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Monday May 3rd marks the close of voting for the Children’s Choice Book Awards. Be sure to vote for your favorite book for the 3rd and 4th grade before time runs out!

The Book that Eats People
by John Perry, Illustrations by Mark Fearing

Legend has it there exists a book that eats people.
This is that book!
Many readers have been unable to escape its perilous pages.
But this isn’t that book.
Yes it is!
This is simply a story about that book.
Really. I mean, how could a book eat people?
So if you’re just dying to know the history of this literary monster, all you have to do is turn the page…
Don’t do it!

Coretta Scott
by Ntozake Shange, Illustrations by Kadir Nelson

Walking many miles to school in the dusty road, young Coretta knew, too well, the unfairness of life in the segregated south. A yearning for equality began to grow. Together with Martin Luther King, Jr., she gave birth to a vision and a journey—with dreams of freedom for all. This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

Gonzalo Grabs the Good Life
by Janice Levy, Illustrations by Bill Slavin

After Gonzalo wins the lottery, he decides it’s time to leave the farm and go out to find the good life. He tries everything, from golf to boating to solos in the church choir — but no matter where he goes or what new adventure he embarks on, Gonzalo still does not find what he’s looking for. What will make this sassy rooster happy? This rollicking story, with its bright, colorful illustrations, will remind readers that sometimes contentment is right in your own backyard.

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
by Jarret K. Krosoczka

Serving justice . . . and lunch! Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn’t dishing out the daily special? Where does she live? Does she have a lot of cats at home? Little do they know, Lunch Lady doesn’t just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for LUNCH LADY!

Oceanology
by Zoticus de Lesseps

What if a sixteen-year-old assistant traveled aboard the storied Nautilus, the narwhal-shaped submarine of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? And what if he were the sole survivor of the ill-fated voyage and went on to relay his adventures to a certain . . . Jules Verne? Find this brave young man’s own account in the lavishly illustrated Oceanology, a tale of an 1866 voyage of discovery that investigates diving bells and shipwrecks; coral reefs and ice canyons; sharks, giant octopi, and luminous sea monsters; underwater volcanoes, and even the legendary island of Atlantis.
Vote today and everyday for your favorite K-2 Children’s Choice Book Award Finalist! Don’t forget to

Don’t wait until it’s too late to vote for your favorite books in the teen category. In case you didn’t have time to read these great books or just want to see what the buzz is all about, here is some information about each finalist.

Blue Moon (The Immortals, Book 2)

By Alyson Noel

Ever is now an immortal and embracing her debut into the dark world of her love, Damen. Yet, something is seriously wrong. As Ever’s powers become stronger, Damen grows weaker. In a desperate attempt to save him she travels to Summerland, where she is forced to decide between saving her one true love or going back in time to save her family from the accident that killed them.

Credit: Macmillan, St. Martin’s Press

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, Book 4)

By Richelle Meade

In the latest installment of the Vampire Academy, Rose Hathaway, who is half human and half vampire, is put to the ultimate test: can she destroy the person she loves most? A group of evil vampires called the Strigoi attack St. Vladimir and claim Dimitri, the love of Rose’s life, as their own. She must abandon her best friend Lissa and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago.

Credit: Vampire Academy Official Website

Catching Fire

By Suzanne Collins

Katniss has won the hunger games and to everyone’s amazement, Peeta Mellark and her are still alive. Instead of feeling happy, Katniss is miserable when she returns home because everyone holds her at an icy distance. Worst of all, Katniss fuels an unrest she is afraid she cannot stop. The time comes for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour but things can go from bad to worst if they can’t prove their love for each other. This is a thriller that will surprise readers at every turn.

Credit: Scholastic

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, Book 3)

By Cassandra Clare

To save her mother’s life, Clary must risk everything and travel to the City of Glass, the home of the Shadowhunters. As Clary uncovers information about her family’s history, she finds an ally in a Shadowhunter named Sebastian. With the evil Valentine mustering his power to destroy all Shadowhunters and Downworlders, both groups must fight alongside their eternal enemies in order to protect their livelihood. Can Clary harness her newfound powers to help save Glass City-whatever the cost? This is the final installment of  bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

Credit: Simon and Schuster

Shiver

By Maggie Stiefvater

Get ready, get set, and vote for your favorite book in the kindergarten to 2^nd grade age range.  In case you don’t have time to read these fabulous books (although we highly suggest you do) here is some information about each of the K-2 Children’s Choice Book Awards Finalists!

The Birthday Pet

By Ellen Javernick, Illustrations by Kevin O’ Malley

All Danny really wants for his birthday is a turtle.  Turtles are fun to watch, quiet, don’t get fur everywhere and most importantly, don’t run away!  But Danny’s family has different ideas about what pets are best!  After a dog, a kitten, a bird and even a rat, Danny finally gets his birthday wish.  Follow Danny and his pet adventures with Kevin O’ Malley’s charming colored-penciled illustrations, and Ellen Javernick’s delightful stanzas.  A perfect story for any child who has ever had their heart set on a pet!

LuLu the Big Little Chick

By Paulette Bogan

LuLu has had enough of everyone telling her she is too small to do things!  Sure she is small, but she wants to be big, so LuLu decides to run away! On her journey to far, far away, LuLu encounters some big animals: a horse, a cow, a sheep and finally a very loud crow!  Luckily for LuLu her mom is not too far behind.  LuLu the Big Little Chick, a story of a little one’s  big determination and the power of a mother’s love, is the perfect story for any child who is ready (or not so ready) to take on the world!

Mouse was Mad

By Linda Urban, Illustrated by Henry Cole

Mouse sure is hopping mad, but he doesn’t know what to do about it!  Should he scream like Bobcat? Stomp like Bear? Or hop like Hare?  Finally Mouse learns that maybe his own way of being mad is better than anyone else’s.  Linda Urban’s story uses a charming mouse to teach kids about self-expression, and more importantly, that no one’s feelings are exactly alike. Check out a book review by our very own Erica Perl and her daughter Bougie.

The Odd Egg

By Emily Gravett

Every bird except for duck can lay an egg!  Since Duck feels left out, he finds his very own egg. Except Duck’s egg is not like anyone else’s.  While all of the other birds’ eggs start to hatch, Duck is left caring for his odd, but what he thinks is beautiful egg.  Little does Duck know he is in for quite a surprise when his egg finally hatches! With calming, clever

Voting will close for the Children’s Choice Book Awards next Monday, May 3rd, so we wanted to make sure you had all the information you need to place your votes! In this post, you will find the finalists for the Illustrator of the Year Award.

Illustrator of the Year

Peter Brown for The Curious Garden
Peter Brown wrote and illustrated The Curious Garden, a story about a boy named Liam who looks after wildflowers he finds growing in the middle of the city. Mr. Brown’s other picture books include Chowder, and Flight of the Dodo.  Visit his site www.peterbrownstudio.com to learn more about him!

Victoria Kann for Goldilicious
Victoria Kann wrote and illustrated Goldilicious, the follow-up book to her two other works, Pinkalicious and Purplicious, which she co-authored with her sister Elizabeth Kann. Goldilicious continues the story of Pinkalicious and her pet unicorn, Goldilicious. Ms. Kann teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire
Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire continues the Fancy Nancy series by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. In this installment, Fancy Nancy and her best friend Bree create an exclusive club for their studies of nature. Before she became an award-winning illustrator, Ms. Preiss Glasser was a ballet dancer. She has won an ALA Notable Book Award for You Can’t Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum with Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman.

Susan Roth for Listen to the Wind
Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea is the children’s book version of Greg Mortensen’s nonfiction work Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time. It tells the story of Mr. Mortensen’s work in Afghanistan and Pakistan, building schools for girls and Ms. Roth’s collages bring his story to life.  Visit Ms. Roth’s site to learn more about her and her work:  www.susanlroth.com.

David Soman for Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy
David Soman illustrated and co-wrote Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy with Jacky Davis. This story is about a girl named Lulu whose superhero alter-ego is Ladybug Girl. To be able to play with her friend Sam, he turns into Bumblebee Boy and together, they help those who are in trouble. Mr. Soman teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Vote today and everyday for your favorite author and illustrator to win a Children’s Choice Book Award! Don’t forget to

One week from today, voting for the Children’s Choice Book Awards will be closed. Everyday this week, we’ll be sharing some information about the finalists in every age category and we’ll be starting off with the finalists for the Author of the Year.

Author of the Year

Suzanne Collins for Catching Fire (Hunger Games, Book 2)
The Hunger Games is a trilogy of books by author and TV show writer Suzanna Collins that are based by the Greek Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Catching Fire is the second book of the trilogy and has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for more than 60 weeks.  In addition to the Hunger Games, Ms. Collins has also written The Underland Chronicles, Fire Proof: Shelby Woo #11, When Charlie McButton Lost Power, and Breaking Barriers.

Carl Hiaasen for Scat
Carl Hiaasen is an accomplished investigative journalist, and author of both adult and young adult novels. Scat is a mystery novel about a missing teacher and the two students that do everything in their power to find her. Mr. Hiaasen’s other young adult works include Hoot and Flush. Hoot won a Newberry Honor in 2003.

Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Last Straw and Dog Days
A full-time writer and online game designer, Jeff Kinney is the author of the successful series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This past March, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie was released to great fanfare. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Last Straw sees the main protagonist of the series Greg Heffley in the second half of seventh grade.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days follows The Last Straw and is about Greg’s summer between seventh and eighth grade.

Rick Riordan for The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Book 5)
The Last Olympian is the final book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. In it, demigod Percy Jackson and his friends defend Mount Olympus from the Titans. This year, the first book in the series has been made into a movie Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Mr. Riordan is an accomplished author, also writing the Tres Navarre adult mystery series, and he is currently working on a new series The Kane Chronicles which is based on Egyptian myths.

James Patterson for Max (A Maximum Ride Novel)
A popular adult fiction writer, James Patterson has also found success as a young adult author. His series Maximum Ride is about a ‘flock’ of teenagers led by Maximum Ride (“Max”) who are 98% human and 2% bird, running from the scientist who created them. Max is the fifth book in the series and finds the Flock helping the government discover why fish are dying and ships are being destroyed off the coast of Hawaii.

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