25-26 Golden Sower Nominees

Big

Harrison, Vashti,


Praised for acting like a big girl when she is small, as a young girl grows, "big" becomes a word of criticism, until the girl realizes that she is fine just the way she is.
Date Published:2022

The book that almost rhymed

Abed, Omar,


School Library Journal starred, May 2024. Booklist starred, December 2023. Horn Book, March 2024. Kirkus Review, January 2024. A boy begrudgingly composes a sometimes-rhyming adventure with his precocious little sister.
Date Published:2024

Dog vs. Strawberry

Buchet, Nelly,


School Library Journal starred, April 2024. Pub Weekly, January 2024. When Dog is handed a strawberry from the fruit bowl, she sizes it up, dances around it, and decides she is going to race the Strawberry--and win.
Date Published:2024

Dogtown

Applegate, Katherine,


"Feiwel and Friends." School Library Journal starred, August 2023. Publishers Weekly, July 2023. Booklist, September 2023. Horn Book, November 2023. Bulletin (Center for Children's Books), November 2023. Kirkus Review, August 2023. In Dogtown, a shelter for unwanted canine and robot dogs, an extraordinary bond develops between Chance, a longing three-legged dog, Metal Head, an empathetic robot, and Mouse, their friendly ally, as they strive to find forever homes.
Date Published:2024

"Feiwel and Friends." School Library Journal starred, August 2023. Publishers Weekly, July 2023. Booklist, September 2023. Horn Book, November 2023. Bulletin (Center for Children's Books), November 2023. Kirkus Review, August 2023. In Dogtown, a shelter for unwanted canine and robot dogs, an extraordinary bond develops between Chance, a longing three-legged dog, Metal Head, an empathetic robot, and Mouse, their friendly ally, as they strive to find forever homes.

Date Published:2024

Ferris

DiCamillo, Kate,


School Library Journal, February 2024. During the summer before fifth grade, Ferris Wilkey has her hands full with her little sister terrorizing the town, her Aunt Shirley moving into their basement and her grandmother seeing a ghost--one who has wild, impractical and illuminating plans.
Date Published:2024

The firefly summer

Matson, Morgan,


"Ages 8-12"--Back cover. Booklist starred, May 2023. Pub Weekly, March 2023. Kirkus Starred, March 2023. When her estranged grandparents invite her to stay with them in the Poconos for the summer, Ryanna meets many relatives on her late mom's side of the family and discovers a whole new side of herself--and a place where she really belongs.
Date Published:2023

Greenwild : the world behind the door /

Thomson, Pari,


"Farrar, Straus & Giroux." School Library Journal starred, August 2023. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starre, June 2023. Publishers Weekly, May 2023. Booklist, June 2023. Kirkus Review, May 2023. On the run after her mother disappears, eleven-year-old Daisy Thistledown steps through a mysterious hidden doorway and enters the realm of Greenwild, where she must uncover the truth about who she really is to save this land of magic and amazing natural wonders from being destroyed.
Date Published:2024

"Farrar, Straus & Giroux." School Library Journal starred, August 2023. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starre, June 2023. Publishers Weekly, May 2023. Booklist, June 2023. Kirkus Review, May 2023. On the run after her mother disappears, eleven-year-old Daisy Thistledown steps through a mysterious hidden doorway and enters the realm of Greenwild, where she must uncover the truth about who she really is to save this land of magic and amazing natural wonders from being destroyed.

Date Published:2024

I am stuck

Mills, Julia, (Children's author),


"Stuck?" asks Duck. Yep, Turtle is flipped over on his shell and can't seem to get un-stuck. Duck suggests wiggling his feet, Kangaroo wants him to wag his tail, and Armadillo says rolling into a ball always does the trick. But Turtle is STILL. STUCK. Is there anyone who can help?
Date Published:2023

I want 100 dogs

McAnulty, Stacy,


School Library Journal, July 2023. Publishers Weekly, August 2023. Booklist, October 2023. Horn Book, November 2023. Kirkus Review, August 2023. After meeting a dog during a walk, a little girl declares that she wants one hundred dogs, but as her parents point out all the difficulties, she gradually reduces the number--until she gets the one dog she really wants.
Date Published:2023

The lost library

Stead, Rebecca,


Booklist, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, When a mysterious little free library that's guarded by a large orange cat appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan selects two worn books and his world is turned upside down. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and the fire that destroyed the town's library and none of the adults ever want to talk about.
Date Published:2023

Booklist, Horn Book Guide, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, When a mysterious little free library that's guarded by a large orange cat appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan selects two worn books and his world is turned upside down. Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and the fire that destroyed the town's library and none of the adults ever want to talk about.

Date Published:2023

Mr. S

Arnaldo, Monica,


When a kindergarten class arrives for the first day at school, they are greeted only by the words "Mr. S" on the chalkboard and a delicious-looking sandwich, resulting in merry mayhem as the kids wonder if the sandwich is their teacher.
Date Published:2023

The mystery of the Radcliffe riddle

Souders, Taryn, 1977-,


"Ages 8 and up"--Jacket flap. Publishers Weekly, May 2023. Booklist, May 2023. Kirkus Review, May 2023. "Grady and his father inherit the town oddball's old tapestry and discover it is a highly coveted treasure map"--OCLC.
Date Published:2023

Nothing else but miracles

Albus, Kate,


School Library Journal starred, October 2023. Publishers Weekly, July 2023. Booklist, September 2023. Bulletin (Center for Children's Books), November 2023. Kirkus Review, August 2023. "Living on their own on Manhattan's Lower East Side while their Pop is off fighting in World War II, twelve-year-old Dory Byrne and her brothers discover an abandoned hotel that proves a perfect hideout just when they need it most"--Provided by publisher.
Date Published:2023

School Library Journal starred, October 2023. Publishers Weekly, July 2023. Booklist, September 2023. Bulletin (Center for Children's Books), November 2023. Kirkus Review, August 2023. "Living on their own on Manhattan's Lower East Side while their Pop is off fighting in World War II, twelve-year-old Dory Byrne and her brothers discover an abandoned hotel that proves a perfect hideout just when they need it most"--Provided by publisher.

Date Published:2023

The red jacket

Holt, Bob, 1959-,


"Ages 4-8"--Dust jacket. School Library Journal, June 2023. Booklist starred, May 2023. Pub Weekly, May 2023. Kirkus Review, May 2023. "Bob loves his red jacket. The red jacket makes him feel swanky cool. The red jacket makes other seagulls notice him and even speak to him. But when a wave washes it away, will Bob lose his cool and his newfound friends, too?"--Provided by publisher.
Date Published:2023

Seals are jerks!

Chapman, Jared,


Publisher's Weekly, July 03, 2023. Booklist, August 01, 2023. A young girl is determined to find out the truth about her favorite animals -- and find out once and for all, are seals really jerks and do they really eat penguins?!
Date Published:2023

Tree. Table. Book

Lowry, Lois,


Booklist, Horn Book Guide Starred, Kirkus Review, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Eleven-year-old Sophia endeavors to prevent her increasingly forgetful eighty-eight-year-old neighbor and best friend Sophie from entering assisted living, and in the process, uncovers unexpected stories of war, loss, and hope.
Date Published:2024

The world's best class plant

Scanlon, Liz Garton,


Publishers Weekly, June 2023. Kirkus Starred, March 2023. Booklist, May 2023. Horn Book, July 2023. A class that is terribly disappointed in their lack of a class pet discovers that having a class plant is the best thing ever.
Date Published:2023

Worm and Caterpillar are friends

Windness, Kaz, 1974-,


School Library Journal, January 2023. Kirkus Starred, November 2022. A worm and a caterpillar are best friends and when one of them is about to go through a big change, they both learn what is inside is what counts.
Date Published:2023