Children's Choices for 2005 (continued)

August House. 40 pp. ISBN 0-87483-571-2 (trade). US$16.95.

Prancing, Dancing Lily

Marsha Diane Arnold. Ill. John Manders.

Lily's passion for dance jeopardizes her future as the bell cow. She leaves Mamoo (and the herd, too) to hoof it as a squaredancer, Rockette, and ballerina, always sending messages home. A drum and a conga line solve Lily's leadership quandary. (Team 5)

Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-8037-2660-0. US$16.99.

Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo

Karen Rostoker-Gruber. Ill. Paul Rátz de Tagyos.

When Rooster gets a sore throat everyone on the farm pitches in to help wake up Farmer Ted. Children will be delighted at the entertaining way the animals help the “eggz-hausted” “udderly-frustrated” rooster before things get “too baaaa-d.” (Team 4)

Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-8037-2877-8 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.

Show Dog

Meghan McCarthy. Ill. by the author.

OK, Ed is no show dog. He's scruffy, slobbery, and google-eyed, but his unkempt family, blinded by love, enters him in a dog show anyway. Ed loses the contest but wins the heart of Princess, the Best of Show. (Team 5)

Viking Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-670-03688-9 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.

Smudge Bunny

Bernie Siegel. Ill. Laura J. Bryant.

The true adventure of how Smudge and her sister bunny Snowflake, whisked from their loving home to the local pet store, are adopted by the author. Children will be drawn to this tale of how “troubles can turn into blessings.” (Team 4)

HJ Kramer/Starseed Press. 32 pp. ISBN 1-932073-03-5 (trade). US$15.95.

Someone Bigger

Jonathan Emmett. Ill. Adrian Reynolds.

A collection of animals and people trying to rescue Sam's dad from a fly-away kite gets children involved in this colorful book. The predictable and melodic language keeps children interested. (Team 2)

Clarion Books. 32 pp. ISBN 0-618-44397-5 (trade). US$16.00.

Stinky Smelly Feet: A Love Story

Margie Palatini. Ill. Ethan Long.

Douglas Duck's stinky feet are a barrier to his romance with Dolores. Whenever he takes his shoes off, nearby critters drop like flies from the smell. True love succeeds when baths, powders, and spray fail our wacky beaked and web-footed couple. (Team 5)

Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group. ISBN 0-525-47201-0 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.

Super Sam!

Lori Ries. Ill. Sue Ramá.

The crayon-drawn pictures add to this colorful book about a little boy who pretends he is a “superpower.” How he “leaps tall bunkbeds” and “saves the day” for his little brother are things kids can imagine they can do. (Team 2)

Charlesbridge Publishing. 32 pp. ISBN 1-58089-041-5 (trade). US$14.95. CAN$24.95.

Ten Redneck Babies: A Southern Counting Book

David Davis. Ill. Sue Marshall Ward.

Readers will have a hoot counting from 1 to 10 and back again in pure southern style. From bluetick hounds to banjos and maw—this book has it all, redneck style. (Team 3)

Pelican Publishing. 32 pp. ISBN 1-58980-232-2 (trade). US$15.95.

That Dancin' Dolly

Jennifer J. Merz. Ill. by the author.

A little girl pretends that her doll is a special friend who dances with her the whole day in her backyard. The illustrations look like felt cut-outs, collages that actually seem to jump out from the page. (Team 2)

Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-525-47214-2 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.

This Is the Teacher

Rhonda Gowler Greene. Ill. Mike Lester.

The repeated pattern involved the students in the story immediately. Younger children who thought school was scary soon discovered that real life is much tamer than the school in this fiction book! (Team 2)

Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-525-47125-1 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.

Tigress

Nick Dowson. Ill. Jane Chapman.

Bold, enchanting pictures immediately draw readers into this nonfiction book. It holds the interest of all students with its two levels of text: One poetically describes a mother tiger's daily activities, and the other, printed in italics, offers tiger facts. (Team 1)

Candlewick Press. 32 pp. ISBN 0-7636-2325-3 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$22.99.

Truck Duck

Michael Rex. Ill. by the author.

Truck Duck incorporates rhyming words in a book about types of transportation. Humor is used to show animals operating various types of transportation. Children respond positively to the rhyming words and the brightly colored illustrations. (Team 1)

G.P. Putnam's Sons. 32 pp. ISBN 0-399-24009-8 (trade). US$9.99. CAN$14.99.

Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale

William Katzwinkel and Glen Murray. Ill. Audrey Colman.

Flatulence makes Walter a social outcast. Sold to a scoundrel who uses his gas to rob a bank, Walter begins to pine for home. Smelly and unattractive, but honest, he leads the police to the thief and is paroled to his newly appreciative family. (Team 5)

Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group. 32 pp. ISBN 0-525-47217-7 (trade). US$15.99. CAN$24.00.