Prairie Pasque Nominees 2010-2011

Linda Sue Park

Both Maggie and her brother, Joey-Mick, were named after baseball great Joe D'Maggio. But they aren't Yankee fans. Their team is the Brooklyn Dodgers. And although Maggie doesn't play baseball, she knows the game. She can recite stats, understands complicated plays, cheers when the Dodgers win — and suffers when they lose. But even with Maggie's support, the Dodgers fail to win the Series, season after season. And the letters she sends to her friend and baseball mentor, Jim — serving in Korea — aren't answered. Nothing Maggie does helps. Maybe it doesn't make any difference at all. Or maybe it does.

Grade Level: 3-5
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Yellowstone National Park's majestic geologic wonders and remarkable wildlife draw millions of visitors each year. But there was a time when these natural treasures were in great danger, all because after years of unrestricted hunting, one key piece of the puzzle had been eliminated — the wolf. Now, more than a decade after scientists realized the wolves' essential role and returned them to Yellowstone, the park's natural balance is gradually being restored. The informative dual-level text and full-color photographs show the wolves in the natural habitat that was almost lost without them.

Grade Level: 3-4
Publisher: Walker & Company

David Rabe

A gentle and thoroughly original animal story Young Jonathan finds a small, frightened squirrel on the road and brings it home tucked inside his sneaker. But the squirrel named Mr. Wellington is weak, listless, and fearful of the unfamiliar surroundings. The story is told from alternating perspectives — Jonathan's and Mr. Wellington's.

Grade Level: 3-5
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Deborah Kogan Ray

Wanda Gág (pronounced “Gog”) is well known as the author and illustrator of Millions of Cats, but not many people know how interesting her life was. Following in the footsteps of her beloved artist father, Wanda led an idyllic childhood, drawing and listening to old-world fairy tales. But when her father died, it was teenage Wanda who worked hard to keep her seven younger siblings fed, clothed, and laughing. But she never lost sight of her love of art. Her tremendous willpower won her a coveted scholarship to the Art Students League in New York City and then led to a gallery show of her artwork — where an editor of children's books got an idea for a book. The rest, as they say, is history!

Grade Level: 3-4
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Peggy Thomas

Besides being a general and the first president of the United States, George Washington was also a farmer. His efforts to create a self-sufficient farm at Mount Vernon, Virginia, mirrored his struggle to form a new nation. Excerpts from Washington's writings are featured throughout the book. Also included are a timeline and a resource section, as well as essays on Washington at Mount Vernon and his thoughts on slavery.

Grade Level: 3-4
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press