1998 was the kind of children's book year made for the Wilde Awards. There were a number of very good books, but I pity those poor Caldecott-Newbery committees who must find just a handful of stellar standouts. Without further ado, here are the Third Annual Wilde Awards.
Best Books for the Very Young
For preschoolers with a vehicle passion, we have a tie between two books:
Mitte Cuetara's The Crazy Crawler Crane and Other Very Short Truck Stories (Dutton, $14.99; ages 3-5) will satisfy both truck-adoring children and parents who like humor and brevity in their vehicle books. And Peter Sis invents a deliciously silly story in Fire Truck (Greenwillow, $14.95; ages 3-5) about Young Matt who loves fire trucks so much, he turns into one. Matt has great fun blaring around until he smells something. No, it's not a fire, just his breakfast pancakes which wait for him!
You'll find the best illustrations for young books in David Kirk's Miss Spider's ABC (Scholastic, $16.95; ages 0-5) I've never been a fan of Miss Spider, but have always loved Kirk's glowing magical illustrations. Brevity of words, lack of story, and alliterative text make this one a winner!
Best Books for New Readers
David Shannon's No, David! (Scholastic, $14.95; ages 4-6) is a book the author-illustrator wrote at five and it perfectly describes a boy in continual trouble with minimal words.
Denys Cazet launches the most hysterical new I-Can-Read series I've seen in years with Minnie and Moo Go Dancing and Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon (DK Ink, $3.95; ages 6-8). We'll be seeing more of these wild cow adventurers who bring a needed to laugh to those learning to read (and their parents).
Most Child-Involving Non-Fiction:
Mark and Cathy Dubowski, Ice Mummy (Random House, ; ages 6 and up). Fabulous pictures of disgusting ice-preserved mummies, clear writing, and easy to read! What's not to love!
David Hawcock's The Amazing Pop-Up Pull-Out Space Shuttle (DK Publishing, $19.95; ages 4 and up) is a masterpiece of paper constructions for those who lust for space adventure.
the Editors of Klutz Press succeeds again with Disaster Science ($12.95; ages 7 and up) which uses wacky illustrations, strange facts, and startling lift-the flaps to explain the science behind and effects of volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes,crashes and more.
Best Picture Book Biographies:
Andrea and Brian Pinkney, Duke Ellington (Hyperion, $16.95; ages 6-10)
What a tribute to the Duke a picture books with illustrations and text that have so much music you can almost hear him playing as you read.
Jacqueline Briggs Martin's Snowflake Bentley (Houghton Mifflin, $16.00; ages 6-10) Part of this book's strength is revealing a the life story of a man whose passions drove his life. The other is the presentation which weaves together a humanistic prose approach, facts, and large brightly colored woodcuts by Mary Azarian.
Most Child Loved Picture Books
I'm in and out of classrooms and constantly sharing books. The three most selected, most popular titles are:
Keith Faulker's The Long-Nosed Pig: A Pop-up Book (Dial, $11.99; ages 3-6). This is a cautionary tale about pride, but the very young will most like admire most repeatable refrains and the startling pop-out at book's end.
Laura Simms' The Bone Man (Hyperion, $14.95; ages 7 and up) McCurdy's scary illustrations on the cover suck students in to the story of a Modoc Indian boy who learns integrity and respect in facing a skeletal monster who has devoured his people.
Again, David Shannon's strong colors pull children into the story of a young girl who cares more about what her peers think than what she herself desires until she comes down with A Bad Case of Stripes (Scholastic, $15.95; ages 6 and up)
Books for School Show and Tell:
Looking for the book that will light up a teacher or bring freshness to a tired subject?
Kate Petty & Jennie Maizels, The Amazing Pop-Up Multiplication Book (Dutton, $19.99) Though not quite as wonderful as the same authors book about grammar, this book will provide relief from the horrid drudgery of learning the facts!
Laurie Keller's Scrambled States of America (Henry Holt,$16.95; ages 8 and up). Never before have I seen a what-if geography book till Keller asks "what if the states decided to swap locations?"
If you're looking for a special gift for a teacher who practices the art of teaching, there's Hurrah for Diffendoofer Day! (Knopf, $17.00; ages 8 to adult),which was begun by Dr. Seuss and completed by two wild and crazy children's book artists, poet Jack Prelutsky and illustrator Lane Smith. Half of the book bears witness to Seuss' efforts and struggles, and is an example of real writing, the other half praises teaching with creative abandon and downright joy.
Books whose Pictures are worth 1,000 Words:
In Eve Bunting's So Far From the Sea (Clarion, $15.00; ages 9 and up) artist Chris Soentpiet's illustrations adds layers of meaning to an already strong story of a young girl's visit to her grandfather's grave at Manzanar. His alternating use of black and white to show the past and color for the future, powerful emotive faces, and the contrast of stark and bright color choices bring
Leo & Diane Dillon, To Every Thing There is a Season (Scholastic, $15.95; all ages)
The Dillons take us on tour of time and place against the backdrop of the famous passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes. Amazing vision of history, art, cultures, and both the passage and the timelessness of time.
Best Fairy Tale Books
Lynn Cullen's The Mightiest Heart (Dial, $16.99; ages 6 and up) is a complicated Welsh legend of a faithful dog and betrayal by his prince. Astoundingly rich and detailed illustrations by newcomer Laurel Long make her an artist to watch!
Odds Bodkin, The Crane Wife (HBJ, $16.00; ages 6 and up)
This Japanese tale has been told many times, but the latest is well-told with glorious illustrations by Gennady Spirin.
Robert San Souci's A Weave of Words (Orchard Books, $15.95; ages 6 and up)
is a retelling of an Armenian tale in which a fair maiden won't have the prince unless he learns to read, write, and learn a trade. These three win him the love of a strong heroine and save his life from a three-headed monster.
Best Picture Book Historical Tours
Ann Turner's Drummer Boy (HarperCollins, $15.95; ages 8 and up) Dramatic text matched by powerful illustrations by Mark Hess tell the story of a young boy who, inspired by Lincoln, joins the Civil War as drummer boy and witnesses the horrors of war at an early age.
Marybeth Lorbiecki's Sister Anne's Hands (Dial, $15.99; ages 8 and up) is the sixties story of a young girl who is changed forever by her teacher. The first Black woman she's ever met lets her know the joys of genuine learning and horrible hatreds of prejudice. Lyrical text and soft realistic illustrations balance a sometimes tough story.
People I've Most Enjoyed Getting To Know Through Books
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, Elizabeti's Doll (Lee and Low, $15.95; ages 4-8)
A sibling story becomes something else when we view a young girl from Tanzania adopt a stone for a baby doll. Strong sibling feelings ring true, there's the added dimension of life and customs in Tanzania and the vision of a creative, spirited young girl.
In Rukhsana Khan's The Roses in My Carpets (Holiday House, $15.95; ages 9 and up)
the first page's illustration shows war's devastation and students consistently guessed it is WWII. But this is a present-day war and the hero, a refugee boy from Afghanistan, is the man of his family because his father's been killed. He is grateful and yet hates being a foster child, wants to earn his family's living, and is a faithful Muslim. So much complexity in a short picture book!
Francisco Jimenez's La Mariposa (Houghton Mifflin, $16.00; ages 7 and up)
is written and illustrated by two men who grew up as migrant workers. The story tells of a young migrant worker child who goes to school for the first time with no command of English. The book makes his sense of his confusion in facing prejudice, language barrier, and new customs all believable and heart felt.
Louis Sachar's Holes' (FSG, $16.00; ages 10 and up) hero Stanley Yelnats, like his ancestors, is cursed with being in the wrong place in the wrong time. Wrongly accused of a crime, he's sentenced to Camp Green Lake where he must dig a 5' hole daily. Clever plot, humor, and cheerful hero make this a winning book!
Kimberly Holt's My Louisiana Sky (Holt, $15.95; ages 11 and up) Tiger's named after a cat her mama hugged to death when she was a child. If that sounds strange...read on. Tiger's parents are retarded and they're cared for by her Granny. When Granny dies, Tiger has hard decisions to make!
Book Most Destined to Become a Classic
Publishers are always look for the new Roald Dahl...I think they've found the writer in J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Scholastic, $16.95; ages 8 and up) introduces Harry who as an infant has defeat a sorcerer of great evil. After years of surviving abuse with an abusive muggle (ordinary humans) aunt and uncle, it's time for him to own his power. The book has magic, humor, adventure, fantasy, and is a great read aloud! The sequel has already been published in Britain and reports suggest it's as good or better!
Most Welcome Author Growth
Gary Paulsen is the most popular writer for 8-12's, but every book seemed as if it was a repeat of his classic Hatchet. His newest, The Transal Saga (Delacorte, $15.95; ages 8-12) may begin similarly, but Paulsen experiments successfully in this book with a science fiction/ fantasy world.
Most Courageous Book
For decades, Anita Lobel has been a solid illustrative contributor to the children's book field. Now she writes about her own life surviving the Holocaust which is aptly titled, No Pretty Pictures:a child of war (Greenwillow, $16.00; ages 11 and up).
Best Book for Children's Book Lovers and Writers
Leonard Marcus, biographer extraordinare, publishes Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom (HarperCollins, $22.95; adults). Her candor, insights, humor and warmth with the likes of EB White, Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown and more will delight children's book fans and make writers long for the good old days where Grand Dames like Nordstrom had more sway!
Worst Book
Chris Raschka's Arlene Sardine (Orchard, $15.95) stars a fish who wants to be a sardine, dies mid-book, and is happiest packed in oil. I can't believe an editor bought this hook, line and sinker!
Book That Got the Most Laughs
David Wisniewski's The Secret Knowledge of Grownups (Lothrop, $16.00; ages 8 and up) tells the truth about adult-constructed truisms. Children need to know that you don't eat vegetables because they're good for you, but to keep them from controlling the world. Paper-cut illustrations are as funny as the revealed secrets.