2009 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award

This September, it has been my pleasure to share my excitement about this year's Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award with all of our sixth and seventh graders. Later in the year I will be doing presentations for many of our eighth graders. The Caudill Award is given each year to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades four through eight in participating Illinois schools. It is given in honor of Rebecca Caudill, an author from Appalachia who lived and wrote in Urbana, Illinois for almost 50 years.

This year's outstanding titles represent some of the best writing in children's literature. You may want to ask your child which Caudill book sounded most appealing to him or her. I would be happy to provide a list of summaries for any interested parent.

Learn more about the award at:

Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award 

Here is the list of 2009 nominees:

Alabama Moon, by Watt Key

Black Duck, by Janet Taylor Lisle

Black Storm Comin', by Diane Lee Wilson

Blood on the River: James Town 1607, by Elisa Carbone

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, by Lesley M. M. Blume

A Drowned Maiden's Hair, by Laura Amy Schlitz

Gossamer, by Lois Lowry

Green Glass Sea, by Ellen Klages

Hattie Big Sky, by Kirby Larson

Heat, by Mike Lupica

Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brina Selznick

Letters from Wolfie, by Patti Sherlock

Life as We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan

Oh, Rats!: The Story of Rats and People, by Albert Marrin

Penny from Heaven, by Jennifer L. Holm

Project Mulberry, by Linda Sue Park

Rules, by Cynthia Lord

Shug, by Jenny Han

Wolf Brother, by Michelle Paver