Award Winning Picture Books

Did you know that Missouri has two readers' choice awards for picture books?  
The Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award (sponsored by the Missouri Library Association) is voted on annually by children ages 0-5 years.
The Show Me Readers Book Award (sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Librarians) is voted on annually by students in grades K-3rd.
Check out one of these past Building Block Award or Show Me Award winning books.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry

A monster searches everywhere to find the things he loves: bunnies!!!

Magnus at the Fire by Jennifer Armstrong

When the Broadway Fire House acquires a motorized fire engine, Magnus the fire horse is not ready to retire.

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Using no special effects other than the reader's imagination, a series of dots multiplies, grows, or changes color by pressing, tilting, or blowing on the previous page.

Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson

Tells the true story of Bobbie the dog and Bob Cat, two pets who bonded together and were able to survive the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

More Award Winning Books --

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal 

Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Dandy by Ame Dyckman

Epossumondas by Coleen Salley

Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates by Cheryl B. Klein

Hero Cat by Eileen Spinelli

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

I'm Terrified of Bath Time by Simon Rich

Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

The Magic Word by Mac Barnett

Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

Naked! by Michael Ian Black

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

Pug Meets Pig by Sue Gallion

Snack Attack! by Terry Border

Some Dog! by Mary Casanova

Strongheart! The World's First Movie Star Dog by Emily Arnold McCully

Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? by Bonnie Lass

Wolfboy by Andy Harkness

Award Winning Picture Books

Check out these award-winning picture books.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

Where Is the Dragon? by Leo Timmers

The king can't sleep until the dragon is found. Luckily, the three knights know everything about dragons and are armed to the teeth! Now they just have to find him. They set out into the night with a candle in hand. Soon they find something that looks very much like a dragon . . .

Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph

It's lonely being the odd dog out, when all she wants to do is find her place in the world. She's willing to go to the other side of the world to look for it. However, it might take a different kind of journey for her to discover that maybe where she's meant to be is right back where she started . . . 

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian

When assorted intruders invade his personal space and bowl, Goldfish is put out, to say the least. He wants none of it, preferring his former peace and quiet and solitude. But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life. And discover what he's been missing.

Moo! by David LaRochelle

When Cow gets her hooves on the farmer’s car, she takes it for a wild ride through the country. Moooo! But a bump in the road brings this joy ride to a troublesome end. 

More Books --

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet Sarg

A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree by Daniel Bernstrom

A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston

Don't Hug Doug by Carrie Finison

Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton

Hello Sun by Julie Downing

Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides by Anna Kang

Leap by Jonarno Lawson

Let's Play Monsters by Lucy Cousins

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Not a Box by Antoinette Portis

Off to See the Sea by Nikki Grimes

The Problem with Problems by Rachel Rooney

Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor

Saturday by Oge Mora

Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman

Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan

Award Winning Books for Teens

This week, I'm sharing some award winning books for teens.  Here's a few of my favorites . . . .

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when her dad is a Secret Service agent, and Logan's dad is the president, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie's dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness. Maddie tells herself it's okay. Until Logan shows up six years later, and she wants to kill him. But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate.

Dig by A.S. King

Only a generation removed from being Pennsylvania potato farmers, Gottfried and Marla Hemmings managed to trade digging spuds for developing subdivisions and now sit atop a seven-figure bank account, wealth they've declined to pass on to their adult children or their teenage grandchildren. As the rot just beneath the surface of the Hemmings' precious suburban respectability begins to spread, the far-flung grandchildren gradually find their ways back to one another, just in time to uncover the terrible cost of maintaining the family name.

The Unfortunates by Kim Liggett

After a fatal accident, 17-year-old Grant Tavish escapes punishment due to his senator father's connections. Grant plans to give himself justice by staging an accident during a caving trip and never returning. But the cave collapses, trapping him miles beneath the surface with four other teens. As they struggle to survive, they realize something else is with them.

More Books --

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Eighth Grade Bites by Z. Brewer

Everything, Everything, Nicola Yoon

Famous Last Words by Katie Alender

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough

We Are Okay by Nina Lacour

You'd Be Home by Kathleen Glasgow

Award Winning Books

This week, we're sharing the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award Books and the Show Me Readers Award Books.  Both awards are chosen by the children each year.  

Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry
A monster searches everywhere to find the things he loves: bunnies!!!

The Magic Word by Mac Barnett

Paxton discovers that by saying the word "alakazoomba," he can magically get whatever he pleases.

Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Leslea Newman

Composer Moshe Cotel adopts a six-toed, black-and-white kitten whom he calls Ketzel, and when he needs a piece to enter in a contest for music less than a minute long, it is Ketzel who provides the solution.

Naked! by Michael Ian Black

A child discovers that the only thing more fun than being naked is wearing nothing but a cape.

More Award Winning Books --

10 Little Ninjas by Miranda Paul

Arrowhawk by Lola Schaefer

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Bubble Bath Pirates by Jarrett Krosoczka

Bye-Bye, Big Bad Bullybug! by Ed Emberley

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Dandy by Ame Dyckman

The Epic Adventures of Huggie and Stick by Drew Daywalt

Epossumondas by Colleen Salley

The Frog Principal by Stephanie Calmenson

Hero Cat by Eileen Spinelli

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont

The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney

Move Over Rover! by Karen Beaumont

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

Painter and Ugly by Robert Blake

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Scaredy Snacks by Terry Border

Snack Attack by Terry Border

Some Dog! by Mary Casanova

Strongheart: The World's First Movie Star Dog by Emily Arnold McCully

Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson

Verdi by Janell Cannon

Who Took the Cookies From the Cookie Jar? by Bonnie Lass

Wolfboy by Andy Harkness

Award Winning Picture Books

We are often asked for award-winning books when patrons don't have a specific topic they want to read.  It is a common enough request that we label the winners of three picture book awards -- Caldecott Medal (best picture book awarded by ALA), Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award (favorite picture book chosen by children awarded by MLA), and Show Me Readers Award (favorite picture book chosen by children awarded by MASL).  Here are some of our favorites of these award-winning picture books . . . .

The Adventures of Beekle: An Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

An imaginary friend waits a long time to be imagined by a child and given a special name, and finally does the unimaginable--he sets out on a quest to find his perfect match in the real world. (2015 Caldecott Award)

Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry

A monster searches everywhere to find the things he loves: bunnies!!! (2016 Building Block Award)

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

A little fish thinks he can get away with stealing a hat. (2013 Caldecott Medal)

Strongheart: The World's First Movie Star Dog by Emily Arnold McCully

When silent movie director Larry Trimble decides to put Strongheart, a police dog, into his movies as the lead actor, he must first train him to play with toys and walk like a regular dog, but Strongheart becomes a sensation until his military training leads to trouble, and possibly the end of his career. (2017 Show Me Readers Award)

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

In the rhythm of a familiar folk song, a child cannot resist adding one more dab of paint in surprising places. (2006 Building Block Award)

More Award-Winning Picture Books --

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

The Blue House Dog by Debrorah Blumenthal

Dandy by Ame Dyckman

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Last Stop of Market Street by Matt de la Pena

The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown

Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

Pug Meets Pig by Sue Gallion

Scaredy Snacks by Terry Border

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Some Dog by Mary Casanova

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Wolfboy by Andy Harkness

Books So Good . . . They Won an Award

The following books are considered some of the greatest children's books of all time.  They are all Newbery Award winners and several have won other awards as well.  Check them out!

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The life of a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm.

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.

Holes by Louis Sachar
As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay.