1. family and parenting
2. children

What Is the
Children’s Choices
Project?
E
ach year 12,500 school
children from different
regions of the United States read
newly published children’s and
young adults’ trade books and
vote for the ones they like best.
These Children’s Choices,
selected from more than 500
titles, can be counted on as
books children really enjoy
reading. This list, a project of a
joint committee supported by
IRA and The Children’s Book
Children’s
s
e
c
i
o
Ch 2
01 2
Council (CBC), is designed for
use not only by teachers,
librarians, administrators, and
booksellers but also by parents,
grandparents, caregivers, and
everyone who wishes to
encourage young people to read
for pleasure.
for the
See page 15
n’s Choices
Childre
g List
2012 Readin
bookmark!
Logo illustration © by Tomie dePaola
Photo: © 2012 Shutterstock Images LLC
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Beginning Readers (Grades K–2)
ddddd
*Bailey
Because
Harry Bliss. Scholastic.
Richard Torrey. HarperCollins.
Bliss’s expressive, cartoonish illustrations are highly
inviting to young readers as Bailey the dog heads to
school. Children enjoyed Bailey using his tail as a
paintbrush and when he really truly sunk his teeth
into math!
Why is the dog wearing a cape? “Because,” Jack
answers. Why did you cover yourself with bandaids?
“Because,” Jack answers. While his mom disagrees,
Jack thinks “because” is a good answer to her
questions. Kids chuckle at this story.
Bear’s Loose Tooth
Blue Chicken
Karma Wilson. Ill. Jane Chapman. Margaret K.
McElderry.
Deborah Freedman. Viking Juvenile.
Bear’s story continues with a loose tooth. Bear is
dismayed but pushes the tooth out. He’s chagrined
to discover another loose tooth. Some rhymes are
tired, but children losing teeth will enjoy the
outcome and what the tooth fairy brings.
. Scholasti
From Bailey by Harr y Bliss
In the midst of completing a peaceful farm scene,
one chicken’s curiosity about painting tips over the
blue paint, splashing across the page and other farm
animals. The chain reaction calamity that ensues
comes full circle in a “clean ending.”
From Blue Chicken by
c.
Debora h Fre edm an.
Viking Juvenile.
From Bear’s Loose Tooth by Karma Wilson. Ill. Jane Chapman.
Margaret K. McElderry.
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Detective Blue
Gibbus Moony Wants to Bite You!
Steve Metzger. Ill. by Tedd Arnold. Orchard.
Leslie Muir. Ill. by Jen Corace. Atheneum Books
for Young Readers.
Detective Blue, alias Little Boy Blue, leaves the old
neighborhood to start a detective agency. His days
are filled with hilarious crime solving adventures as
he encounters a multitude of characters from other
familiar nursery rhymes.
Finally Gibbus Mooney has grown-up fangs, but he’s
not certain what he should sink his teeth into! Kids
enjoyed as a humorous read.
Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet
Dinosaurs Don’t, Dinosaurs Do
Kelly DiPucchio. Ill. by Bob Shea. Dial.
Steve Björkman. Holiday House.
A great introduction to manners and behavior, kids
love learning that dinosaurs don’t take, take, take,
but they share, share, share. They don’t hit but they
talk things over.
*Dot
Patricia Intriago. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Children can easily relate to the different
relationships in this clever book about dots. Some
dots are loud; some are quiet. Some are happy; some
are sad.
Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots
Rebecca Janni. Ill. by Lynne Avril. Dutton
Juvenile.
Nellie Sue wants to two-step in her new dancing
boots but the glitter girls dance ballet. Can a cowgirl
make friends with pirouetting ballerinas? Children
will enjoy this two-stepping hoedown story of girls
twirling their way into friendship.
Children immediately identify with Gilbert the
Goldfish’s dreams to have his very own pet. Gilbert’s
expressive, bubbly eyes mirror the reader’s
excitement and disappointment on the journey to
discovering the perfect pet. The unpredictable,
satisfying ending will leave kids giggling!
Goldie and the Three Hares
Margie Palatini. Ill. by Jack E. Davis. Katherine
Tegen Books.
Chased by the three bears, Goldie falls smack dab
into the Hares’ comfy-cozy rabbit hole. Not the best
houseguest, the Hares have to find a way to get her
to leave. Kids suggest ways to get Goldie to vamoose!
Happy Birthday Hamster
Cynthia Lord. Ill. by Derek Anderson. Scholastic.
Taking place on Hamster’s birthday, this rhyming
book is a follow up to Hot Rod Hamster and just as
fun to read. Children enjoy the flow of the text and
cheerful illustrations along with a lively ending.
.
by Margie Palatini
the Three Hares
From Goldie and
Books.
en
Teg
e
rin
the
. Ka
Ill. Jack E. Davis
From Dinosaurs Don
’t, Dinosaurs Do by Ste
ve Björkm an.
Holiday House.
From Dot by Patricia Intriago. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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Laura Nu
a Dog a Donut by
From If You Give
r & Bray.
lze
Ba
.
nd
Bo
Felicia
merof f. Ill.
From Pirates of the
Sea! by Bra ndon
Dorm an. Gre enw
illow.
From Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric
Litwin. Ill. James Dean. HarperCollins.
If You Give a Dog a Donut
Pirate Boy
Laura Numeroff. Ill. by Felicia Bond. Balzer &
Bray.
Eve Bunting. Ill. by Julie Fortenberry. Holiday
House.
Cute and playful illustrations accompany this simple
yet interactive text. Students in K–3 will enjoy
predicting what the dog will do next. The dog plays
baseball, flies a kite, and pretends to be a pirate.
The Little Red Pen
Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.
Harcourt Children’s Books.
A take-off on “The Little Red Hen,” Little Red Pen
has to correct a mountain of homework. None of the
other school supplies will help her. Children suggest
ways to resolve her dilemma with the help of the pet
hamster.
Danny and his mom read a pirate book together. If
he went with the pirates would she rescue him when
he needed her? The story leaves the child with the
message that mom would make everything work out
just right.
*Pirates Don’t Take Baths
John Segal. Philomel.
The baby pig doesn’t want to take a bath. He wants
to be like a pirate or a cowboy or an astronaut or
whoever else doesn’t have to bathe. Children will
find humor in his excuses and in mother’s creative
solution.
Pirates of the Sea!
Otis and the Tornado
Brandon Dorman. Greenwillow.
Loren Long. Philomel.
A suspenseful account of a brave little tractor named
Otis who must rescue his barnyard friends and a big
scary bull when a tornado sweeps through their
farm. Full-page illustrations complement the text.
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
Aye, me ‘hearties! Battle sharks, sea monsters, and
storms with this unfortunate band of pirates on the
quest for treasure. Children love the hidden
messages and hilarious eye-popping illustrations.
This unpredictable, rhyming tale will leave readers
laughing out loud!
Eric Litwin. Ill. by James Dean. HarperCollins.
Part song, part story, Litwin’s tale follows Pete the
cat as he travels along and perpetually puts his
beautiful white shoes into one bright color after
another. A terrific book to help kindergartners and
first graders make predictions.
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From The Sleepless Little Vam
pire by Rich ard Egielski. Arth
ur A.
Levine.
by the
on the Original Story
From Rapunzel: Based
Whitm an &
ert
Alb
b.
Gib
ah
Sar
Brothers Grimm by
Company.
From RRRalph by Lois Ehlert. Beach Lane.
Press Here
RRRalph
Hervé Tullet. Chronicle.
Lois Ehlert. Beach Lane.
A stunning response to digital pages, Press Here
invites the reader to press, shake, or turn the book to
make a single dot perform magic. The dot changes
color and even multiplies!
RRRalph is about a fun, loveable talking dog. The
story is told through questions from a narrator,
whom the dog answers with words like “roof” and
“bark.” Kids love the jokes and bright illustrations.
Pumpkin Cat
Shoe-la-la!
Anne Mortimer. Katherine Tegen Books.
Karen Beaumont. Ill. by LeUyen Pham. Scholastic.
When Cat asks how pumpkins grow, Mouse takes
the two of them on a gardening journey through the
seasons. The illustrations are beautiful and
informative, supporting young readers’
understanding of how plants grow.
Fresh rhymes tell the story of four little girls’ need
for party shoes. They spend the day at a store trying
on, and rejecting, dozens of pairs. Ultimately the
girls decide to custom decorate shoes they already
own.
Purple Little Bird
Silverlicious
Greg Foley. Balzer & Bray.
Victoria Kann. HarperCollins.
Foley gives us a delightful story of a Purple Little
Bird working very hard to keep everything perfect in
his purple house. Children will enjoy learning about
color and the new friends Purple Little Bird makes
during his travels.
Rapunzel: Based on the Original Story
by the Brothers Grimm
Sarah Gibb. Albert Whitman & Company.
The classic Brothers Grimm story of the beautiful
Rapunzel is picturesquely retold. Children will
delight in the classic line of “Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
let down your golden hair,” and be drawn into the
adventures of the enchanted forest.
Children will enjoy this new Pinkalicious story.
Pinkalicious steals a chocolate cookie from her
brother but when she takes a bite, her sweet tooth
falls out! Children will laugh at the creative notes
between Pinkalicious and her tooth fairy,
Tootheetina.
The Sleepless Little Vampire
Richard Egielski. Arthur A. Levine.
The little vampire cannot sleep and listens to the
night noises. Creatures of the night are booing and
clacking. Spiders are spitting, and bats are flitting.
The whimsical, rhythmic alliteration gives young
readers’ ticklish delight and a surprise ending.
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Splish, Splash, Splat!
Ten Little Caterpillars
Rob Scotton. HarperCollins.
Bill Martin, Jr. Ill. by Lois Ehlert. Beach Lane.
“Water is horrible,” grumbles Splat. Together Splat
and Spike face the scary pool and find a friend in
each other. Children will have fun reading how two
cats overcome their fear of water and become
friends.
Ten different kinds of caterpillars crawl and climb
and swim in this colorful rhyming book. The large
print and page-filling illustrations make this suitable
for read alouds. An illustrated appendix details each
caterpillar.
Squish Rabbit
*Three Hens and a Peacock
Katherine Battersby. Viking Juvenile.
Lester L. Laminack. Ill. by Henry Cole. Peachtree.
No one notices, listens to, or pays any attention to
Squish Rabbit. Out of frustration he throws a
tantrum and unbeknownst to him someone does
notice. The friendship that follows between squirrel
and rabbit is a perfect match.
A peacock shows up at the farm and lures visitors to
the farm stand. The hens get jealous so hound dog
suggests they swap duties. The peacock and the
hens find the tasks more difficult than they thought.
*Zombie in Love
Suryia and Roscoe: The True Story
of an Unlikely Friendship
Kelly DiPucchio. Ill. by Scott Campbell. Atheneum
Books for Young Readers.
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle with Thea Feldman. Ill.
with photographs by Barry Bland. Henry Holt.
An information book told in story narrative about
the relationship between an orangutan (Suryia) and
a dog (Roscoe). Suryia and Roscoe form a close
friendship full of play and care. Photographs such as
Suryia riding atop an elephant capture young
readers’ attention immediately.
Mortimer is lonely and searching for a date to
Cupid’s Ball. Just when he is ready to give up, his
match arrives. Expressive illustrations that could
independently tell the story provide rich context for
the essential prose.
From Suryia and
Roscoe: The True
Story of an Unlike
Bh agavan “Doc”
ly Friendship by
Antle wit h Th ea
Feldm an. Ill. Barry
Holt.
Bla nd. Henry
From Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack.
Ill. Henry Cole. Peachtree.
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Ill.
by Kelly DiP ucchio.
From Zombie in Love
ng
ene um Books for You
Ath
ll.
pbe
Cam
tt
Sco
Reader s.
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Young Readers (Grades 3–4)
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Army: Civilian to Soldier
*Bad Kitty Meets the Baby
Meish Goldish. Bearport.
Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook.
Kids enjoy learning about training to become a
soldier and the equipment soldiers have to use. The
color photos share details of today’s modern army.
Babymouse #14: Mad Scientist
Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. Random
House for Young Readers.
BabyMouse dreams of discovering something
important or going to the moon. Instead, she learns
how to grow mold on bread. BabyMouse meets
Squish, her new amoeba friend. This is another
great BabyMouse book with an interesting science
twist.
From Army: Civilian
Goldish. Bearpo
to Soldier by Meish
Bad Kitty is back and not pleased with the new
addition to the household. Children enjoy the fastpaced, graphic novel feel of this series along with
the humorous situations Bad Kitty finds herself in.
Includes tips for pet cats.
Bake Sale
Sara Varon. First Second.
In this graphic novel, middle-grade readers are
introduced and enticed into a world of edible
characters. Cupcake (a living cupcake) is on the
hunt for new recipes. The adventure includes recipes
along the way that may prompt readers to try a little
baking.
From Bake Sale by Sara Varo
rt.
n. First Second.
From Bad Kitty Meets the Baby by Nick Bruel. Roaring
Brook.
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From Bun Bun Bu
tton by Pa tricia Po
lac co. Pu tna m
Juvenile.
From Color-Changing Animals by Valerie Yaw. Bearport.
From Desk Stories by Kevin
Company.
Bun Bun Button
Desk Stories
Patricia Polacco. Putnam Juvenile.
Kevin O’Malley. Albert Whitman & Company.
Paige Darling loves the stuffed rabbit her
grandmother made for her, but when Paige ties a
helium-filled balloon to the toy it gets loose and
floats away on an adventure. Only luck and love will
bring Bun Bun home.
Disgusting Food Invaders
Duncan Searl. Bearport.
Ruth Owen. Bearport.
Microscopic images of creatures found on food
provide strong evidence for washing our vegetables
and carefully looking over fruits, cheeses, and
cereals prior to eating. Convincing rationale for
washing hands with soap before and after handling
food is shared too.
Color-Changing Animals
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints
Valerie Yaw. Bearport.
Michael Sandler. Bearport.
Part of the Animals With Super Powers series, this
informational book highlights unique animals, from
gray tree frogs to goldenrod crab spiders, that
transform colors. The realistic and colorful
photographs are sure to capture readers’ attentions
from the very beginning.
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&
Students are sure to laugh while reading six short
stories that document the unusual and entertaining
adventures of students and their desks. The comic
format changes with each story to keep students
engaged.
Cairn Terrier: Hero of Oz
Animal-loving children will enjoy reading about
Terry, a Cairn terrier, who earned a place in movie
history by playing Dorothy’s faithful companion in
The Wizard of Oz. This engaging book explains the
Cairn terrier’s history, temperament, and physical
appearance.
8
O’M alley. Albert Whit man
Michael Sandler gives a heart-warming rendition of
Drew Brees’s Super Bowl XLIV battle against Colts
quarterback Peyton Manning. Stories about Drew
Brees give a personal touch to the competitive Super
Bowl showdown giving New Orleans its first Super
Bowl win.
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From A Funeral in the Bath
room: And Other School
Bathroom Poems by Kalli Dako
s. Ill. Mark Beech.
Albert Whit man & Company
.
From LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World. DK
Publishing.
*A Funeral in the Bathroom: And Other
School Bathroom Poems
Kalli Dakos. Ill. by Mark Beech. Albert Whitman
& Company.
Forty-one poems about real and imagined
encounters in the elementary school bathroom.
Children are exposed to a variety of poetic forms
and can find humor in comical illustrations that
accentuate the text.
Glow-in-the-Dark Animals
Natalie Lunis. Bearport.
The fascination for fireflies has captured people
across the globe. How this luminous wonder occurs
is shared along with seven other peculiar animals:
jellyfish, anglerfish, fireworms, dinoflagellates,
cucujo, railroad worms, and New Zealand
glowworms.
The Great Race
Kevin O’Malley. Walker Childrens.
A new take on the race between the tortoise and the
hare. The hare’s over-the-top self-confidence and
diva antics lead to his demise and remind readers to
stay grounded.
The Hole in the Middle
Paul Budnitz. Ill. by Aya Kakeda.
Disney-Hyperion.
. Ill.
of Monsters by Libby Hamilton
From The Monstrous Book
lewick.
Cand
plar/
Tem
off.
Bitsk
sei
Jonny Duddle and Alek
could not cure his empty feeling. When Yumi gets
sick and Morgan focuses on how he can cheer her
up, the hole disappears.
LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical
World
DK Publishing.
LEGOs are extremely popular with third and fourth
graders. No wonder the kids loved this book based
on the Harry Potter version of LEGOs, complete with
Hogwarts.
LEGO Ideas Book
DK Publishing.
Six stunning chapters give detailed directions and
illustrations for building creative projects. Children
will enjoy finding out how to build hot air balloons,
golf carts, castles, rockets, spaceships, and other
activities. This book successfully brings math,
reading, and imagination together.
*The Monstrous Book of Monsters
Libby Hamilton. Ill. by Jonny Duddle and Aleksei
Bitskoff. Templar/Candlewick.
A lift-the-flap pop-up book that is full of the gross
and bizarre traits of monsters. Fashioned as a
playful information book, there are some images
that may frighten younger children. Info-kids will
spend hours with it.
Morgan was born with a hole in his middle. This
caused constant anxiety. Even his best friend Yumi
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National Geographic Kids Ultimate Weird
but True
National Geographic Children’s Books.
All ages will enjoy reading about real and zany facts
and unusual animals such as a blobfish. There is
also weird trivia information about weather and
Earth’s greatest unsolved mysteries to explore in this
ultimate weird and true book.
Play Ball, Jackie!
Stephen Krensky. Ill. by Joe Morse. Millbrook.
In 1947, young Matty and his father see Jackie
Robinson’s first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Through their conversations, the game action, fan
behaviors, and illustrations, the author depicts a
country on the verge of including African
Americans.
Razzle-Dazzle Ruby
Painter and Ugly
Masha D’yans. Scholastic.
Robert J. Blake. Philomel.
The day Painter and Ugly first met they became
inseparable. They did everything together, including
earning lead dog positions. Eventually they were
sold to different owners, but their longing for each
other never changed in this exciting Junior Iditarod
Race.
A Pet for Miss Wright
Judy Young. Ill. by Andrea Wesson. Sleeping Bear.
Miss Wright is a writer, so her office is quiet and
lonely. She decides she needs a pet, but finding the
perfect pet is not easy. Miss Wright does find the
perfect pet and a perfect helpmate to her work.
Ruby turns a snowy winter’s day into a magical one
when she transforms herself into a Snow Queen. Of
course, snow queens ice skate, make snowballs, and
angels in the snow—all of which kids loved to
imitate!
Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets
a Second Chance
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Ill. with photographs by
William Muñoz. Walker Childrens.
When Michael Vick’s dog-fighting ring was broken
up, Audie, a pit bull puppy, was rescued and
rehabilitated to live a normal dog’s life. His story
tugs at children’s heartstrings.
From Play Ball, Jac
kie! by Ste ph en
Krensk y. Ill. Joe
Millbrook.
Morse
.
Kids Ultimate Weird but True
From National Geographic
ren’s Book s.
National Geographic Child
10
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.
From A Pet for Miss Wright by Judy Young. Ill. Andrea
Wesson. Sleeping Bear.
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Shelia Says We’re Weird
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Ruth Ann Smalley. Ill. by Jennifer Emery. Tilbury
House.
Jack Norworth. Ill. by Amiko Hirao. Performed by
Carly Simon. Imagine/Charlesbridge.
Sheila constantly comments on her neighbors’
energy-saving habits, like using a clothesline to dry
their clothes instead of a dryer and using a push
mower instead of a gas mower, but she likes their
homegrown vegetables.
*Sidekicks
Vincent van Gogh and the Colors
of the Wind
Dan Santat. Arthur A. Levine.
In this graphic novel, Captain Amazing is in search
of a sidekick to help him in his twilight years as a
superhero. He turns to his pets for a possible
answer. A dog, a hamster, and a chameleon all vie
for the position. A fun, relaxed read.
*Squish #1: Super Amoeba
Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. Random
House for Young Readers.
From the makers of Babymouse comes a likeable
new character, Squish! This comic-book format story
follows Squish, a young amoeba, who is navigating
the world of elementary school complete with bullies
and friendships.
Sm alle
re Weird by Rut h Ann
From Sheila Says We’
se.
Hou
ury
Tilb
Jennifer Em ery.
This book gives a new and fun spin to the classic
rendition of rooting for the home team. Children will
want to break out the cracker jacks reading this
book and listening to the song performed by Carly
Simon.
y. Ill.
Chiara Lossani. Ill. by Octavia Monaco. Eerdmans
Books for Young Readers.
This is a creative, semibiographical story of the life
of van Gogh. The images integrate some of van
Gogh’s work while the story relies on original letters
sent between the artist and his brother. The
narrative is lyrical, and a mystical wind plies the
artist with questions and a quest to find his passion.
Weird but True 3
National Geographic Children’s Books.
This book is filled with outrageous facts. Did you
know that an eagle’s nest can stretch wider than
your sofa, or that some people can hear their
eyeballs moving? “Apples float but pears sink,” is
another interesting fact.
From Sidekicks by Dan Santat. Arthur A. Levine.
From Squish #1: Sup
er Ameoba by Jennife
r L. Holm and
Ma tthe w Holm. Ran
dom House for Young
Reader s.
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Advanced Readers (Grades 5–6)
ddddd
*Bad Island
Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading
Doug TenNapel. Graphix.
Tommy Greenwald. Ill. by J.P. Coovert. Roaring
Brook.
In this adventurous graphic novel, Reese unwillingly
goes on a family vacation. When the family is
shipwrecked on an island, they must survive an
alien creature stalking them. Young readers will be
spellbound with the graphics and storyline.
BONE: Quest for the Spark
Tom Sniegoski. Ill. by Jeff Smith. Graphix.
A new adventure for Percival Bone and his nephew
and niece. A new hero, Tom Elm, must battle the
insidious evil and save the world in this fast-paced
graphic novel.
Charlie Joe Jackson hates reading. Charlie Joe might
have met his match with a book he might like. The
humorous rules and woes of Charlie make reading
this novel fun. The theme resonates with many
recalcitrant male readers.
Cursed Grounds
Steven L. Stern. Bearport.
Discover what makes some places scary and doomed
like the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field, a haunted
highway in Utah, or the Potomac River in
Washington, DC. These cursed places have been
causing injury, disaster, and even death.
From BONE: Quest for the Spark by Tom Sniegoski. Ill.
Jeff Smith. Graphix.
From Bad Island by Doug TenN
12
apel. Graphix.
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From Charlie Joe Jac
kson’s Guide to Not
Reading
by Tommy Gre enw ald.
Ill. J.P. Coover t. Roa
ring
Brook.
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Dork Diaries 3: Tales From a Not-SoTalented Pop Star
Rachel Renée Russell. Aladdin.
Young girls will gravitate to Nikki Maxwell’s
dilemmas of environmental lip gloss and major
crush-itis. The graphic novel brings to life all the girl
drama and secrets along with typical school-girl
misunderstandings and mishaps that can occur in
school.
Shaun Tan. Arthur A. Levine.
Advanced readers have an immediate interest in this
book because of the pictures that help to teach
mature lessons about life. The students easily make
connections to characters in this book based on
their similar experiences.
*Okay for Now
Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion.
Ghostly Alcatraz Island
Stephen Person. Bearport.
Interesting facts about Alcatraz Island mixed with
chilling stories about ghosts and tales about famous
inmates like the BirdMan will keep students
wanting to read more. Learn what prison life was
like at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.
Children connect to the main character in this book
because of his far-from-perfect life. The realistic
situations of this character become an instant hit
with readers.
Prince of Dorkness: More Notes From
a Totally Lame Vampire
Tim Collins. Ill. by Andrew Pinder. Aladdin.
*How to Survive Anything
Rachel Buchholz. Ill. by Chris Philpot. National
Geographic Children’s Books.
This unique, colorful, easy-to-read format offers tips
on how to survive everything from braces to
volcanic eruptions. The edgy, young voice speaks
directly to the reader and clearly relates to the “what
if” questions lingering in young minds.
From Dork Diaries 3:
Tales From a Not-So
-Talented
Pop Star by Rachel Ren
ée Rus sell. Aladdin.
*Lost & Found
The totally lame vampire’s diary recounts his daily
adventures with family, high school, girls, and
werewolves. His everyday struggles and sarcastic
wit will resonate with many children.
Quarterback Season
Fred Bowen. Peachtree.
A clever boy-focused story about middle-grade Matt
playing for a football team. The story is clever
because it integrates the trials of playing a sport
through a boy’s journal and e-mail messages.
Football is the hook, and the journal provides
authenticity.
From Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion.
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ChildrensChoices2012.indd 13
From Quarterback
Pe ach tre e.
Season by Fre d
Bowen.
C h i l d re n’s C h o i c e s • 2 0 1 2
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*Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog
Stir It Up: A Novel
Garth Stein. HarperCollins.
Ramin Ganeshram. Scholastic.
The family struggles of a race car driver are
described by his caring dog, Enzo. An insightful
story that touches on separation, love, hope, death,
and rebirth.
Saving Zasha
Randi Barrow. Scholastic.
A family works together in post WWII Russia to hide
a rescued German shepherd from soldiers and
thieves intent on killing or catching her. A story
filled with suspense, danger, courage, and
ultimately joy attracts the reader.
Sound Bender
Lin Oliver and Theo Baker. Scholastic.
Leo discovers he can hear the stories of long ago
when he puts his ear to any antique object. He
uncovers a mystery in a box his father sent him for
his 13th birthday.
Stickman Odyssey
Christopher Ford. Philomel.
This comical graphic novel interlaces Greek
mythology with a wild imagination from the main
character, Zozimos. Personal ego and literally taken
advice gets him into deeper trouble bumbling one
escape after another with the aid of unexpected
characters.
From Racing in the Rai
n: My Life as a Dog by
Gar th Stein. Har per Col
lins.
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Anjali wants to win the Super Chef Kid’s contest, but
her audition is at the same time as her high school
entrance exam. The story recounts her success,
dishonesty, and disappointment while highlighting
her family’s passion for Caribbean cooking and their
eventual recognition of her true gift.
Storm Runners
Roland Smith. Scholastic.
Three friends survive a category 5 hurricane only to
find themselves taking shelter in the same place as a
circus. Some of the animals have escaped their
cages, putting the kids in extreme danger. This
adventure keeps readers on the edge of their seats
and is informative as well.
Ten
Lauren Myracle. Dutton Juvenile.
This story is a prequel to the Winnie Perry series
and follows month through month of Winnie’s last
year in elementary school. The narrative is playful
and witty and will draw all Winnie Perry fans.
Titanic #1: Unsinkable
Gordon Korman. Scholastic.
This page-turning first book in the trilogy involves
an unlikely circle of friends: a stowaway, an
underage employee, a suffragette’s daughter, and a
royal heiress. Their bond involves a murderer out to
kill one or all of them.
From Stir It Up: A Novel by Ramin Ganeshram.
Scholastic.
From Ten by Lauren
My racle. Dut ton Juv
enile.
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
The Unwanteds
Lisa McMann. Aladdin.
Twins Alex and Aaron live in the fantasy world of Quill where
children are divided into the wanted, who go to college, and
unwanteds, who are artistic. Aaron is declared a wanted while
Alex suffers the fate of being an unwanted.
Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick. Scholastic.
Once again Selznick has provided a visually stunning and
layered narrative. Ben has lost his mother and wonders what
happened to his father. Rose’s story is told in pictures and 50
years separated from Ben’s. Readers will be caught up in their
desperate journeys and their ultimate connectivity.
Worst-Case Scenario: Survive-o-Pedia Junior Edition
David Borgenicht. Ill. by Chuck Gonzales. Chronicle.
More than 60 hair-raising scenarios are presented in this book.
Each scenario provides no-nonsense factual characteristics of the
scenario along with useful how to steps to survive, avoid, or find
help when faced with a potential crisis.
Zita the Spacegirl
Ben Hatke. First Second.
As Zita and her friend, Joseph, are exploring a Meteroroid crater,
a portal opens up and abducts Joseph. Zita leaps to the rescue
and finds herself involved in a fast-paced adventure to save her
friend.
*Books that received the highest Children’s Choices team votes.
Logo design © Tomie dePaola
Children’s Choices
2012 Reading List
Beginning Readers (Grades K–2)
*Bailey. Harry Bliss. Scholastic.
Bear’s Loose Tooth. Karma Wilson. Ill. by Jane Chapman.
Margaret K. McElderry.
Because. Richard Torrey. HarperCollins.
Blue Chicken. Deborah Freedman. Viking Juvenile.
Detective Blue. Steve Metzger. Ill. by Tedd Arnold. Orchard.
Dinosaurs Don’t, Dinosaurs Do. Steve Björkman. Holiday House.
*Dot. Patricia Intriago. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots. Rebecca Janni. Ill. by
Lynne Avril. Dutton Juvenile.
Gibbus Moony Wants to Bite You! Leslie Muir. Ill. by Jen
Corace. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet. Kelly DiPucchio. Ill. by Bob Shea.
Dial.
Goldie and the Three Hares. Margie Palatini. Ill. by Jack E.
Davis. Katherine Tegen Books.
Happy Birthday Hamster. Cynthia Lord. Ill. by Derek Anderson.
Scholastic.
If You Give a Dog a Donut. Laura Numeroff. Ill. by Felicia Bond.
Balzer & Bray.
The Little Red Pen. Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel.
Harcourt Children’s Books.
Otis and the Tornado. Loren Long. Philomel.
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes. Eric Litwin. Ill. by
James Dean. HarperCollins.
Pirate Boy. Eve Bunting. Ill. by Julie Fortenberry. Holiday House.
*Pirates Don’t Take Baths. John Segal. Philomel.
Pirates of the Sea! Brandon Dorman. Greenwillow.
Press Here. Hervé Tullet. Chronicle.
Pumpkin Cat. Anne Mortimer. Katherine Tegen Books.
Purple Little Bird. Greg Foley. Balzer & Bray.
Rapunzel: Based on the Original Story by the Brothers
Grimm. Sarah Gibb. Albert Whitman & Company.
RRRalph. Lois Ehlert. Beach Lane.
Shoe-la-la! Karen Beaumont. Ill. by LeUyen Pham. Scholastic.
Silverlicious. Victoria Kann. HarperCollins.
The Sleepless Little Vampire. Richard Egielski. Arthur A. Levine.
Splish, Splash, Splat! Rob Scotton. HarperCollins.
Squish Rabbit. Katherine Battersby. Viking Juvenile.
Suryia and Roscoe: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship.
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle with Thea Feldman. Ill. with
photographs by Barry Bland. Henry Holt.
Ten Little Caterpillars. Bill Martin, Jr. Ill. by Lois Ehlert. Beach
Lane.
*Three Hens and a Peacock. Lester L. Laminack. Ill. by Henry
Cole. Peachtree.
*Zombie in Love. Kelly DiPucchio. Ill. by Scott Campbell.
Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Young Readers (Grades 3–4)
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
From The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann. Aladdin.
Survive-o-Pedia
From Worst-Case Scenario:
enicht. Ill. Chu ck
Junior Edition by David Borg
.
nicle
Chro
.
Gon zales
Army: Civilian to Soldier. Meish Goldish. Bearport.
Babymouse #14: Mad Scientist. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew
Holm. Random House for Young Readers.
*Bad Kitty Meets the Baby. Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook.
Bake Sale. Sara Varon. First Second.
Bun Bun Button. Patricia Polacco. Putnam Juvenile.
Cairn Terrier: Hero of Oz. Duncan Searl. Bearport.
Color-Changing Animals. Valerie Yaw. Bearport.
Desk Stories. Kevin O’Malley. Albert Whitman & Company.
Disgusting Food Invaders. Ruth Owen. Bearport.
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints Michael Sandler.
Bearport.
C h i l d re n’s C h o i c e s • 2 0 1 2
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Advanced Readers (Grades 5–6)
*Bad Island. Doug TenNapel. Graphix.
BONE: Quest for the Spark. Tom Sniegoski. Ill. by Jeff Smith.
Graphix.
Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading. Tommy
Greenwald. Ill. by J.P. Coovert. Roaring Brook.
Cursed Grounds. Steven L. Stern. Bearport.
Dork Diaries 3: Tales From a Not-So-Talented Pop Star.
Rachel Renée Russell. Aladdin.
Ghostly Alcatraz Island. Stephen Person. Bearport.
*How to Survive Anything. Rachel Buchholz. Ill. by Chris
Philpot. National Geographic Children’s Books.
*Lost & Found. Shaun Tan. Arthur A. Levine.
*Okay for Now. Gary D. Schmidt. Clarion.
Prince of Dorkness: More Notes From a Totally Lame
Vampire. Tim Collins. Ill. by Andrew Pinder. Aladdin.
Quarterback Season. Fred Bowen. Peachtree.
*Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog. Garth Stein.
HarperCollins.
Saving Zasha. Randi Barrow. Scholastic.
Sound Bender. Lin Oliver and Theo Baker. Scholastic.
Stickman Odyssey. Christopher Ford. Philomel.
Stir It Up: A Novel. Ramin Ganeshram. Scholastic.
Storm Runners. Roland Smith. Scholastic.
Ten. Lauren Myracle. Dutton Juvenile.
Titanic #1: Unsinkable. Gordon Korman. Scholastic.
The Unwanteds. Lisa McMann. Aladdin.
Wonderstruck. Brian Selznick. Scholastic.
Worst-Case Scenario: Survive-o-Pedia Junior Edition. David
Borgenicht. Ill. by Chuck Gonzales. Chronicle.
Zita the Spacegirl. Ben Hatke. First Second.

*A Funeral in the Bathroom: And Other School Bathroom
Poems. Kalli Dakos. Ill. by Mark Beech. Albert Whitman &
Company.
Glow-in-the-Dark Animals. Natalie Lunis. Bearport.
The Great Race. Kevin O’Malley. Walker Childrens.
The Hole in the Middle. Paul Budnitz. Ill. by Aya Kakeda.
Disney-Hyperion.
LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World. DK
Publishing.
LEGO Ideas Book. DK Publishing.
*The Monstrous Book of Monsters. Libby Hamilton. Ill. by
Jonny Duddle and Aleksei Bitskoff. Templar/Candlewick.
National Geographic Kids Ultimate Weird but True. National
Geographic Children’s Books.
Painter and Ugly. Robert J. Blake. Philomel.
A Pet for Miss Wright. Judy Young. Ill. by Andrea Wesson.
Sleeping Bear.
Play Ball, Jackie! Stephen Krensky. Ill. by Joe Morse. Millbrook.
Razzle-Dazzle Ruby. Masha D’yans. Scholastic.
Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance.
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. Ill. with photographs by William
Muñoz. Walker Childrens.
Shelia Says We’re Weird. Ruth Ann Smalley. Ill. by Jennifer
Emery. Tilbury House.
*Sidekicks. Dan Santat. Arthur A. Levine.
*Squish #1: Super Amoeba. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew
Holm. Random House Books for Young Readers.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Jack Norworth. Ill. by Amiko
Hirao. Performed by Carly Simon. Imagine/Charlesbridge.
Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind. Chiara Lossani.
Ill. by Octavia Monaco. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Weird but True 3. National Geographic Children’s Books.
Choices
More About Children’st Com
mittee and
-CBC Join
Tha nk you to the 2011–2012 IRA
bers were Stan F. Steiner
mem
tee
mit
com
The
review teams.
hair), Pamela Far ris,
(cochair), Sherily n J. Ben nett (coc
and Dav id Wa rd.
Michele Svihovec, Philip Tucker,
Dav id Wa rd, Oregon—A rea 1
Area 2
■ Phi lip Tucker, Pen nsylvan ia—
as—Area 3
■ Sherily n J. Ben nett, Ark ans
ota—Area 4
■ Michele Svihovec, Nor th Dak
■
Pamela Far ris, Illinois—Area 5
and IRA, or on how to
For more information on the CBC
Children’s Choices
become involved in the IRA/CBC
adinglists.php?page
g/re
s.or
project, visit ww w.cbcbook
g.org/resou rces/
=ch ildrenschoices or ww w.readin
px.
booklists/child renschoices.as
■
*Books that received the highest Children’s Choices team votes.
For over 50 years, the International Reading
Association has been the trusted provider of
ongoing professional development for teachers.
IRA is committed to advancing worldwide
literacy by improving reading instruction,
disseminating research and information about
reading, and encouraging the lifetime reading
habit. Additional information about IRA can be
found at www.reading.org.
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