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Garden City School Library: 2019 MC Nominees

2019 Nominees

All book summaries courtesy of Goodreads. 

 

Hello Lighthouse - Written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of a lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp's wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.

 

 



Some Pets - Written by Angelia Diterlizzi, Illustrated by Brendan Wenzel

Come one, come all, to the pet show! With dogs and cats, horses and chickens, hamsters and chinchillas—and many, many more!—this book celebrates animal companions of all shapes and sizes. Who will take home the coveted Best in Show ribbon? Join the fun to find out! 

 

 

 

A House that Once Was - Written by Julie Fogliano, Illustrated by Lane Smith

Deep in the woods / is a house / just a house / that once was / but now isn’t / a home. Who lived in that house? Who walked down its hallways? Why did they leave it, and where did they go? Two children set off to find the answers, piecing together clues found, books left behind, forgotten photos, discarded toys, and creating their own vision of those who came before.

 

Bus! Stop! - Written and Illustrated by James Yang

"Bus! Stop!" a boy yells, as his bus pulls away one early morning. He must wait for the next bus. But the next one does NOT look like his bus at all. And neither does the next one, or the next. At first, the boy is annoyed. Then he is puzzled. Then intrigued. The other buses look much more interesting than his bus. Maybe he should try a different bus after all, and he's glad he does!

 

Teddy's Favorite Toy - Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis

Teddy has a lot of cool toys. But his very favorite doll has the best manners, the sickest fighting skills, and a fierce sense of style. Then one morning, something truly awful happens. And there’s only one woman fierce enough to save the day. Can Teddy’s mom reunite Teddy with his favorite toy?

 

 

The Word Collector - Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

In this extraordinary new tale from Peter H. Reynolds, Jerome discovers the magic of the words all around him -- short and sweet words, two-syllable treats, and multisyllable words that sound like little songs. Words that connect, transform, and empower. From the creator of The Dot and Happy Dreamer comes a celebration of finding your own words -- and the impact you can have when you share them with the world.

 

Bigger! Bigger! - Written and Illustrated by Leslie Patricelli

A box of blocks. A budding builder. Should she build a doghouse? A bridge? A skyscraper? Yes, all of these and more! Bigger, bigger! BIGGEST! But then . . . Boom! Boom! What's that? Uh-oh . . . After one little girl's architectural masterpieces grow exponentially, the arrival of an assistant presents a bit of a challenge in this ode to creativity masterfully constructed by Leslie Patricelli.

 

Speediest! - Written and Illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Through illustrations, infographics, facts, and figures, readers will see how big each animal is compared to humans, where it lives on the globe, and just how quickly it can move! 
 

 


Niblet & Ralph - Written and Illustrated by Zachariah O'Hora

Niblet and Ralph may look a lot alike, but they are very different. Niblet loves noshing on crunchy potato chips. Ralph loves putting on headphones and jamming to his favorite records. But both cats have one thing in common: They love being friends and waving to each other from their windows across the courtyard of the apartment building they live in.

One day, Niblet and Ralph decide it's time to meet in person (or in cat?). But when they mistakenly end up at each other's apartments, their owners think that Niblet is Ralph, and Ralph is Niblet! Will Niblet and Ralph be able to switch back to their proper homes, or will they be stuck listening to music (ugh) and eating chips (gross) forever? Better still, will they be able to bring their lovable (if not very observant) human families together?

 

The Day You Begin - Written by Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it. [This book] reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

 

Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere - Written by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Katherine Roy

 On June 6, 1930, engineer Otis Barton and explorer Will Beebe dove into the ocean inside a hollow metal ball of their own invention called the Bathysphere. They knew dozens of things might go wrong. A tiny leak could shoot pressurized water straight through the men like bullets! A single spark could cause their oxygen tanks to explode! No one had ever dived lower than a few hundred feet...and come back. But Otis and Will were determined to become the first people to see what the deep ocean looks like.
 
Giraffe Problems - Written by Jory John, Illustrated by Lane Smith
Edward the giraffe can't understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He's tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding it behind bushes--honestly, anything you can think of, he's tried. Just when he has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to throw in the towel, a turtle helps him understand that his neck has a purpose.
 
The Rough Patch - Written and Illustrated by Brian Lies
Evan and his dog do everything together, from eating ice cream to caring for their award-winning garden, which grows big and beautiful. One day the unthinkable happens: Evan’s dog dies. Heartbroken, Evan destroys the garden and everything in it. The ground becomes overgrown with prickles and thorns, and Evan embraces the chaos. But beauty grows in the darkest of places, and when a twisting vine turns into an immense pumpkin, Evan is drawn out of his misery and back to the county fair, where friendships—old and new—await.
 

Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse - Written by Marcy Campbell,
Illustrated by Corinna Luyken

Adrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse--the best and most beautiful horse anywhere. But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse? The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.