For Kids
Books for Great Kids
Chicago Public Library recommends the following books as the very best published for kids in 2011. For suggestions of more outstanding books available at your neighborhood library, please check out previous Best of the Best lists, the Best Stories section of the KidsCat and ask your librarian. And be sure to look here for additional books to inspire healthy living and healthy reading. Best of the Best is a part of the Kraft Great Kids Initiative. Read, Learn, Discover!
Quicklinks: Picture Books | Folk and Fairy Tales and Poetry | Fiction for Younger Readers or Older Readers | Informational Books for Younger Readers or Older Readers | Healthy Living | 2012 Award Winners
Picture Books
Along a Long Road
By Frank Viva
Little, Brown (Ages 3-6)
Hop on and join this boldly illustrated bicycle ride from the seaside, around a town, to the city and back again.
Bailey
By Harry Bliss
Scholastic (Ages 4-8)
Bailey attends school in his own canine style, eating his homework, howling in chorus practice and painting with his tail.
A Ball for Daisy
By Chris Raschka
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 3-7)
This wordless story chronicles a dog’s love and loss of a favorite red toy, as well as the delightful discovery that, yes, there are more balls to be found in the world.
Blackout
By John Rocco
Hyperion (Ages 4-8)
When they lose their electricity on a hot summer night, a wired, too-busy family is still able to clearly see the joy of spending time together.
Bulldog’s Big Day
By Kate McMullan, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
Orchard (Ages 3-7)
Bulldog tries out several jobs before his friends help him discover the contribution he can make to the world with his own true—and tasty—talent.
Cat Secrets
By Jef Czekaj
Balzer & Bray (Ages 3-7)
Three felines directly challenge readers to prove their worthiness for sharing their secret book by meowing, purring and stretching, which is exhausting.
Chirchir Is Singing
By Kelly Cunnane, illustrated by Jude Daly
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 4-7)
After a series of mishaps, Chirchir finally, and happily, discovers her own special skills that she can contribute to her Kenyan village.
The Day Dirk Yeller Came to Town
By Mary Casanova, illustrated by Ard Hoyt
FSG (Ages 4-8)
When outlaw Dirk Yeller arrives in Cowtown, it’s young bibliophile Sam who knows the real solution to calm Dirk’s “itchin’ and twitchin” and his “jumpin’ and rattlin’.”
Dog in Boots
By Greg Gormley, illustrated by Roberta Angaramo
Holiday House (Ages 3-6)
After reading the story of “Puss in Boots,” Dog tries to find some splendid footwear of his own.
Five Little Monkeys Reading in Bed
By Eileen Christelow
Clarion (Ages 4-7)
Five little monkeys want to read all night long, but mother is too tired for even one more book in this new addition to a wonderful picture book series.
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School
By Laura Murray, illustrated by Mike Lowery
Putnam (Ages 5-8)
This smart, tough cookie runs through the school trying to catch up with the class that made him.
Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator!
By Mo Willems
Balzer & Bray (Ages 4-8)
Amanda and her stuffed alligator share a special friendship, until Alligator is greeted with a fresh, but not so welcome, surprise.
I Want My Hat Back
By Jon Klassen
Candlewick (Ages 5-8)
Having asked each forest creature if they’ve seen his hat, a very droll bear finally recalls where he saw it last.
King Jack and the Dragon
By Peter Bently, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Dial (Ages 3-6)
Three determined and imaginative youngsters prove their bravery by defending their castle from all kinds of beasts until at last they surrender to some very loving giants.
Little Chicken’s Big Day
By Katie & Jerry Davis
Simon & Schuster/McElderry (Ages 1-5)
While out with his mother, Little Chicken becomes distracted and soon finds himself left behind and alone until he hears a familiar clucking.
Mitchell’s License
By Hallie Durand, illustrated by Tony Fucile
Candlewick (Ages 3-7)
Using his dad as the vehicle, 3-year-old Mitchell learns to clean the windshield, beep the horn and “drive” carefully to bed.
Neville
By Norton Juster, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 4-8)
A young boy, unhappy with a new move, walks down the block, calling out “Neville,” and is soon joined by other enthusiastic kids in looking for his “best friend.”
Prudence Wants a Pet
By Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
Roaring Brook/Neal Porter (Ages 4-7)
When Prudence’s parents won’t let her have a real pet, she creates her own from a stick, a tire and a shoe.
Shout! Shout it Out!
By Denise Fleming
Henry Holt (Ages 2-6)
Kids will be proud to exuberantly participate in shouting out what they know about concepts like letters, numbers, colors and animals.
The Sniffles for Bear
By Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Candlewick (Ages 3-7)
Ever-cheerful and persistent Mouse tries music, readalouds and soup to try to make his melodramatic friend feel better.
Stars
By Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee
Beach Lane (Ages 2-6)
Not all stars appear in the night sky.
Waddles
By David McPhail
Abrams (Ages 4-8)
A very hungry raccoon passes the four seasons helping his duck friend raise her family and fills up on love.
Waiting for the Biblioburro
By Monica Brown, illustrated by John Parra
Tricycle (Ages 4-8)
This story of a young girl with only one book to read is inspired by the real-life work of traveling librarian Luis Soriano Bohórquez, who shares books with families across rural Colombia.
Where’s My T-R-U-C-K?
By Karen Beaumont, illustrated by David Catrow
Dial (Ages 4-8)
Tommy has lost his beloved red truck and no one can offer him a substitute, but there sure are some hilarious attempts.
Where’s Walrus?
By Stephen Savage
Scholastic (Ages 3-8)
When a bored walrus escapes from the zoo he blends in with his surroundings to avoid the zookeeper who is hot on his flippers.
You Will Be My Friend!
By Peter Brown
Little, Brown (Ages 4-7)
Lucy the bear’s inescapable enthusiasm is not helping her find a new friend, as sometimes something special will only appear when you stop looking for it
Folk and Fairy Tales and Poetry
Birds of a Feather
By Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jason Stemple
Wordsong (Ages 8-12)
Spirited poems in a myriad of styles accompany beautiful photographs to capture a flock of birds in all their glory.
Every Thing On It
By Shel Silverstein
HarperCollins (Ages 6 and up)
Sure to become another classic, this collection of poems and drawings has “every thing” in it…the funny, the zany and the mischievous!
A Full Moon is Rising
By Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Julia Cairns
Lee & Low (Ages 7-10)
Many worldwide customs, beliefs and celebrations inspired the poems in this collection that commemorates the awe-inspiring moon.
The Great Migration: Journey to the North
By Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Amistad (Ages 8-12)
The author’s personal story adds to the impact of these affecting poems and illustrations telling the story of the African American Great Migration.
His Shoes Were Far Too Tight
By Edward Lear, edited by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Calef Brown
Chronicle (Ages 8-12)
Masterminded by the fantastic Pinkwater, this imaginative introduction to Edward Lear’s nonsense poetry is decorated with equally nonsensical, colorful and fun illustrations.
I Am the Book
Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Yayo
Holiday House (Ages 6-9)
This famous poet has gathered a collection of whimsical words and entertaining art for a colorful celebration of reading.
Monkey: A Trickster Tale from India
By Gerald McDermott
Harcourt (Ages 4-7)
Monkey wants the delicious mangoes on the island in the middle of the river, but how will he get to them with Crocodile lying in wait?
The Neighborhood Sing-Along
By Nina Crews
Greenwillow (Ages 3-8)
Sing your way through the neighborhood with beloved songs and rhymes familiar and new.
Never Forgotten
By Patricia C. McKissack, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 9-12)
This hauntingly beautiful and lyrical tale recounts the struggle of those left behind when a young African boy is sold into slavery.
The Secret River
By Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon
Atheneum (Ages 8-12)
Mystical illustrations illuminate the enchanting story of young Calpurnia who finds a secret river just in time to change “hard times to soft times.”
Six Sheep Sip Thick Shakes: And Other Tricky Tongue Twisters
By Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Steve Mack
Millbrook (Ages 5-8)
These tricky twisters will tickle your tongue and tummy with tumultuous tittering!
Fiction for Younger Readers
8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel ÷ 1 Dog = Chaos
By Vivian Vande Velde, illustrated by Steve Björkman
Holiday House (Ages 7-10)
Chaos ensues when the schoolyard squirrel is chased inside by the principal’s dog and recruits the class pets to help him escape.
Annie and Snowball and the Book Bugs Club
By Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Suçie Stevenson
Simon Spotlight (Ages 5-7)
Annie teaches Henry how much fun reading can be, during the summer and all year long, with the help of their librarian, Mr. Malk.
Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream
By Jenny Han, illustrated by Julia Kuo
Little, Brown (Ages 7-10)
Korean American Clara Lee wants nothing more than to be Little Miss Apple Pie, but will her streak of good luck last until she gets her wish?
EllRay Jakes is a Rock Star!
By Sally Warner, illustrated by Jamie Harper
Viking (Ages 7-9)
When the other third-graders start bragging about their fathers, EllRay is desperate to find something cool about his own, but will bringing his dad’s rock collection to school leave him with a bigger problem to solve?
Fractions = Trouble!
By Claudia Mills, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
FSG (Ages 7-9)
While trying to find a really great science fair project, Wilson deals with embarrassment, a new math tutor and helping his little brother find a lost toy.
How Tía Lola Saved the Summer
By Julia Alvarez
Knopf (Ages 8-12)
Tía Lola is back and ready to make Miguel’s summer the best ever, even with an abundance of girls and an unexpected dog visiting.
Joe and Sparky, Superstars!
By Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz
Candlewick (Ages 5-8)
After seeing a talent show on TV, Joe, a giraffe, tries to figure out what his turtle friend Sparky’s special abilities could be.
Lucy on the Ball
By Ilene Cooper, illustrated by David Merrell
Random House (Ages 7-9)
With soccer practice, obedience class for Lucy and a possible family surprise on the way, Bobby has many conundrums and changes to deal with in the newest book in the Absolutely Lucy series.
Marty McGuire
By Kate Messner, illustrated by Brian Floca
Scholastic (Ages 7-10)
Tomboy Marty’s not sure what to do when she’s cast as the princess in “The Frog Prince,” especially when her best friend joins the girly group and befriends her nemesis.
A Monster is Coming!
By David L. Harrison, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm
Random House (Ages 5-7)
Mama says Baby Bug eats like a monster, but Inchworm thinks a real monster is on the way in this funny cumulative reader.
The Other Felix
By Keir Graff
Roaring Brook (Ages 9-12)
When he dreams at night in his bed in a big city high-rise, Felix comes across monsters and someone very mysterious who may be able to help with his daytime challenges at school.
Saint Louis Armstrong Beach
By Brenda Woods
Penguin/Nancy Paulsen (Ages 9-12)
When Hurricane Katrina threatens his beloved New Orleans, music-loving Saint devises a plan to save the lives of the neighborhood canine and his stubborn neighbor.
Secrets at Sea
By Richard Peck
Dial (Ages 8-11)
Join four mouse siblings as they accompany their humans on a frightening and fantastical adventure across the ocean.
Should I Share My Ice Cream?
By Mo Willems
Hyperion (Ages 3-7)
Would you share your ice cream with your best friend?
Squish: Super Amoeba
Squish: Brave New Pond
By Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Random House (Ages 7-10)
With the aid of his comic book hero, Super Amoeba, his friends, Pod and Peggy, and his dad, Squish is just about ready to face life in the big pond.
The Trouble with Chickens
By Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Balzer & Bray (Ages 7-10)
J.J. Tully has had seven years of search-and-rescue training, but no amount of canine schooling could prepare him for this mystery involving a villainous dachshund and some plucky birds.
eAudiobook | eBook
Waiting for the Magic
By Patricia MacLachlan, illustrated by Amy June Bates
Atheneum (Ages 8-11)
Finding new friends at an animal shelter helps William and Elinor through the tough times after their father leaves.
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue
By Jaqueline Jules, illustrated by Miguel Benítez
Albert Whitman (Ages 7-9)
With his superpower sneakers and new goggles, Freddie Ramos is back and ready for a new adventure in this third installment in the early chapter book series.
Fiction for Older Readers
An Accidental Adventure: We Are Not Eaten by Yaks
An Accidental Adventure: We Dine with Cannibals
By C. Alexander London
Philomel (Ages 9-12)
Eleven-year-old twins Celia and Oliver would rather watch television than travel the world, but that’s not an option when a mandatory family adventure takes them to Tibet and the Amazon with plenty of accidental, unfortunate and uproarious experiences along the way.
Akata Witch
By Nnedi Okorafor
Viking (Ages 11-12)
Twelve-year-old Sunny learns she has dormant sorcery powers that help her build friendships with other magical girls, and when they’re all called on to capture a magical serial killer, this spunky American-born heroine must learn ancient lessons from her cultural homeland in Africa.
The Apothecary
By Maile Meloy
Putnam (Ages 10-13)
Still trying to adjust to moving from L.A. to London, Janie finds herself further catapulted out of the familiar when she ends up on a quest to save a new friend’s kidnapped father and protect the world from spies set on nuclear devastation.
Bird in a Box
By Andrea Davis Pinkney
Little, Brown (Ages 9-12)
Three friends at the end of the Great Depression find they share secret dreams and a mutual love for boxer Joe Louis in this powerful story about the ties that bind us all together.
Audiobook
Bluefish
By Pat Schmatz
Candlewick (Ages 12 and up)
Travis knows how tough it can be to change schools, but with the help of Mr. McQueen, a teacher who doesn’t give up on hard-to-reach kids, and a plucky friend named Velveeta, who is also in Special Ed, Travis learns more than how to just fit in.
Breadcrumbs
By Anne Ursu
Walden Pond (Ages 11-13)
Hazel doesn’t understand why her best friend, Jack, would stop talking to her, until she learns he has followed a mysterious woman made of ice into the forest in this rich tale of magic, love and the losses encountered in growing up, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.”
Camo Girl
By Kekla Magoon
Aladdin (Ages 11-13)
Ella and Z are friends from way back, but things start to change with the arrival of the only other African American student in Ella’s class in this school story of bullying and longing to fit in.
Close to Famous
By Joan Bauer
Viking (Ages 10-13)
Foster and her mother aren’t sure what to expect after running away from Mama’s Elvis-impersonator boyfriend and settling in a new town near the state pen; what happens is a tale of acceptance, love and friendship as special as Foster’s homemade cupcakes.
Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book
By Tom Angleberger
Amulet (Ages 9-12)
During a new school year filled with suspense and suspensions, it will take good friends, hard work and Origami Yoda to make things right.
Dead End in Norvelt
By Jack Gantos
FSG (Ages 10-14)
Twelve-year-old Jack is looking forward to a summer of fun, but his mother’s plans are different as she volunteers him to help an elderly neighbor write obituaries for his small Pennsylvania town.
Audiobook
Eight Keys
By Suzanne LaFleur
Random House/Wendy Lamb (Ages 9-12)
For her 12th birthday, Elisa discovers a mysterious gift left behind by her father that will help her figure out how to grow up and survive the loss of her parents.
Audiobook
The Emerald Atlas
By John Stephens
Knopf (Ages 9-13)
After spending 10 years of their lives moving from orphanage to orphanage, siblings Kate, Michael and Emma have finally discovered their own special powers, which come in handy when they set off on a dangerous magical quest.
Audiobook | eAudiobook | eBook
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
By Catherynne Valente
Feiwel & Friends (Ages 9-12)
September is whisked away from her mundane life by a Green Wind to Fairyland where she has the adventure of a lifetime.
Inside Out & Back Again
By Thanhha Lai
Harper (Ages 9-13)
After losing her father and her home and fleeing Vietnam on the eve of the fall of Saigon, Ha and her family learn to adjust to their new life in America.
eBook
A Monster Calls
By Patrick Ness
Candlewick (Ages 11 and up)
Mysterious visits from a monster that spins tales of deceit, anger and loss help Connor to come to terms with his own feelings about his mother’s grave illness in this story based on an idea by the late author Siobhan Dowd.
No Passengers Beyond This Point
By Gennifer Choldenko
Dial (Ages 9-13)
After losing their house, India, Finn and Mouse are sent to live with an uncle in Colorado, but arrive instead in the strange town of Falling Bird where things are not what they seem.
Noah Barleywater Runs Away
By John Boyne, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Random House/David Fickling (Ages 8-12)
Noah sets out to find adventure when his life at home becomes too hard, and in the process he meets a toymaker with a special story just for him.
Okay for Now
By Gary D. Schmidt
Clarion (Ages 10-13)
With the help of an artistic librarian, a crafty English teacher and even his hoodlum brother, Doug Swietck learns the importance of art, reading and friendship after his family moves to a new town in this follow-up to The Wednesday Wars.
Audiobook | eAudiobook
Sparrow Road
By Sheila O’Connor
Putnam (Ages 10-13)
Raine spends the summer far from her Milwaukee home in an artists’ colony where she learns truths about her long-missing father and discovers the power of love to transcend and change people.
Stir It Up!
By Ramin Ganeshram
Scholastic (Ages 10-13)
Anjali loves working in the Trinidadian restaurant her family owns, but isn’t sure how supportive they are going to be as she tries to follow her dream of becoming a cooking show star.
A Tale of Two Castles
By Gail Carson Levine
HarperCollins (Ages 9-12)
Elodie leaves her family to find work in the town of Two Castles where she is quickly apprenticed to Meenore, a brilliant dragon, and together they solve mysteries and overcome mayhem in the kingdom.
eBook
True (…Sort Of)
By Katherine Hannigan
Greenwillow (Ages 9-12)
While trying to stay out of trouble at school and taking care of her little brother, Delly befriends the new kid and together the three teach each other about the power of friendship.
Wildwood
By Colin Meloy, illustrated by Carson Ellis
Balzer & Bray (Ages 9-12)
Twelve-year-old Prue must venture into the mysterious Impassable Wilderness in the middle of her town after crows carry away her baby brother, and once inside she discovers a magical warring kingdom threatening all that she knows.
Informational Books for Younger Readers
All the Water in the World
By George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson
Atheneum (Ages 3-6)
This simple, sassy and spectacular introduction to the water cycle is also a call to “keep Earth green!”
All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel
By Dan Yaccarino
Knopf (Ages 3-8)
This is a touching tale of love—and lots of food—through several generations of a hard-working immigrant family.
Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade
By Melissa Sweet
Houghton Mifflin (Ages 5-9)
Meet the genius who imagined and created the huge balloons that float through the sky each Thanksgiving Day.
Big Wig: A Little History of Hair
By Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Peter Malone
Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine (Ages 7-12)
From cave dwellers to punks, the story behind what’s on the top of your head is a very hairy one.
Bring on the Birds
By Susan Stockdale
Peachtree (Ages 3-8)
Traits, both common and unique, of many members of the bird family are brightly pictured in this rhyming, informative flight of fancy.
Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World
By Margi Preus, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
Henry Holt (Ages 7-11)
They can’t sign autographs, but these 14 trees from across history and the universe are certainly stars in their own right.
Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow?
By Susan A. Shea, illustrated by Tom Slaughter
Blue Apple (Ages 3-7)
Deceptively simple, this interactive work of graphic art introduces a key concept of natural science.
An Edible Alphabet: 26 Reasons to Love the Farm
By Carol Watterson, illustrated by Michela Sorrentino
Tricycle (Ages 3-8)
This “alfalfabet” plows through agricultural ABCs, from Asparagus to Xtra-large eggs to Zucchini.
Everything Goes on Land
By Brian Biggs
Balzer & Bray (Ages 4-8)
Fans of cars, trucks and things that move will delightedly hop on for repeated rides with this celebration of internal combustion.
Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships
By Catherine Thimmesh
Houghton Mifflin (Ages 5-9)
Some seemingly unusual pairs—such as a mouse and a frog, and a macaque and a pigeon—delightfully demonstrate the joys of togetherness.
How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?: The Story of Food
By Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti
Candlewick (Ages 4-9)
Your sandwich, vegetables, juice and dessert all had a long journey, and once you enjoy them will work hard to help you grow and stay strong.
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World
By Giles Laroche
Houghton Mifflin (Ages 5-10)
Take a tour around the world to discover many of the different types of structures that humans create to keep warm, safe and dry—and to call home.
I’m Adopted!
By Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly
Holiday House (Ages 4-9)
This joyful celebration of love is filled with beautiful photographs and inspiring supportive stories for the whole family.
Me … Jane
By Patrick McDonnell
Little, Brown (Ages 4-8)
Jane Goodall herself contributed to this picture book biography that perfectly tells of the wonder of being a kid, of scientific curiosity and of dreams coming true.
A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis
By Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Dial (Ages 8-10)
Grab a ringside seat to the pre-World War II boxing match between African American Joe Lewis and his German opponent Max Schmeling where a lot was at stake.
Rah, Rah, Radishes!: A Vegetable Chant
By April Pulley Sayre
Beach Lane (Ages 3-8)
This rollicking ode to beautiful and tasty treasures discovered at a farmer’s market will have kids calling for carrots and begging for bok choy.
Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What is Texture?
By Jane Brocket
Millbrook (Ages 3-8)
Great photographs and familiar examples brilliantly express this concept that touches each of us every day.
Star of the Sea: A Day in the Life of a Starfish
By Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Joan Paley
Henry Holt/Ottaviano (Ages 5-8)
Join a hungry ochre sea star as she searches for food, becomes a seagull’s dinner, and lives to hunt another day along the Pacific coast.
Time for a Bath
Time to Eat
Time to Sleep
By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
Houghton Mifflin (Ages 3-8)
Soft cut-paper illustrations enhance nuggets of facts about how different wild animals do the same things you do every day.
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
By Shane W. Evans
Roaring Brook (Ages 7-9)
With minimal words and dramatic illustrations this powerful portrayal represents the journeys of families and friends on the Underground Railroad.
Watch Me Grow: A Down-to-Earth Look at Growing Food in the City
By Deborah Hodge, photographs by Brian Harris
Kids Can (Ages 4-7)
Think the only food in the city is in the grocery store? Think again! With a bit of soil, water, sun and fun, this book will have your thumb and table turning green.
Who Has What?: All About Girls’ Bodies and Boys’ Bodies
By Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Candlewick (Ages 3-6)
Answers to some very important questions many young children have about biological differences are lightheartedly and appropriately depicted in illustrations of a day at the beach.
Informational Books for Older Readers
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
By Candace Fleming
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 9-13)
Interspersed with the story of her early life and career is a detailed account of the last flight, disappearance and search for the first woman pilot to attempt to circumnavigate the globe.
Black & White: The Confrontation between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene “Bull” Connor
By Larry Dane Brimner
Calkins Creek (Ages 12 and up)
This is the story of two men—one full of courage, the other of hatred—and their battle to uphold their beliefs amidst the violence of 1960s Alabama.
Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition
By Karen Blumenthal
Flash Point (Ages 12 and up)
The intention of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution may have been to create a stronger nation, but it had greater consequences than most people expected (and made Al Capone a celebrity) as this award-winning author demonstrates in a sobering and insightful way.
Bugs by the Numbers: Facts and Figures for Multiple Types of Bugbeasties
By Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss
Blue Apple (Ages 6-10)
With more facts and astounding feats than you can shake a stick at, this visual foray will carry you from one to 10 quintillion in the company of our creepy-crawly neighbors.
Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication
By Ann Downer
Twenty-First Century (Ages 9-13)
Scientists continue to be amazed by the sophisticated, rich and varied language that elephants use to communicate between each other and with humans.
Flesh & Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy
By Albert Marrin
Knopf (Ages 12 and up)
In 1911, 146 employees, mostly young immigrant women, lost their lives in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, yet their legacy has improved the lives of all American workers to this very day.
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
By Kadir Nelson
Balzer & Bray (Ages 8 and up)
Award-winning author and illustrator Nelson shares the story of African Americans from the Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to Barack Obama with moving words and stunning paintings.
How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous
By Georgia Bragg, illustrated by Kevin O’Malley
Walker (Ages 10 and up)
You’ll be fascinated, informed and sometimes disgusted by the descriptions of the last earthly moments of such notable folks as Cleopatra and Marie Curie.
How to Talk to an Autistic Kid
By Daniel Stefanski
Free Spirit (Ages 8-13)
A young man with firsthand experience has created this accessible guide to “help kids without autism feel comfortable around kids with autism.”
I.M. Pei: Architect of Time, Place and Purpose
By Jill Rubalcaba
Marshall Cavendish (Ages 12 and up)
The vision and creativity of this mold-breaking architect is stylishly presented as it follows his life and buildings from China to America and beyond.
Roots and Blues: A Celebration
By Arnold Adoff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Clarion (Ages 9-13)
Lyrical and striking, these poems and paintings present a portrait of blues music, how it began and developed, and how it inspires and endures.
Silk & Venom: Searching for a Dangerous Spider
By Kathryn Lasky, photographs by Christopher Knight
Candlewick (Ages 10-13)
Take an up-close, and completely safe, look at some amazing arachnids as an intrepid biologist shares her discoveries of the scientific secrets they weave.
Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem
By Rosalyn Schanzer
National Geographic (Ages 10 and up)
You may think you know this story, but you’ve never seen it told this way, as bold art dramatizes a frightening time of American history and hysteria.
Fit to Read: Books to Inspire Healthy Living
101 Ways to Get in Shape
By Charlotte Guillain
Raintree (Ages 10-13)
All About Good Foods We Eat series
By D.H. Dilkes
Enslow (Ages 4-6)
Food is CATegorical series
By Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Martin Goneau
Millbrook (Ages 6-9)
Healthy and Happy series
PowerKids Press (Ages 7-10)
Miss Fox’s Class Shapes Up
By Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Anne Kennedy
Albert Whitman (Ages 5-8)
Mission Nutrition series
By Kristin Petrie
Checkerboard (Ages 8-12)
Science of Nutrition series
Crabtree (Ages 10-13)
Super Simple Exercise series
By Nancy Tuminelly
ABDO (Ages 7-9)
Your Healthy Plate series
By Katie Marsico
Cherry Lake (Ages 5-7)
2012 Award Winners
Newbery Medal
Dead End in Norvelt
By Jack Gantos
FSG (Ages 10 and up)
Caldecott Medal
A Ball for Daisy
By Chris Raschka
Schwartz & Wade (Ages 3-6)
Sibert Medal
Balloons over Broadway
By Melissa Sweet
Houghton Mifflin (Ages 6-9)
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Tales for Very Picky Eaters
By Josh Schneider
Clarion (Ages 6-9)
Coretta Scott King Author Award
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans
By Kadir Nelson
Balzer & Bray (Ages 8 and up)
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
By Shane W. Evans
Roaring Brook (Ages 7-9)
Pura Belpré Author Award
Under the Mesquite
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall
Lee & Low (Ages 11 and up)
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours
By Duncan Tonatiuh
Abrams (Ages 5-8)
National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Inside Out & Back Again
By Thanhha Lai
Harper (Ages 9-13)
Great Kids Read, generously sponsored by The Kraft Foods Foundation, through the Chicago Public Library Foundation, is a collaboration created by the Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Park District to emphasize the importance of reading and family literacy at an early age.
Published in 2012.