2004 Blue Ribbons

The Blue Ribbon deliberations arrive each year like an old friend with a taste for radical new haircuts--we know her basic nature, but she looks different every time. This year fiction emphasized older works and occasioned much debate (it should be a good year for dissents, which appear on our January website), the nonfiction field narrowed somewhat after several years of abundance, and picture books were an excellent source of early readers as well. Underneath those mutable characteristics, however, is an old friend: a collection of books that moved and delighted us and that should have something to offer to every young reader.

Deborah Stevenson, Editor

Other books we enjoyed but were unable to reconcile and include in the Blue Ribbons list can be found at the Blue Ribbons Dissents page.

PICTURE BOOKS

• Feiffer, Jules. The Daddy Mountain; written and illus. by Jules Feiffer. di Capua/Hyperion. 2-4 yrs. (May)
  Our intrepid young narrator ascends the familiar but still challenging Daddy Mountain in this magnificent combination of gleeful play and physical exertion.

• Fleischman, Paul. Sidewalk Circus; illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Candlewick. 4-9 yrs. (July/August)
  Shadows and subtle details compare the artistry of circus performers with that of the people who work every day on a single city street in this nearly wordless picture book.

• Frank, John. The Toughest Cowboy, or How the Wild West Was Tamed; illus. by Zachary Pullen. Simon. Gr. 3-5 (October)
  Sly puns, slickly droll art, and broad humor invigorate this tale of some hard-bitten cowboys who fall head-over-spurs for a fluffy French poodle named Foofy.

• Harrington, Janice N. Going North; illus. by Jerome Lagarrigue. Kroupa/Farrar. 5-8 yrs (November)
  Lyrical text partners with subtle yet vibrant illustrations to relate the story of an African-American family's trip north to escape the segregation of the 1960s south.

• Henkes, Kevin. Kitten’s First Full Moon; written and illus. by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow. 2-5 yrs. (March)
  Kitten’s misadventures upon mistaking the full moon for a bowl of milk end with a gratifying bowl of real milk on the porch at home.

• Johnston, Tony. The Worm Family; illus. by Stacy Innerst. Harcourt. 4-7 yrs. (September)
  A squirmily luscious rhythmic text describes the quirky adventures of a family of worms in search of an accepting neighborhood that shares their belief that "Worm is a glorious thing."

• Kelly, John. The Mystery of Eatum Hall; written and illus. by John Kelly and Cathy Tincknell. Candlewick. 6-9 yrs. (October)
  The classic gothic setup is comically realized in this stylish romp that casts Horace and Glenda Pork-Fowler, devoted pig and goose spouses, as the would-be victim guests of Dr. A. Hunter, in reality--egad!--a wolf..

• Oller, Erika. The Cabbage Soup Solution; written and illus. by Erika Oller. Dutton. 5-8 yrs. (February)
  Hungry bunnies, virtuous cats, and a generous gardener come to a mutually beneficial agreement in this appealing picture book.

• Pinkwater, Daniel. Bad Bears in the Big City: An Irving and Muktuk Story; illus. by Jill Pinkwater. Houghton. Gr. 2-4. (March)
  Polar bears Irving and Muktuk escape from the zoo and pull off a successful larceny at the muffin factory next door in this poker-faced comedy.

• Turner, Pamela. Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog; illus. by Yan Nascimbene. Houghton. Gr. 2-4. (June)
  A legendary Japanese dog waits faithfully at a train station year after year for the return of his dead master in this watercolor-illustrated account based on real events.

• Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny; written and illus. by Mo Willems. Hyperion. 2-6 yrs. (October)
  Trixie’s meltdown after the disappearance of her favorite toy sends the family scurrying back to the laundromat in this hilarious microdrama portrayed with cartoon characters against black-and-white photographed backgrounds.

FICTION

• Almond, David. The Fire-Eaters. Delacorte. Gr. 7-12. (May)
  The author known for his mystically touched fantasies now turns to an involving anti-war story set northern England during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

• Boyce, Frank Cottrell. Millions. HarperCollins. Gr. 6-10. (July/August)
  In this suspenseful, humorous, and stunningly original story, a saint-seeing fourth grader and his opportunistic older brother are faced with spending £229,370 before the introduction of the Euro into Britain makes the money valueless.

• Finney, Patricia. I, Jack; illus. by Peter Bailey. HarperCollins. Gr. 4-7. (April)
  A dorky and lovable yellow Labrador narrates the hilarious tale of his marriage, fatherhood, and later rescue of his canine and human pack from the marauding “metal monsters” of a demolition crew.

• Jinks, Catherine. Pagan in Exile; Pagan's Crusade;Pagan’s Vows. Candlewick. Gr. 7-10 (February, November)
  This practical-minded squire describes his adventures in the Crusades, back at home with his beloved knight, and inside the walls of a monastery with sardonic humor.

• Lawrence, Iain. B for Buster. Delacorte. Gr. 6-10. (September)
  Underaged Kak joins the Canadian Air Force in World War II and finds life in a bomber crew an intense experience thick with comradeship, superstition, and danger.

• Marchetta, Melina. Saving Francesca. Knopf. Gr. 7-12 (October)
  Teenaged Francesca was yearning to gain some independence from her dynamic mother, but when that independence comes as a result of her mother's acute depression, Francesca struggles to keep her family and life together.

• McKay. Hilary. Indigo’s Star. McElderry. Gr. 5-9 (September)
  The madcap Casson family from Saffy's Angel returns in this tender yet humorous family drama focusing on brother Indigo and his relationship with his talented little sister, Rose, who hasn't yet realized that their parents' separation is permanent.

• Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn. Eos/HarperCollins. Gr. 7-12. (July/August)
  A cabin boy on a world-class luxury zeppelin teams with a strong-minded female passenger to find proof of an astounding new species.

• Reeve, Philip. Mortal Engines. Eos/HarperCollins. Gr. 7-10. (March)
  Reeve offers a heart-stopping ride through a post-apocalyptic world engaged in "Municipal Darwinism," in which larger, faster mobile cities literally gobble up smaller towns.

• Saenz, Benjamin Alire. Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood. Cinco Puntos. Gr. 9-12. (September)
  Living in a hardscrabble New Mexico neighborhood where his best friends are lost to murder, drugs, and Vietnam, Sammy Santos tries to find a better life while remaining true to his family and origins.

NONFICTION

• Brown, Don. Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein; written and illus. by Don Brown. Houghton. 5-8 yrs. (October)
  Einstein is distilled for young audiences in this accessible, tightly focused biography.

• Davies, Nicola. Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable; illus. by Neal Layton.. Candlewick. Gr. 3-5. (November)
  Davies spins her unprepossessing subject into an enlightening and attention-grabbing slice of biology.

• Freedman, Russell. The Voice that Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. Clarion. Gr. 5-8. (July/August)
  Freedman's perceptive biography offers a compelling account of Anderson's life as a musican, as a private person, and as a prominent participant in the changing picture of civil rights in America.

• Greenberg, Jan. Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop; by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Delacorte. Gr. 7-12 (December)
  Thorough primary research and a generous amount of artistic savvy distinguish this effective biography of one of the twentieth century's most famous artists

• Harris, Robie H. Sweet Jasmine, Nice Jackson; illus. by Michael Emberley. McElderry. (October)
  Harris and Emberley explain the developmental abilities and tendencies of two-year-olds by following a spirited pair of two-year-old twins.

• Hawass, Zahi. Curse of the Pharaohs: My Adventures with Mummies. National Geographic. Gr. 4-8. (July/August)
  The head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities regales middle-grade readers with dramatic anecdotes, impressive photographs, and background information on archaeology.

• Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size; written and illus. by Steve Jenkins. Houghton, 2004. Gr. 3-7. (May)
  This inventive, startling paper collage gallery allows readers to view almost twenty creatures (or as much of them will fit on the page) at actual size.

• Morrison, Toni. Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Houghton. Gr. 2-6. (July/August)
  Morrison adds a moving dimension to dramatic historical photographs with her simple captions imagining the thoughts of participants.

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