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One of the most complex and broad of all the categories, Fantasy and Science Fiction received 87 nominations. Shiela Ruth headed the busy panel that winnowed them down to five:

Ptolemy’s Gate
by Jonathan Stroud
Hyperion: Miramax
Magician John Mandrake (a.k.a. Nathaniel), rebel commoner Kitty, and wise-cracking, sarcastic djinni Bartimaeus are drawn together in spite of their differences to battle a powerful evil. The three learn more about each other and try to come to terms with their past, in this stunning series conclusion that also stands well alone.

Silver City
by Cliff McNish
Carolrhoda Books
The second in an astonishingly original trilogy, Cliff McNish's Silver City continues the story of six extraordinary and special children and how they are preparing to defend the world against an alien being, known only as the Roar, that is heading their way through space. A gripping sequel to The Silver Child, which nonetheless can be read as a stand-alone (though we recommend the entire series).

Beka Cooper: Terrier
by Tamora Pierce
Random House
Beka Cooper is one tough-but-vulnerable heroine who fights crime in a world of magic. Her passion to save the kidnapped children of the Lower Side, along with some action-packed scrapes with thieves and rogues, makes Beka Cooper a must read of 2006.

Last Dragon, The
by Silvana de Mari
Hyperion: Miramax
The Last Dragon is a clever, playful, and funny story with a lot of kid appeal. A very young elf, trying to stay alive in a world darkened by rain and oppression, finds life full of surprises as he tries to follow the destiny laid out for him in an ancient prophecy.

Although a manageable 35 titles were nominated in this category, organizers decided to split it by age group to level the playing field for books pitched to little kids. So there are 10 finalists:

Ages 12 and under

Amelia Rules, vol. 3: Superheroes
by Jimmy Gownley
Renaissance Press
This book has a great cast of characters and bright, colorful art that uses the space on each page in creative ways. The issues dealt with by the kids in this book don't shirk from the hard stuff of kids' lives: divorce, moving, bullying, and a friend dying. But these tough issues are presented in very kid-friendly ways.

Babymouse: Beach Babe
by Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm
Random House
This book is just right for this age group. Babymouse deals with typical problems of childhood. The illustrator uses of color in the art as a visual cue when Babymouse is dreaming.

The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy's Great Idea
by Ann Martin, Rina Telgemeier
GRAPHIX/Scholastic
There are a variety of personalities in the characters, and the girls work well together, showing initiative and solving problems. The art is a nice blend of American Comics and Manga styles.

Kat and Mouse
by Alex De Campi; pictures by Federica Manfredi
TokyoPop
Two "less cool girls" in a clique-filled private school use their brains to solve a mystery and win out over the evil "cool" kids. A science experiment in the back gives the reader a chance to try the science the girls used to solve the mystery. The art is a good introduction to Manga style art.

To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel
by Siena Siegel and Mark Siegl
Aladdin / Simon & Schuster
This book is a graphic memoir. The story and the art work exceptionally well together. The book has a great message for anyone who must abandon his/her first passion: you can go back to it, in some form, later in life.

Ages 13 and up

American Born Chinese
by Gene Yang
First Second
The story in this book speaks to the universal experience of any teen who has just wanted to fit in. The blend of the three story strands is masterful.

Castle Waiting
by Linda Medley
Fantagraphics
In this 450+ page fairy tale, the art is very detailed and perfectly matched to the story. The author creates a believable world with unique and believable characters, weaving together well-known fairy tale fragments and allusions in her completely original story.

Dramacon Vol. 2
by Svetlana Chmakova
Tokyo Pop
This book give the reader an insider's view of the world of comic making: what it's like to go to a Con, how a young writer or artist breaks into the industry, even the debate between pure Manga and the new artistic styles that blend Manga and American Comics.

Flight Vol. 3
by Kazu Kibuishi & others
Ballantine
This is a great collection of stories and styles -- artistic styles as well as storytelling styles. Definitely a book to read again and again.

La Perdida
by Jessica Abel
Pantheon
The search for one's identity is rarely an easy thing. The character in this book is naiive, idealistic, and in Mexico without being able to speak fluent Spanish. The story is layered with art, politics, history, culture, and language.

The Top Five, from a long list of 40:

Escape!
written by Sid Fleischman
Greenwillow

Freedom Walkers
written by Russell Freedman
Holiday House

Immersed in Verse
written by Alan Wolf
Lark Books

Isaac Newton
written by Kathleen Krull; illustrated by Boris Kulikov
Viking Juvenile

Team Moon
written by Catherine Thimmesh
Houghton Mifflin

Another popular category with 63 titles. Here's the short list, with descriptions from organizer Betsy Bird:

Drowned Maiden's Hair, A
Laura Amy Schlitz
Candlewick
This gothic page-turner features a feisty orphan, a houseful of secrets, and a villain preying on unsuspecting victims.

Framed
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Harper Collins
Take a small grey Welsh town. Add great works of art. Stir.

Heat
Mike Lupica
Philomel
A heartwarming tale of immigration, baseball and familial love. It's a reminder of what the U.S.A. and Americans can be.

Kiki Strike
Kirsten Miller
Bloomsbury
What's better than Girl Scouts, books, and an underground world under New York City? Absolutely nothing! That's why Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City one of the most entertaining books of the year.

Weedflower
Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum
WWII serves as the backdrop to this tale of internment, friendship, and growing flowers in the dry desert dust of Arizona.

Eighty nominated YA books contended for a Top 5 berth:

Book Thief, The
written by Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, A
written by Dana Reinhardt
Wendy Lamb Books

Hattie Big Sky
written by Kirby Larson
Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rules of Survival, The
written by Nancy Werlin
Dial

Nominations: 111. Finalists: 5. Phew. Many thanks to the fiction picture book panelists who winnowed the looooong list. Descriptions come from Kelly Herold, the category organizer:

Emily’s Balloon
Written and illustrated by Komako Sakai
Chronicle Books
A bittersweet glimpse into the mind of a toddler who has befriended a yellow balloon.

Learning to Fly
Written and illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser
Kane/Miller
A simple book with an important message, this is the story of a penguin who wants to fly and his friend who helps him. The humorous illustrations add to this message about dreams and friendship.

Scaredy Squirrel
Melanie Watt
Kids Can Press
An anxious squirrel, who is most comfortable staying in his familiar surroundings and sticking to his rigid daily schedule, is surprised when the unexpected occurs. The illustrations and the text features add to the humor.

Waiting for Gregory
Written by Kimberly Willis Holt; illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Henry Holt and Co.
A young girl, living in the whimsical, imaginative world that only Gabi Swiatkowska can create, anticipates with great excitement the birth of her cousin, only to grow increasingly confused by her family's peculiar responses to her questions about exactly how and when the baby will arrive.

Wolves
Written and illustrated by Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
a clever book-within-a-book that uses expressive collage and mixed media to tell the tale of a curious rabbit who finds real-life adventure in addition to the information he expects when he checks out a library book about wolves.

Out of 40 nominations in this category, here are the five finalists. Organizer Chris Barton included a short description of why the panelists selected each book:

3-D ABC: A Sculptural Alphabet
written and illustrated by Bob Raczka
Milbrook Press
This art exhibit in a book begins with "A is for Arrow" and ends with "Z is for Zigzags." In between a and z, readers are treated to a visual feast, with the different types of sculpture and the materials they use both indoors and out clearly explained.

Aliens Are Coming!: The True Account Of The 1938 War Of The Worlds Radio Broadcast
written and illustrated by Meghan McCarthy
Knopf
McCarthy's funny illustrations— of wide-eyed cartoonish people in a panic, drooling aliens on city streets, and long-legged Martian vehicles taking over the country—are among the many highlights of the book subtitled The True Account Of The 1938 War Of The Worlds Radio Broadcast.

An Egg Is Quiet
written by Dianna Aston; illustrated by Sylvia Long
Chronicle Books
This uncommonly elegant title explores eggs in their many shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and other qualities. With layered, wonder-filled text and gorgeous ink-and-watercolor art, it's earned a standing ova-tion.

An Island Grows
written by Lola M. Schaefer; illustrated by Cathie Felstead
Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins
Simple rhymed couplets and colorful collage illustrations tell of an island's formation, from the initial undersea volcanic eruption to the arrival of flora, fauna, people and culture. A graceful, engaging lesson in basic geology for young children.

Little Lost Bat
written by Sandra Markle; illustrated by Alan Marks
Charlesbridge
Markle describes the early life of the Mexican free-tailed bat. Her research is reflected in the storyline which also has an emotional tug to pull the child into the book. Marks evokes the darkness of the cave and evening sky and tenderly depicts the faces of mother and child.