2003 Book Sense Book of the Year Finalists -- Children's Illustrated and Children's Literature

The Book Sense Book of the Year Awards will be announced at the Celebration of Bookselling, on Friday, May 30, during this year's BookExpo America at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California.

All current ABA member bookstores can vote for the Book Sense Book of the Year. The remaining four finalists in each category will be awarded the title of Book Sense Honor Book. All nominated authors and illustrators will be invited to attend the award ceremonies and the Book Sense 76 Lunch, also to be held on Friday, May 30, at BEA.

Ballots will be mailed to all ABA bookstore members at the end of March and must be returned by April 30. The ballot will also be available online. Watch for details in upcoming issues of BTW. The tabulation of votes will be handled by KPMG, and the results will be kept secret until the May 30 event.

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Of the five unique nominees for Children's Literature, three are books by bestselling authors making their debuts as writers for children; a fourth is a German author, new to the English-speaking market. Although most of these works might be categorized as fantasy fiction, these authors have invented worlds as unlike one another as they are to the "real" world.

ARTEMIS FOWL: The Arctic Incident, Eoin Colfer (Hyperion)
"Goblins with laser rifles, power crazed pixies with hi-tech weapons, and a 13-year-old boy ... on the run from school. Artemis Fowl is back," wrote the Sunday Times in its review of Colfer's sequel to Artemis Fowl. Shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year, the original Artemis Fowl introduced a surprisingly nasty protagonist. Colter, who authored several books while a schoolteacher in his native Ireland, wanted to write books inspired by his beloved traditional, magical Irish legends.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Young Artemis's character growth and development are remarkable, and the action, humor, and high-tech plot twists are plentiful, adding a great deal to this fast-paced escapade. I liked it even better than the first book!" --Jill Brooks, Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, Illinois

CORALINE, Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Dave McKean (HarperCollins)
Despite claims that as a youth in Portchester, England, he was advised to study accountancy, Neil Gaiman has created numerous, diverse works of inventive fiction for receptive adults. He counts among his fans, Steven King, Roger Zelazny, and Norman Mailer. Harlan Ellison broke his blurb embargo to offer unsolicited praise for Gaiman's American Gods (HarperCollins). Author of the popular Sandman series (DC Comics) of graphic novels, Gaiman penned Coraline as his first book for children. Coraline has been described as a mixture of Alice in Wonderland or the Chronicles of Narnia, with more chills than anything in the Goosebumps series.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"A perfect book for anyone who loves to be frightened. It scared the heck out of me, and I loved it. Coraline is a great heroine for young men and women alike." -- Nick Pharris, Little Professor, Aberdeen, South Dakota

HOOT, Carl Hiaasen (Knopf)
The darkly humorous author of popular fiction (Sick Puppy, Knopf) and nonfiction (Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World, Ballantine) offers his first novel for young people. The plot revolves around Roy Eberhardt, a classic outsider in young adult fiction. Set in Hiaasen's native Florida, the quirky comedy addresses environmental and antidevelopment issues.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Hiaasen hasn't written down to his youthful audience; he's just written, and it works beautifully. He deftly juggles the 'work-within-the-system/subvert-the-system' points of view, and has done a great job with the kids, including the bully. What a great book." -- Susan Scott, Secret Garden, Seattle, Washington

SUMMERLAND, Michael Chabon (Talk Miramax)
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon, has written his first book for young readers. Surely this must be fantasy, as it is set on the westernmost tip of an island off the coast of Washington, a spot called Summerland, which "knew a June, July, and August that were perfectly dry and sunshiny." In this high stakes tale, seasoned with Greek, Native American, and Norse legends, even an inferior Little Leaguer can be a hero.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"I absolutely loved this lush, lyrical, and beautifully written book. I love that it is filled with things we love: baseball, summer, American folk heroes, and fairies and small folk. I felt like I was living in the story from the first page. All the staff here is talking about it." -- Rene Kirkpatrick, All for Kids Books and Music, Seattle, Washington

THE THIEF LORD, Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Christian Burmingham, translated by Oliver Latsch (Chicken House/Scholastic).
The Thief Lord, by popular German author Cornelia Funke, has won several European children's literature awards, including the Zurich Children's Book Award (2000) and the Children's Book Award form the Vienna House of Literature (2001).

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Angels, dragons, and winged lions watch over Venice as six children sneak into houses for goods to steal and sell. On the run from a wicked aunt and uncle, they discover the magical powers of an old carousel and what people will do for eternal youth. Full of mischief, adventure, heroes, and magic, this is one of those books that will be read and loved by people of all ages!" -- Nikki Mutch, UConn Co-op, Storrs, Connecticut

CHILDREN'S ILLUSTRATED

DEAR MRS. LARUE: Letters From Obedience School, Mark Teague (Scholastic)
Rambunctious dog Ike LaRue is "imprisoned" at the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy and will resort to anything to get sent home. Even if the canine academy is an obedience school and not a prison, Ike isn't cut out for life without Mrs. LaRue and all his creature comforts. Ike decides to run away and gets home just in time to save his owner!

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"What a witty book! Little dog Ike has been sent to obedience school by his owner, and his letters home make it sound like a prison. But the funny illustrations show us otherwise." -- Kara Luger, Chinook Bookshop, Colorado Springs, Colorado

GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK, Doreen Cronin; illus. by Betsy Lewin (Simon & Schuster)
All the barnyard animals are back in this follow-up to the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (Simon & Schuster). When Farmer Brown goes on vacation, he asks his brother Bob to take care of the animals, but warns: "Watch out for that Duck. He's trouble."

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Cronin and Lewin have done it again! A clever and hysterical text paired with perfect, expressively hilarious illustrations. Readers will gladly welcome back these 'clever critters' and revel in their escapades as they follow their duck!" -- Ellen Mager, Booktenders Children's Bookstore, Doylestown, Pennsylvania

THE THREE QUESTIONS, Jon J. Muth (Scholastic)
Tolstoy's story in picture book format, only instead of the czar and his human companions, it's a boy and his animal friends. The three questions are answered when the boy saves a panda and her child in a roaring storm.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Based on the Tolstoy story, this is a beautiful tale with a moral. The illustrations help reveal the simple wisdom of this book." -- Caroline Green, Malaprop's, Asheville, North Carolina

THE SPIDER & THE FLY, Mary Howitt; illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi (Simon & Schuster)
Celebrated artist Tony DiTerlizzi lends his talents to this famous 1829 warning about those who hide bad intentions with sweet words and charm. DiTerlizzi's illustrations draw inspiration from the classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920s and 1930s.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"In this delightfully ghoulish picture book, the classic morality tale of the spider and the fly is played out with the sparkling, delicate illustrations of the talented DiTerlizzi. The spooky dream-like tone of the backgrounds is a perfect match to the growing troubles of the fly. Sure to be a storytime favorite." -- Alex Pippard, BookPeople, Austin, Texas

TOOT & PUDDLE: TOP OF THE WORLD, Holly Hobbie (Little, Brown)
Puddle wakes up one morning only to find that Toot is missing. Even though Puddle prefers to stay home, he sets off to find his best friend, and eventually finds himself in a far away place.

From the Book Sense 76 recommendation:
"Toot's off again, so, knowing what his best friend loves to do, Puddle hops trains, planes, and bicycles until he finds Toot in a French café. Then, off they go to Nepal for the biggest adventure of them all. Complete with beautiful watercolor illustrations, this one should get you hooked on these irresistible characters!" -- Mary Fellow, Annie Bloom's Bookstore, Portland, Oregon

Next week, BTW will feature finalists in the Rediscovery and Paperback categories.