Caudill Nominees 2013

2012 Texas Bluebonnet Award Winner

In this funny, uncannily wise portrait of the dynamics of a sixth-grade class and of the greatness that sometimes comes in unlikely packages, Dwight, a loser, talks to his classmates via an origami finger puppet of Yoda. …More

2010 Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grades

An acclaimed writer delivers an eye-opening depiction of an autistic boy's daily life and lifelong struggles to exist in a neurotypical world, in a groundbreaking novel told from the boy's perspective. …More

From a multiple Coretta Scott King Award-winning author comes the story of a brilliant girl that no one knows about because she cannot speak or write. "If there is one book teens and parents (and everyone else) should read this year, "Out of My Mind" should be it.O--"Denver Post." …More

Set in an apocalyptic future, "Dark Life" is the harrowing tale of underwater pioneers who have carved out a life for themselves in the harsh deep-sea environment, farming the seafloor in exchange for the land deed. …More

Set during World War II, this winning entry in the Dell Yearling Contest tells the story of 11-year-old tomboy Bird, who loves flying in small propeller airplanes with her mechanic dad. But when a young Japanese-American student joins Bird's class, the entire school seems to be convinced that he's a spy. …More

With her trademark knowledge of what its like to be a girl, the author of "Perfect" and "Lush" pens an insightful, heartfelt story of a girl who must learn how to manage her life even when so many things are beyond her control. …More

2010 Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner 6-8
BookPage Notable Title
2009 Newbery Award Winner
A CCBC Selection of the Week
2009 Hugo Award Winner: Best Novel

In his first full-length novel for middle-graders since the international bestseller "Coraline," Neil Gaiman introduces Bod, a boy who is the only living resident of a graveyard. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? …More

…More

BookPage Notable Title

Hawkins delivers an unusual and captivating novel about a quirky posse of cousins who scramble to make money off an old apple orchard. Illustrations. …More

2011 Golden Kite Fiction Award

Inspired by family stories, a two-time Newbery Honor winner and "New York Times"-bestselling author beautifully blends family lore with America's past in this charming gem of a novel, rich in historical detail, humor, and the unique flavors of Key West. …More

Eleven-year-old Aubrey's father and sister have died in a tragic car accident. Her mother, who was driving the car, runs away, leaving Aubrey all alone. This deeply affecting novel about loss, love, friendship, and family introduces a remarkable new writer. …More

2011 National Book Award Winner-Young People's Literature
BookPage Notable Title

Inspired by the author's own childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam as a refugee and immigrating to Alabama, this tween novel told in verse is sure to capture young readers' hearts and open their eyes. …More

Gustave doesn't want to move from the exciting city to the boring countryside, far from his cousin Jean-Paul and his best friend, the mischievous Marcel. But he has no choice. It is March of 1940, and Paris is not a safe place for Jews.
When Paris is captured by the Nazis, Gustave knows that Marcel, Jean-Paul, and their families must make it out of the occupied zone. And when he learns that his new friend Nicole works for the French Resistance, he comes up with a plan that just might work. But going into Occupied France is a risky thing to do when you are Jewish. And coming back alive? "That" is nearly impossible. …More

In this new novel by a Newbery Medalist ("Criss Cross"), 16-year-old Ry completely redefines summer vacation. Illustrated with the author's line art and comics throughout. …More

When Mama Ya-Ya's visions show a powerful hurricane--Katrina--fast approaching, it's up to 12-year-old Lanesha to call upon the hope and strength Mama Ya-Ya has given her to help them both survive the storm. …More

…More

2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.

This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama. …More

BookPage Notable Title

It's 1962, and it seems everyone is living in fear. Twelve-year-old Franny Chapman lives with her family in Washington, D.C., during the days surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis. For Franny, as for all Americans, it's going to be a formative year. …More

In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp. …More