Dr. Seuss Award    (Theodor Seuss) Geisel Award

This award, established very recently, is given annually to those books written for beginning readers that are of such high quality and interest to those young readers that they will be motivated to read them on their own.  The award committee urges teachers, librarians, and parents not to read aloud these books to students but rather to book talk them and encourage students to read them on their own.  These are those rare books that beginning readers can read independently while being so appealing to that age group (ages 4-8), that those students will want to read the books!  The first call number is Hickory’s / the second call number is the Avon Public Library’s.

The winners:

 2009 Gold Medal:  Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems (Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group)    E Wil / J E WIL

Willems has created a masterpiece for beginning readers that is simply told through the use of dialogue, which melds perfectly with uncluttered pink and grey cartoon-style illustrations. Aside from the friendship theme that appears throughout Willems’ work, he continues to create astonishing emotional depth using the simplest of facial expressions on his characters. Are You Ready to Play Outside? tracks Piggie’s changing feelings about rainy weather and Gerald’s heroic efforts to help her grapple with her disappointments in a satisfying story arc.

“Mo Willems’ easily approachable text, captured in dialogue balloons and bold, expressive drawing of friends Piggie and Gerald experiencing the ups and downs of a rainy day, deliver laughter and love of story to beginning readers,” said Geisel Award Committee Chair Joan Atkinson.  Says Catherine Trinkle, “Mo Willems is the Dr. Seuss of our day.  Anything he writes is an instant classic.”

2009 Honor Books

Chicken Said, ‘Cluck!’ by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell (HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers)    E Gra / J E GRA

Earl and Pearl shoo Chicken away as they work on their pumpkin patch, but as the story comes full circle, it’s Chicken who does the shooing and saves the day.  In this traditional yet fresh easy reader, even very new readers can understand the simple, symmetrical text together with the funny and endearing pictures that capture every emotion of the two young gardeners and the sometimes annoying Chicken.

One Boy, written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger    E See (on order) / NA Public Library

One Boy is an eye-catching picture book leading readers to discover words within words through a distinctive die-cut design and clean, bold illustrations. A surprise conclusion satisfyingly completes this unique tale of one boy’s artistic visions.

Stinky, written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis   741.5 Dav / NA Public Library

Stinky, the swamp monster, is at first determined to rid his beloved “muddy, slimy, smelly swamp” of Nick, only to realize that this dreaded “kid” is not the appallingly clean intruder he supposes him to be, but a new friend.  Brimming with humor, the innovative comic-format illustrations, design and easy-to-read text will engage and delight new readers.

 Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell, photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell   594 Cam / J 594.38 CAM

An exciting nonfiction look at the carnivorous wolfsnail trapping and devouring its victim, this science book uses bold block type against a white background to enhance the ease of reading. The magnified, detailed photographs and playful, informative text will amaze and attract readers.

2008

Medal winner

There Is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems    E Wil / J E WIL 

Honor books

 First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger    571.8 See / NA Public Library

Hello, Bumblebee Bat, written by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne   599.4 Lun  / NA Public Library

Jazz Baby, written by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie    E Whe / J P WHE

Vulture View, written by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Steve Jenkins is the paper engineer who does cool nonfiction, usually animal, books.)      598.9 Say  / NA Public Library

2007

Medal winner

Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways by Laura McGee Kvasnosky    E Kva / EAUDIOBOOK J I KVA & J E Kva

Honor books

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated

by Chris Van Dusen    Fic Dic / J I Dic  Note: (There are now 5 books in the Mercy Watson series.)

Move Over, Rover! by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by Jane Dyer   E Bea / NA Public Library

 Not a Box by Antoinette Portis    E Por (on order) / NA Public Library

2006

Medal winner

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson  Fic Ryl / CD BOOK J E RYL & J E RYL   There are lots of other Henry and Mudge books!

Honor books

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold    E Arn / J E ARN

 A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom     E Blo / J P BLO

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by

Betsy Lewin   Fic Sil / EAUDIOBOOK J E SIL & J E Sil  (There are several other Cowgirl Kate books now.)

Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day written by Jean Van Leeuwen

and illustrated by Ann Schweninger   Fic Van / J E VAN