Burns, Loree Griffin. (2010).  The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe. Illustrated by Ellen Harasimowicz. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Cushman, Karen. (2010). Alchemy and Meggy Swann. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Draper, Sharon M. (2010). Out of My Mind. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Elya, Susan Middleton. (2010). Rubia and the Three Osos. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. New York: Disney*Hyperion.

Fleming, Candace. (2010). Clever Jack Takes the Cake. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. New York: Random House.

Fox, Karen C. (2010). Older Than the Stars. Illustrated by Nancy Davis. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

Gidwitz, Adam. (2010). A Tale Dark and Grimm. New York: Penguin.

Golio, Gary. (2010). Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Kerley, Barbara. (2010). The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy). Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic.

Mazer, Anne and Potter, Ellen. (2010). Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Raczka, Bob. (2010). Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Raschka, Chris. (2010).  Hip Hop Dog. Illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky. New York: HarperCollins.

Reynolds, Peter H. and FableVision Studios; Emerson, Sharon. (2010).  Zebrafish. Illustrated by Renée Kurilla. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Riley, James. (2010). Half Upon a Time. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. (2010). The Dreamer. Illustrated by Peter Sis. New York: Scholastic.

Sidman, Joyce. (2010). Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night.  Illustrated by Rick Allen. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sidman, Joyce. (2010). Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors. Illustrated by Beckie Prange. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Singer, Marilyn. (2010). Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse. Illustrated by Josée Masse. New York: Penguin.

Underwood, Deborah. (2010). The Quiet Book. Illustrated by Renata Liwska. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Viorst, Judith. (2010). Lulu and the Brontosaurus. Illustrated by Lane Smith. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Wiles, Deborah. (2010). Countdown. New York: Scholastic.

Willems, Mo. (2010). City Dog, Country Frog. Illustrated by Jon J. Muth. New York: Disnney*Hyperion.

Willems, Mo. (2010). We Are in a Book! New York: Disney*Hyperion.

Williams-Garcia, Rita. (2010). One Crazy Summer. New York: HarperCollins.

Winter, Jeanette. (2010). Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia. New York: Simon & Schuster.

NCBLA 2011 Committee:  Mary Lee Hahn—Chair

April Bedford, Mary Napoli, Donalyn Miller, 
Nancy Roser, Tracy Smiles, Yoo Kyung Sung

Janelle Mathis—Past Chair

Award Committees

Today is the finish line for a year of work for the readers on the Newbery and Caldecott committees.

The NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts committee is starting the final sprint towards our finish line in mid-February. We have 65 books for grades K-8 on our "top shelf" right now, and we've received +/- 250 nominees since the beginning of October that need to be read and evaluated.

You'll forgive me if I've been paying attention to this...

The charge of the seven-member national committee is to select thirty titles each year that best exemplify the criteria established for the Notables Award. Books considered for this annual list are works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written for children, grades K-8. The books must meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language;
2. demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style;
3. invite child response or participation.

In addition, books are to:

4. have an appealing format;
5. be of enduring quality;
6. meet generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

...rather than Newbery criteria and Caldecott illustrations.

But that doesn't mean I won't be anxiously awaiting today's news!!

2009 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.
Used with permission of Kevin Henkes and Greenwillow Books.

The Notable Books in the Language Arts Committee, sponsored by the Children’s Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English, selects thirty titles each year that best exemplify the criteria established for the Notables Award. Books considered for this annual list are works of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry written for children, grades K-8. The books must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language;
• demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style;
• invite child response or participation.

In addition, books are to:

• have an appealing format;
• be of enduring quality;
• meet generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written.

2009 Committee: Deanna Day, Chair, Monica Edinger, Past Chair
Mary Lee Hahn, Janelle Mathis, Jonda McNair, Mary Napoli, Kathy Short, Edward Sullivan


Poetry

Bryant, Jen. (2008). Ringside 1925. New York: Alfred A. Knopf/Random House.

Giovanni, Nikki. (2008). Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

Greenberg, Jan. (2008). Side by Side: New Poems Inspired by Art from Around the World. New York: Abrams.

Thomas, Joyce Carol. (2008). The Blacker the Berry. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. New York: HarperCollins.

Weston, Robert Paul. (2008). Zorgamazoo. New York: Penguin.

Historical and Realistic Fiction

Almond, David. (2008). The Savage. Illustrated by Dave McKean. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. (2008). The Boy Who Dared. New York: Scholastic.

Bauer, Joan. (2008). Peeled. New York: Penguin.

Giff, Patricia Reilly. (2008). Eleven. New York: Wendy Lamb/Random House.

Lowry, Lois. (2008). The Willoughbys. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Nicholls, Sally. (2008). Ways to Live Forever. New York: Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic.

Fantasy/Folklore

Alley, Zoe B. (2008). There’s a Wolf at the Door. Illustrated by R.W. Alley. New York: Roaring Brook.

Berk, Ari. (2008). The Secret History of Giants. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick.

Morales, Yuyi. (2008). Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. New York: Roaring Brook.

Prineas, Sarah (2008). The Magic Thief. New York: HarperCollins.

Reeve, Philip. (2008). Here Lies Arthur. New York: Scholastic.

Information/Biography

Bryant, Jen. (2008). A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Deneberg, Barry. (2008). Lincoln Shot: A President’s Life Remembered. New York: Feiwel and Friends/MacMillan.

Dray, Philip. (2008). Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells: The Daring Life of a Crusading Journalist. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.

Nelson, Scott Reynolds, & Aronson, Marc. (2008). Ain’t Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry. Washington, DC: National Geographic.

Prelutsky, Jack. (2008). Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem. New York: Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins.

Scieszka, Jon. (2008). Knucklehead. New York: Penguin.

Picture Books

Chen, Chih-Yuan. (2008). Artie and Julie. Alhambra, CA: Heryin.

Choung, Eun-Hee. (2008). Minji’s Salon. La Jolla, CA: Kane/Miller.

Cottin, Menena. (2008). The Black Book of Colors. Illustrated by Rosana Faria. Toronto, Canada: Groundwood.

Gravett, Emily. (2008). Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Johnson, Stephen T. (2008). A is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Reibstein, Mark. (2008). Wabi Sabi. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Little Brown.

Rumford, James. (2008). Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad. New York: Roaring Brook.

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. (2008). One Boy. New York: Roaring Brook.