of the Center for Children's Books
2000 Blue Ribbons
In the symbolism of heraldry, azure blue signifies sincerity. Among the Druids, blue was the symbol of truth; among the medieval Christians, blue was an emblem of immortality. In the United States--at county fairs, in spelling bees, in competitive events--the blue ribbon is the coveted prize, the symbol of the first place winner, the designation of an accomplishment not contained by regular parameters. When discussing possible titles for The Bulletin Blue Ribbons list, our reviewers loyally present their favorites, while at the same time they sincerely attempt to understand one another's reservations and criticisms. We look for those titles that we believe will stand the tests of time, young readers, and changing literary fashions. The rigors of our discussions leave us tired and satisfied*, and in possession of a list of Blue Ribbon titles we are proud to present to our readers.
*If we're not satisfied, we write a Blue Ribbon Dissent for the January webpage.
Janice M. Del Negro, Editor
PICTURE BOOKS
- Casanova, Mary, ad. The Hunter: A Chinese Folktale; illus. by Ed Young. Atheneum. (November)
Casanova elegantly relates the tale of a self-sacrificing hunter, ably assisted by Young's expressive and moody art.
- Cole, Brock. Buttons; written and illus. by Brock Cole. Farrar. (March)
This droll folkloric tale employs a Regency setting to good advantage in its chronicle of three devoted daughters determined to replace their father's missing buttons.
- Emberley, Rebecca. My Colors/ Mis colores; My Shapes/ Mis formas; written and illus. by Rebecca Emberley. Little. (December)
Unforced bilingualism adds utility to these simple and effective concept books.
- Falconer, Ian. Olivia; written and illus. by Ian Falconer. Atheneum. (November)
Monochromatic illustrations invigorated with red and a spare, sly text introduce one of the most magnetic young pigs you're likely to meet.
- Florian, Douglas. A Pig Is Big; written and illus. by Douglas Florian. Greenwillow. (December)
Luminous illustrations add atmosphere to this loopy but effective look at magnitude.
- Kimmel, Eric A. Gershon's Monster: A Story for the Jewish New Year; illus. by Jon J Muth. Scholastic. (October)
Muth's fluid and imaginative illustrations bring to vivid life this story of a man's coming to terms with the price of his arrogance.
- Lester, Mike. A Is for Salad; written and illus. by Mike Lester. Putnam. (July/August)
Lester's droll textual contradictions and punchy, clued-in cartoons make this alphabet book into a sly, funny send-up and game.
- Nolen, Jerdine. Big Jabe; illus. by Kadir Nelson. Lothrop. (September)
The tall tale takes a mystical turn in this story of Jabe, protector and liberator of one plantation's slaves.
- Speed, Toby. Brave Potatoes; illus. by Barry Root. Putnam. (June)
Potatoes on a nighttime spree find themselves on the verge of becoming soup in the controlled lunacy of this vegetable adventure.
- Thayer, Ernest. Casey at the Bat; illus. by Christopher Bing. Handprint. (January 2001)
Elaborately created faux memorabilia provides a backdrop for the famous poem, giving the legendary Casey the historical due he'd have doubtless received if only he'd been real.
- Wells, Rosemary. Emily's First 100 Days of School; written and illus. by Rosemary Wells. Hyperion. (July/August)
Oversized pages offer a cornucopia of numbers, daily-life vignettes, and just plain bunny fun.
- Wattenberg, Jane, ad. Henny-Penny; ad. and illus. by Jane Wattenberg. Scholastic. (May)
Hyperactive photocollage makes this chicken's global run into cackling comedy.
EARLY READERS
- Guest, Elissa Haden. Iris and Walter; illus. by Christine Davenier. Gulliver/Harcourt. (December)
When she makes a friend in Walter, Iris discovers that moving to the country might not be so bad.
- Thomas, Shelley Moore. Good Night, Good Knight; illus. by Jennifer Plecas. Dutton. (February)
A very patient knight comes to the aid of some pajama-clad little dragons who aren't quite ready for bed.
FICTION
- Bagdasarian, Adam. Forgotten Fire. Kroupa/DK Ink. (January 2001)
In this novel based on the author's family history, a boy tells of his family's and people's tragedy in the Armenian massacre of 1915.
- Creech, Sharon. The Wanderer; illus. by David Diaz. Cotler/HarperCollins. (April)
Sophie comes to terms with new family and old sorrows on a sailboat voyage across the Atlantic.
- Deuker, Carl. Night Hoops. Houghton. (March)
Nick's ready for basketball stardom, but his progress to fame is complicated by a troubled teammate and neighbor.
- DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Candlewick. (June)
A girl missing her long-departed mother finds that a friendly dog becomes a bridge between her and some other lonely people.
- Freymann-Weyr, Garret. When I Was Older. Houghton. (July/August)
Sophie finds a new friend helps her to come to terms with the death of her brother and her loving but limited father.
- Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Loses Control. Farrar. (September)
Joey's summer with his estranged father brings painful insights as well as pleasures.
- Lynch, Chris. Gold Dust. HarperCollins. (November)
Richard puts baseball above everything, which is why he's determined to maintain his interracial friendship with another talented young ball player in the face of opposition.
- Turner, Megan Whalen. The Queen of Attolia. Greenwillow. (June)
This sequel to The Thief involves Ged, the Queen's Thief, in further political-and personal-turmoil.
- White, Ruth. Memories of Summer. Farrar. (September)
Lyric is in awe of her beautiful older sister, but soon it becomes clear that all is not well with Summer.
- Wittlinger, Ellen. What's in a Name. Simon. (February)
Ten different high-schoolers each narrate a chapter of this story about a town in self-image turmoil.
- Woodson, Jacqueline. Miracle's Boys. Putnam. (May)
A trio of brothers struggles with individual and collective demons after the death of their mother.
NONFICTION
- Adler, David A. America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle; illus. by Terry Widener. Gulliver/Harcourt. (April)
Both Adler's succinct text and Widener's concrete, blocky illustrations effectively convey the determination of the first woman to swim the English Channel.
- Aronson, Marc. Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado. Clarion. (July/August)
Aronson examines not only Ralegh's exploits but also the cultural myths they drove and were driven by in this thoughtful biography.
- Bausum, Ann. Dragon Bones and Dinosaur Eggs: A Photobiography of Explorer Roy Chapman Andrews. National Geographic. (May)
This succinct and highly visual account provides a savory introduction to the archaeologist who became the model for Indiana Jones.
- Brown, Don. Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa; written and illus. by Don Brown. Houghton. (July/August)
Brown dexterously incorporates Kingsley's own words in this evocative introduction to the iconoclastic Victorian explorer.
- Greenberg, Jan Frank O. Gehry: Outside In; by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. DK Ink. (October)
This piquant, kid-accessible treatment introduces young readers not just to the maverick architect but also to architecture itself.
- Murphy, Jim. Blizzard! Scholastic. (January 2001)
Gifted historian Murphy uses primary source materials to chill readers right along with the victims of the northeast's Blizzard of 1888.
- St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be President?; illus. by David Small. Philomel. (July/August)
Between Small's sharp-edged caricatures and St. George's chatty but penetrating overview, this is a magnificent introduction to the history of the presidency.
- Tchana, Katrin, ad. The Serpent Slayer and Other Stories of Strong Women; illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. Little. (November)
Classical design, effective illustrations, and a sparkling selection of tales make this a memorable collection.
- Winick, Judd. Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned; written and illus. by Judd Winick. Holt. (September)
Cartoonist Winick effectively uses the graphic-novel format to tell of his friend's death from AIDS.
This page was last updated on January 1, 2001.