2008-20092008-2009South Carolina South Carolina

Junior Book Junior Book Award NomineesAward Nominees

Bella at MidnightBella at Midnightby Diane Stanleyby Diane Stanley

Bella's peasant life is Bella's peasant life is changed when her real changed when her real

father, a knight who father, a knight who abandoned her when abandoned her when

she was a baby, comes she was a baby, comes and reclaims her, and reclaims her,

moving her to his home moving her to his home where she lives with a where she lives with a resentful stepmother resentful stepmother

and two horrible and two horrible stepsisters and learns stepsisters and learns about a plot to kill her about a plot to kill her friend, Prince Julian.friend, Prince Julian.

Black DuckBlack Duckby Janet Taylor Lisleby Janet Taylor Lisle

Years afterwards, Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells the Ruben Hart tells the story of how, in 1929 story of how, in 1929

Newport, Rhode Newport, Rhode Island, his family and Island, his family and

his best friend's his best friend's family were caught family were caught

up in the violent up in the violent competition among competition among

groups trying to groups trying to control the local rum-control the local rum-

smuggling trade.smuggling trade.

Blood on the River: Blood on the River: Jamestown, 1607Jamestown, 1607

by Elisa Carboneby Elisa Carbone

Traveling to the New Traveling to the New World in 1606 as the World in 1606 as the page to Captain John page to Captain John Smith, twelve-year-Smith, twelve-year-old orphan Samuel old orphan Samuel Collier settles in the Collier settles in the new colony of James new colony of James Town, where he must Town, where he must

quickly learn to quickly learn to distinguish between distinguish between

friend and foe. friend and foe.

BlueBlueby Joyce Moyer Hostetterby Joyce Moyer Hostetter

Ann Fay Honeycutt Ann Fay Honeycutt becomes the man of becomes the man of

the house at age the house at age thirteen after her father thirteen after her father leaves to fight in World leaves to fight in World War II, forcing Ann to War II, forcing Ann to give up her childhood give up her childhood and tend to her family, and tend to her family,

but when a polio but when a polio epidemic strikes, Ann epidemic strikes, Ann

faces the most faces the most devastating challenge devastating challenge

of her life. of her life.

Cracker!: Cracker!: The Best Dog in VietnamThe Best Dog in Vietnam

by Cynthia Kadohataby Cynthia Kadohata

A young soldier A young soldier in Vietnam in Vietnam bonds with bonds with his bomb-his bomb-

sniffing dog. sniffing dog.

Hundreds of military dogs have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, assisting in mine and bomb

detection.  They have proven highly successful at protecting U.S. troops from enemy forces, but their

abilities also extend to protecting troops on the front lines and at home from the stresses and fall-out of

war.

Crossing the WireCrossing the Wireby Will Hobbsby Will Hobbs

Fifteen-year-old Fifteen-year-old Victor Flores Victor Flores

journeys north in journeys north in a desperate a desperate

attempt to cross attempt to cross the Arizona the Arizona

border and find border and find work in the work in the

United States to United States to support his support his

family in central family in central Mexico. Mexico.

Dragon’s KeepDragon’s Keepby Janet Lee Careyby Janet Lee Carey

In 1145 A.D., as foretold In 1145 A.D., as foretold by Merlin, fourteen-by Merlin, fourteen-

year-old Rosalind, who year-old Rosalind, who will be the twenty-first will be the twenty-first Pendragon Queen of Pendragon Queen of

Wilde Island, has much Wilde Island, has much to accomplish to fulfill to accomplish to fulfill

her destiny, while her destiny, while hiding from her people hiding from her people the dragon's claw she the dragon's claw she

was born with that was born with that reflects only one of her reflects only one of her mother's dark secrets.mother's dark secrets.

Escape!:Escape!:The Story of the Great The Story of the Great

HoudiniHoudiniby Sid Fleischmanby Sid Fleischman

A biography of the A biography of the magician, ghost magician, ghost

chaser, aviator, and chaser, aviator, and king of escape artists king of escape artists whose amazing feats whose amazing feats are remembered long are remembered long

after his death in 1926. after his death in 1926.

Green Glass SeaGreen Glass Seaby Ellen Klagesby Ellen Klages

While her father works While her father works on the Manhattan on the Manhattan

Project, eleven-year-Project, eleven-year-old gadget lover and old gadget lover and

outcast Dewey outcast Dewey Kerrigan lives in Los Kerrigan lives in Los Alamos Camp, and Alamos Camp, and

becomes friends with becomes friends with Suze, another young Suze, another young

girl who is shunned by girl who is shunned by her peers. her peers.

What was the Manhattan Project?

In 1938 many people feared that Hitler would build an atomic bomb after word spread that German scientist had split the

uranium atom. However, one of Hitler’s mistakes was his persecution of Jewish scientists. This persecution resulted in

numerous scientists seeking asylum in the United States. One such scientist was Albert Einstein. Einstein, abandoning his

belief in pacifism, urged then president Franklin Roosevelt to develop an atomic bomb before Hitler did. Eventually

Roosevelt agreed and the United States attempt at building the atomic bomb was codenamed The Manhattan Project.

The Manhattan Project was carried out in extreme secrecy. By 1945, the project had nearly 40 labratories and factories

which empolyed approximately 200,000 people. Among these employees were some of the greatest scientist that have ever

lived.

Hard HitHard Hitby Ann Turnerby Ann Turner

A rising high school A rising high school baseball star faces his baseball star faces his most difficult challenge most difficult challenge

when his father is when his father is diagnosed with diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer. pancreatic cancer.

HeatHeatby Mike Lupicaby Mike Lupica

Pitching prodigy Michael Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run Arroyo is on the run from social services from social services after being banned after being banned from playing Little from playing Little League baseball League baseball

because rival coaches because rival coaches doubt he is only doubt he is only

twelve years old and twelve years old and he has no parents to he has no parents to

offer them proof. offer them proof.

Jumping the ScratchJumping the Scratchby Sarah Weeksby Sarah Weeks

After moving with his After moving with his mother to a trailer park mother to a trailer park to care for an injured to care for an injured aunt, eleven-year-old aunt, eleven-year-old

Jamie Reardon Jamie Reardon struggles to cope with struggles to cope with a deeply buried secret. a deeply buried secret.

The MailboxThe Mailboxby Audrey Shaferby Audrey Shafer

When twelve-year-old When twelve-year-old Gabe tries to hide his Gabe tries to hide his uncle's death from the uncle's death from the local authorities, he is local authorities, he is not prepared for what not prepared for what

happens when this happens when this secret is discovered. secret is discovered.

Oh Rats!:Oh Rats!:The Story of Rats and PeopleThe Story of Rats and People

by Albert Marrinby Albert Marrin

Describes rat Describes rat behavior and behavior and

survival skills and survival skills and aspects of their aspects of their relationship with relationship with

humans, including humans, including disease, rats as disease, rats as

food, rats as pests, food, rats as pests, and the training of and the training of rats as rescuers. rats as rescuers.

Sand Dollar SummerSand Dollar Summerby Kimberly Jonesby Kimberly Jones

When twelve-year-old When twelve-year-old Lise spends the Lise spends the

summer on an island in summer on an island in Maine with her self-Maine with her self-reliant mother and reliant mother and

bright--but oddly mute--bright--but oddly mute--younger brother, her younger brother, her formerly safe world is formerly safe world is

complicated by an aged complicated by an aged Indian neighbor, her Indian neighbor, her mother's childhood mother's childhood

friend, and a hurricane. friend, and a hurricane.

The Softwire: Virus on Orbis The Softwire: Virus on Orbis 11

by PJ Haarsmaby PJ Haarsma

After being orphaned on After being orphaned on the seed ship the seed ship

"Renaissance", "Renaissance", thirteen-year-old thirteen-year-old

Johnny Turnbull and his Johnny Turnbull and his sister, Ketheria, are sister, Ketheria, are

forced to work on the forced to work on the Rings of Orbis, where Rings of Orbis, where

Johnny learns he is the Johnny learns he is the first human Softwire, first human Softwire,

with a gift to enter any with a gift to enter any computer via his mind.computer via his mind.

The TrapThe Trapby John Smelcerby John Smelcer

In alternating chapters, In alternating chapters, seventeen-year-old seventeen-year-old

Johnny Least-Weasel, Johnny Least-Weasel, who is better known for who is better known for

brains than brawn, brains than brawn, worries about his worries about his

missing grandfather, and missing grandfather, and the grandfather, Albert the grandfather, Albert Least-Weasel, struggles Least-Weasel, struggles to survive, caught in his to survive, caught in his

own steel trap in the own steel trap in the Alaskan winter.Alaskan winter.

VictoryVictoryby Susan Cooperby Susan Cooper

Molly, upset by her family's Molly, upset by her family's move from London to the move from London to the U.S., is strangely drawn U.S., is strangely drawn to an old book about the to an old book about the

life of Admiral Lord life of Admiral Lord Nelson, and soon finds Nelson, and soon finds her life intertwined with her life intertwined with that of Sam, a boy her that of Sam, a boy her age who served with age who served with

Nelson aboard the HMS Nelson aboard the HMS "Victory" a century "Victory" a century

earlier. earlier.

The Wright 3The Wright 3by Blue Balliettby Blue Balliett

In the midst of a series of In the midst of a series of unexplained accidents unexplained accidents

and mysterious and mysterious coincidences, sixth-coincidences, sixth-

graders Calder, Petra, graders Calder, Petra, and Tommy lead their and Tommy lead their

classmates in an classmates in an attempt to keep Frank attempt to keep Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Lloyd Wright's famous

Robie House from Robie House from being demolished. being demolished.

Worldweavers: Gift of Worldweavers: Gift of UnmageUnmage

by Alma Alexanderby Alma Alexander

While attending a school While attending a school for children without for children without

magical powers, magical powers, fourteen-year-old Thea, fourteen-year-old Thea, with the guidance of the with the guidance of the mage Cheveyo, tries to mage Cheveyo, tries to strengthen her abilities strengthen her abilities and discovers her true and discovers her true

identity. identity.