each year, a committee of the association of library services for children (alsc) identifies the best of the best in children’s books. according to the criteria of notables, “notable” is defined as: worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notables should be thought of as including books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit bold creativity, and fiction, information, poetry, and picture books for all age levels (birth to age 14) that reflect and foster children’s interests. in an exemplary manner.
You are reading: List of 2009 children’s literature books
per alsc policy, the current year’s newbery, caldecott, belpré, sibert, geisel, and batchelder award and honors books are automatically added to the list of notable children’s books.
for your convenience, notable children’s books that have also received other wing awards, such as the coretta scott king award, michael l. the printz award and the schneider family book award, are noted in this list.
younger readers
becker, beautiful. a visitor for the bear. illus. by kady macdonald denton. candlewick. (9780763628079).
bee, william. watch out for the frog. illus. by the author wick. (9780763639204).
campbell, sarah c. wolfsnail: a backyard predator. photos of sarah c. and Ricardo P. Campbell Press from Boyds Mills. (9781590785546).
Enlarged photographs and informative text provide a nonfiction look at the carnivorous wolf snail that ensnares and devours its victim. this science book will surprise and engage readers. (2009 geisel honor book)
davis, eleanor. stinky illustration by the author junior/toon raw books. (9780979923845).
stinky the swamp monster is at first determined to rid his beloved “muddy, slimy, smelly swamp” of nick, only to realize that this dreaded “boy” is not the terribly neat intruder he’s supposed to be. it is. (2009 geisel honor book)
dorros, arturo. Dad and me. illus. by Rudy Gutierrez. lightning, a print of harpercollins. (9780060581565). An animated work of art tells the story of a father and son who spend a special day together in the city: they sing, cook, go to the park and the beach, traveling by bus, and telling stories, culminating in a visit to dad’s parents. (belpré illustrator honor book 2009)
fleming, denise. buster goes to cowboy camp. illus. by author henry holt (9780805078923).
After a week at dog cowboy camp, Buster’s nostalgia evaporates as he gleefully joins the controlled canine chaos of camp activities. Fleming’s richly colorful media art details the camp’s layout and the constant movement of the animals.
frazee, marla. a couple of guys have the best week of their lives. illus. By the author Harcourt. (9780152060206).
Featuring detailed, subtly retro animated cartoons, frazee gently pokes fun at adult expectations and captures the limitless joy of two friends experiencing a parentless summer fling. (caldecott 2009 honor book)
george, jean craighead. goose and duck. illus. by priscilla lamont. harper collins/laura geringer. (9780061170768).
goose tracks on the boy who finds his egg, duck tracks on the goose, and both follow the boy until the fall, when they find out who they are and join their companions who fly south.
graham, Bob. how to heal a broken wing illus. by the author wick. (9780763639037).
On a busy city street, a young man is stopped by an injured pigeon. soft watercolor panels depict the family’s care of the bird and its subsequent release into the city sky.
grant, judyann ackerman. the chicken said, “cluck!” illus. By Sue Truesdell. harpercollins.(9780060287238).
Earl and Pearl chase away the chicken while working in their pumpkin patch, but as the story comes full circle, it’s the chicken that scares away and saves the day. (2009 geisel honor book)
harris, robie h. maybe a bear ate it! illus by michael emberley. garden books, an imprint of scholasticism. (9780439929615).
When a favorite book goes missing, our frantic narrator goes on a frantic search, imagining the worst. cartoonish art illustrates the emotions of losing and finding a prized item.
henkes, kevin. old bear illustration by the author harpercollins/green willow. (9780061552052).
During his annual hibernation, the old bear dreams of the seasons of his youth. Seasonal changes and the old bear’s sense of wonder are gently evoked in Henkes’s ink and watercolor photographs.
hills, a bit. what’s up, duck? a book of opposites illus. by the author random house/schwartz & wade. (9780375847387).
adapting the duck and goose for the board book crowd, hills whimsically presents concepts like loud and quiet, far and near, heavy and light in clear, kid-appealing watercolors.
hole, stian. garmann summer. illus. by the author tr. by don bartlett. eerdmans books for young readers. (9780802853394)
The humorous and poetic text, combined with surreal and multi-layered artwork, creates a truly unique and complex look at the universality of fear and uncertainty in this story of a six-year-old boy’s last summer before the beginning the school. (2009 batchelder honor book)
kohara, kazuno. ghosts in the house! illus. by the author roaring stream. (9781596434271).
Faced with a house full of ghosts, a girl and her cat come up with a creative solution to reuse them. Orange and black linocuts combined with rice paper “ghosts” complete this attractive package for very young children.
mcdonald, megan. the dark pink illus. by brian floca ateneo/richard jackson.(9780689875885).
Until Anabel, the young seamstress, finds the perfect bed for pale pink, she won’t be able to sleep and the princess’s dress will never be ready in time for the ball.
morales, yuyi. Just in Case: A Cheater’s Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. illus. by the author roaring brook/neal porter. (9781596433298).
The vibrant jewel-toned colors masterfully capture the story of Mr. Skull’s quest to find the perfect birthday present for Grandma Beetle. Part ghost story, part trickster tale, the book features motifs from Mexican culture that represent each letter of the Spanish alphabet. (2009 belpré award for book illustrator and honorary book author)
seeger, laura vaccaro. a boy. illus. by the author roaring creek/neal porter.(9781596432741).
Seeger’s eye-catching picture book leads readers to discover words within words through distinctive die-cut design and clean, bold illustrations. (2009 geisel honor book)
swanson, susan marie. the house at night. illus. by Beth Krommes. houghton mifflin.(9780618862443).
This timeless bedtime verse offers reassurance to young children that there is always light in the dark. Sleek lines, with hints of gold watercolor, evoke the warmth and comfort of home, as well as the joys of exploring the outside world. (caldecott medal book 2009)
tafolla, carmen. what can be done with a rebozo? illus. By Amy Cordova. tricycle press/ten speed press. (9781582462202).
Intense, vibrant colors swirl and whiz across the full-page spreads, depicting the family home of an imaginative young Mexican-American woman who jokingly invents modern uses for the traditional Mexican rebozo, or long scarf. (book of honor belpré 2009)
weatherford, carole boston. Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A John Coltrane Song. illus. by Sean Qualls. henry holt (9780805079944).
john coltrane’s childhood resonated with sounds. the formative experiences of the legendary musician and composer are depicted in a rhythmic language and stylized mixed-media illustrations in blues, browns, and whites. (2009 honor book by illustrator coretta scott king)
willems, month. are you ready to play outside? illus. By the author Hyperion, an imprint of the Disney Book Group. (9781423113478).
Easily accessible text and expressive drawings tell the story of Piggie and Gerald experiencing the ups and downs of a rainy day. (geisel award book 2009)
intermediate readers
appeal, kathi. the one below illus. by small david. athenaeum. (9781416950585). the intertwined stories of a bitter man, a loyal hound, an abandoned cat, and a vengeful lamia sing of love, loss, loneliness, and hope. (newbery 2009 honor book)
bishop, nic. frogs photos of the author. scholastic nonfiction, an imprint of scholasticism. (9780439877558).
bishop presents highlights about frogs through clear text, complemented by fascinating photos of species from around the world. even those with a frog phobia will be fascinated.
broach, elise. masterpiece. illus. by kelly murphy. holt/christy ottaviano. (9780805082708).
An adventurous artistic beetle and a lonely 11-year-old boy team up to catch the thief who has stolen a priceless Albrecht Durer from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
brown, gift. all the stations! Heartbreak!: April 15, 1912, the day the Titanic sank. illus. by the author flashpoint/roaring stream. (9781596432222)
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By selecting just the right amount of essential information, Brown artfully captures the drama of what happened to the unsinkable Titanic on that fateful night.
bryant, jen. A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams. illus. by sweet melissa. eerdmans books for young readers (9780802853028).
Sweet’s mixed-media collage and primitive watercolors flow seamlessly with Bryant’s prose to reveal important snippets of Williams’ ordinary yet extraordinary life as a physician and poet. (caldecott 2009 honor book)
down, siobhan. the mystery of the london eye random/fickle david (9780375849763). In a race against time, twelve-year-old Ted and his sister Kat use their special abilities and insights to discover how their cousin Salim disappeared while riding the London Eye. highest in the world. .
elliott, zetta. bird. illus. by shadra strickland read & bass. (9781600602412).
A boy, Mehkai, nicknamed Bird because he loves to draw birds, finds solace in his artwork when his beloved grandfather dies and his admired older brother, Marcus, succumbs to drug addiction. (2009 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award)
erdrich, Luisa. the porcupine year hapercollines. (9780060297879).
In this third installment of the birchbark house series set in 1852, Omakayas, a young Ojibwa woman now 12, and her family face serious challenges as they move west from the US. uu. the government has claimed.
fern, tracey e. buffalo music illus. by lauren castle. clarion. (9780618723416).
Pioneer mary ann goodnight saves her beloved texas buffalo from extinction by sending those who escape the slaughter to yellowstone to become part of a new national herd. spare scenes of primitive abstract art create a stunning visual landscape.
gaiman, neil. the graveyard book illus. by dave mckean. hapercollines. (9780060530921).
A boy marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes to an abandoned graveyard, where he is raised and protected by its spiritual inhabitants. A delightful blend of murder, fantasy, humor, and human longing, Gaiman’s story is told in haunting, magical prose. (newbery medal book 2009)
gonzález, lucia. the storytelling candle/the storytelling candle. illus. by lulu delacre. children’s book press (9780892392223).
Sepia-toned text and illustrations present the biographical story of Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican librarian hired by the New York Public Library, who introduces the public library to immigrants living in the neighborhood and hosts the first party of the day of the three kings of the neighborhood. . (2009 belpré author honor book and illustrator honor book)
greenberg, jan and sandra jordan. christo and jeanne-claude: through the gates and beyond. illus. with photographs. roaring creek/neal porter. (9781596430716)
Beginning with a description of the spectacular “gates” project installed for two weeks in Central Park in 2005, readers are introduced to the extraordinary couple whose art, in its immense scope, has amazed and astonished the world.
hale, shannon and dean hale. rapunzel’s revenge illus. by nathan hale. bloomsbury.(9781599900704).
In a vibrantly illustrated graphic novel set in a fictional borderland, an untraditional Rapunzel escapes the tower, uses her long braids as weapons, and exacts revenge on the evil Gothel Mother.
hopkinson, deborah. Abe Lincoln Crosses a Stream: A Tall and Skinny Story (featuring her long-forgotten frontier friend). illus. by john hendrix. random house/schwartz & wade. (9780375837685).Taking inspiration from a childhood story about Lincoln, Hopkins delivers a lively, tongue-in-cheek narrative with as many curves as Knob Creek. Hendrix’s expansive, cartoonish illustrations visually suggest several possible outcomes for the children’s situation.
kerley, barbara. what to do with alice? how alice roosevelt broke the rules, captivated the world and drove his teddy’s father crazy! illus. by edwin fotheringham. school. (9780439922319).
Growing up as the president’s daughter wasn’t easy, but being president and the father of alice roosevelt wasn’t easy either. Kerley’s playful use of language and Fotheringham’s playful illustrations converge to introduce energy and whimsy. (2009 sibert honor book)
law, ingrid. comprehension. dial/walden media. (9780803733060).
This rich first-person narrative takes readers on a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for mibs beaumont and her companions. (newbery 2009 honor book)
lewin, ted and betsy. horse song: the naadam of mongolia. illus. by the authors. read & low books. (9781584302773).
Alternating lavish watercolors and lively cartoon sketches, the artists document their journey to Mongolia, capturing the excitement and beauty of Naadam, the summer festival, where boys and girls compete in horse races.
mcgill, alice. up and over everything. illus. by jude daly houghtonmifflin. (9780618387960).
Stylized watercolors illustrate a narrator’s account of the five newly purchased Africans who escaped the horrors of slavery by fleeing the Georgia plantation where their great-grandmother’s mother lived and worked.
nicholls, sally. ways to live forever. arthur a. levine, a scholastic imprint. (9780545069489).
Using clever lists, insightful questions, thoughtful journal entries and drawings, eleven-year-old Sam shares his perspective on his leukemia and his optimistic attitude as he faces the end of his life.
nivola, claire a. planting the trees of kenya: the story of wangari maathai. illus. by the author farrar/frances foster. (9780374399184).
Ingenuous, charming images and well-chosen details illuminate the life and work of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, who responded to the impending desertification of her native Kenya by instigating the planting of 30 million trees.
noble, marc tyler. boys of steel: the creators of superman. illus. by ross macdonald. knopf. (9780375838026).
Part picture book, part graphic novel, this is the riveting story of how two high school friends created a superhero that endures to this day.
parker, robert andrew. piano starts here: the art young tatum. illus. by the author random house/schwartz & wade. (9780375839658).
Parker imagines the early years of renowned jazz pianist Tatum, using a first-person narrative that takes readers from his Toledo youth to the clubs and concert halls of big cities. luminous watercolors convincingly amplify the text. (Schneider Family Book Award 2009)
patent, dorothy hinshaw. When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature’s Balance in Yellowstone. photographs by dan hartman and cassie hartman. walker. (9780802796868).
Animated photos, capturing wildlife images, and easy text make it clear to young readers the beneficial impact on the ecosystem when wolves were reintroduced.
preller, james. six innings: a game in life. Feiwell & friends. (9780312367633).
The fast-paced action of a minor league baseball game frames a personal introduction to the players, the strategies, and twelve-year-old Sam sidelined with cancer.
ray, deborah kogan. wanda gág: the girl who lived to draw. illus. by viking/penguin author. (9780670062928).
This intimate portrait of the creator of million cats combines gág’s own words with more detailed text to describe a girl who never gave up her dream. lush illustrations suggest gág’s style and versatility.
rumford, james. Silent Music: A Baghdad Story. illus. by the author roaring brook/neal porter. (9781596432765).
ali, a boy in contemporary baghdad, loves calligraphy and practices his art to shut out the sights and sounds of war. mixed-media illustrations contrast rich colors, lush textures, bold silhouettes, and flowing calligraphy.
scieszka, jon. knucklehead: tall tales & mostly true stories about growing up scieszka. illus. by viking/penguin author. (9780670011063).
a hilarious saga about growing up in a household with five siblings during the 1950s and ’60s from the national ambassador for children’s literature, illustrated with candid images from the period.
schulman, janet. pale male: falcon citizen of new york city. illus. by meilo so. alfred a. knopf. (9780375845581).
Luxurious watercolors and engaging narration bring to life the story of a pale male, a male falcon that nests atop a posh Fifth Avenue apartment building and sparks a battle for its habitat between residents and conservationists. .
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shulevitz, uri. how i learned geography illus. by the author farrar straus giroux.(9780374334994).
Recounting his family’s memories of his family’s flight from the bombing of Warsaw and his years as a refugee during World War II, Shulevitz uses watercolor and ink to depict a boy liberated from his dull existence through fantasies inspired by the map his father buys at the town market (caldecott honor book 2009)
stone, tanya lee. elizabeth leads the way: elizabeth cady stanton and the right to vote. illus. by rebecca gibbon. henry holt (9780805079036).
This introductory biography traces Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s childhood understanding of women’s secondary status and continues her adult activism that led to women’s enfranchisement. folk art enlarges the text.
thomas, joyce carol. the blacker the berry. illus. by floyd cooper harpercollins/friendship. (9780060253752).
a collection of twelve poems that celebrate and affirm the variations in skin color and individuality of African-American children, illustrated with richly colored children’s paintings that complement the imagery of free verse. (2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award and Author’s Book of Honor)
uehashi, nahoko. moribito: guardian of the spirit. illus. by yuko shimizu. tr. by cathy hirano arturo a. levine, a scholastic imprint. (9780545005425).
Balsa, a warrior woman, accepts the task of protecting a young prince from demons and his father’s assassins. prince chagum is the moribito, the guardian of the holy spirit. together they must find in each other the source of strength they need to prevail. (2009 batchelder award book)
older readers
anderson, laurie halse. simon chains & schuster (9781416905851).
Sold into slavery to an influential New York Tory family, 13-year-old Isabel spies for the Patriot side during the American Revolution in desperate hopes of gaining freedom for herself and her 5-year-old sister.
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collins, susana. The Hunger Games. school. (9780439023481). In a sci-fi cliffhanger, Katniss takes the place of his younger sister as one of twenty-four youngsters who are delivered to the capitol in a deadly annual reality game in which only one can survive. .
connor, leslie. waiting for normal. harper collins/katherine tegen. (9780060890889). Longing for the loving family life her younger half-sisters have with their former stepfather, addie, a resilient sixth grader, manages to live in an RV in schenectady, new york, with her neglectful mother. (Schneider Family Book Award 2009)
consider, james m. Ice bodies: the melting of glaciers and the recovery of the past. illus. houghtonmifflin. (9780618800452).
In this exploration of the archeology of glacier science, deem’s visual presentation engages readers through newspaper illustrations, paintings, maps, and photographs of ice mummies and artifacts from four continents. (2009 sibert honor book)
English, daisy. The Tree of Surrender: Poems from Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom. henry holt.(9780805086744).
The hauntingly beautiful free verse prose brings to life this finely crafted story that illuminates Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain in the 19th century. (2009 newbery honor book and belpré author award book)
fleischman, sid. Trouble Begins at 8: Mark Twain’s Life in the Wild West. illus. harpercollins/green willow. (9780061344329).
This gripping biography of the quintessential American humorist is as outrageous as its subject matter. The twins’ early lives are conveyed through memorable quotes and vintage photographs. fleischman separates fact from fiction, provides extensive documentation, and a version of the jumping frog.
fleming, candace. The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary. illus. random house/schwartz & wade. (9780375836183).
Short articles, vignettes, letter excerpts, historical photographs, and documents make up the scrapbook that demonstrates the intertwined lives of the civil war president and his devoted but unbalanced wife and gives equal attention to both sides.
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freedman, russell. Washington at Valley Forge. illus. holiday House. (9780823420698)
Freedman’s usual humorous prose, eye for revealing detail, and clear narrative arc describe the winter Washington’s troops spent at Valley Forge.
jiménez, francisco. get. houghtonmifflin. (9780618038510).
In this poignantly written autobiography, Jiménez recounts his days as a young Mexican-American student who is the first in his family to attend college. Against all odds, he is determined to complete his education. (2009 book of honor author belpré)
macaulay, david with richard walker. the way we work: getting to know the amazing human body. illus. by author houghton mifflin/walter lorraine. (9780618233786).
The amazing human body gets an equally amazing treatment for all of its systems and functions. Thorough visual and verbal explanations offer an inside look at the wonders of the body.
michaelis, antonia. tiger moon. tr. by Anthea Bell. amulet. (9780810994812).
A betrayed woman facing death, a highly unlikely hero, and a sarcastically speaking white tiger in colonial-era India come together in a magical story within a story. This masterfully crafted story moves seamlessly from reality to fantasy while revealing the deep power of the story.(2009 honor book)
nelson, kadir. We Are the Ship: The History of Negro League Baseball. illus. By the author Disney-Jump at the Sun, an imprint of the Disney Book Group. (9780786808328).
This fascinating and well-documented history of Negro League baseball is told in the voice of an “ordinary” narrator. Full-page dignified and riveting illustrations capture the spirit of these larger-than-life men who loved the game, despite the prejudice they faced. (2009 sibert medal book, coretta scott king author award and csk illustrator honor book)
nelson, scott reynolds with marc aronson. Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry. illus. national geographic. (9781426300004).
A historian explains how he connected bits of information acquired in a larger research project to identify the real story and the person behind John Henry’s popular song.
o’brien, tony and mike sullivan. Afghan Dreams: Young Voices from Afghanistan. tony o’brien photos bloomsbury. (9781599902876).
Young people from diverse backgrounds in Kabul share their hopes and dreams in this amazing and heartbreaking collection of full color photographic portraits.
pratchett, terry. nation. hapercollines. (9780061433016).
After a tsunami, island native Mau and shipwreck survivor Daphne build a nation that blends each other’s customs, science and faith in a multi-layered novel of survival and politics. levels. (printz honor book 2009)
reeve, philip. here lies arthur. school. (9780545093347).
reeve places arthur in the dark ages of the sixth century, where myrddin embellishes his story by creating a modern twist on this ancient tale that blends wishes, lies, and dreams into the now familiar legend.
smith, i hope anita. keeping night watch. illus. bye. Lewis. henry holt (9780805072020).
while the rest of the family celebrates the return of his father, c.j., thirteen years old. he cannot hide his pain and anger at his father’s abandonment of him. Smith’s elegant poetry delves into the emotional life of C.J. (2009 coretta scott king author honor book)
woodson, jacqueline. after tupac & d encourage. gp sons of putnam/penguin. (9780399246548) United by the music of Tupac, three girls explore the lure of freedom and build a friendship that redefines their own identities. (newbery 2009 honor book)
all ages
arnosky, jim. Wild Footprints!: A Guide to Nature’s Footprints. illus. by the author sterling. (9781402739859).
Life-size footprints depicting more than 60 North American wildlife make this an engaging field guide for young explorers
johnson, stephen t. a is for art: an abstract alphabet. illus. By the author Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman. (9780689863011).
In this incredible tour de force, Johnson creates an original abstract artwork for each letter of the alphabet. Fun touches include hidden letters, alliterative text, and details about the construction of each piece.
national alliance for literacy and children’s books. our white house: looking in, looking out. candlewick. (9780763620677).
One hundred and eight of the best children’s authors and illustrators tell the historical and human stories of a beloved national landmark.
featured children’s book committee of 2009
caroline ward, president, ferguson library, stamford, conn.betty carter, coppell, texaselise deguiseppi, county library system of pierce , tacoma, washing.eliza t. Dresang, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.Roxanne Hsu Feldman, Dalton School, New York, N.Y.Darwin L. henderson, college of education, university of cincinnati, cincinnati, ohiobarbara immroth, school of information, university of texas, austin, texaskathleen isaacs, pasadena, md.marie orlando, suffolk cooperative library system, bellport, n.y.sally anne thompson, paradise valley, ariz.martha m. walke, new england children’s literature, inc., south strafford, vt.
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