Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer J E SCH
This is the courageous true story of Arrowhawk - an endangered bird of prey who, with sheer determination and will, survives eight weeks in the wild with a poacher's arrow through his thigh and tail. Stunning illustrations capture his remarkable journey from peril and rescue to eventual freedom.

Ted written and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
When Ted, an enormous creature with basset-hound ears, twinkly little eyes and a big sewn-in belly-button, shows up at the door of a suburban home and offers to amuse the boy who lives there, the two of them get into all kinds of exuberant trouble. The boy's father, a harried businessman with no time for fun, decides that his son's spluttering attempts to introduce Ted are merely clever alibis and bans imaginary friends from the house. Ted eventually reveals that he knew the boy's father when he was a youngster; once reminded, the father finds his old Atomic Blaster and joins the pair for a rousing game of "space pirates-Monopoly-Twister."

The Monster Who Ate My Peas by Danny Schnitzlein
What would you give up to avoid eating your vegetables? Our young narrator would do just about anything to get out of eating his peas. Thanks to a vegetable eating monster that magically appears at the dinner table, the boy escapes the agony of eating those terrible peas. Unfortunately, this service comes at a very high price. Would YOU be willing to pay the price?

Mr. Tannen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Mr. Tanen, the principal at Lynnhurst Elementary, wears all kinds of fun ties, but Mr. Apple the superintendent doesn't approve and gives Mr. Tanen a plain blue tie to wear. Mr. Tanen and all of the children become quite "blue," until Mr. Apple discovers that fun ties can bring much happiness.

Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester
Poor Wodney Wat has a problem--he cannot pronounce the letter r, and he is the recipient of the teasing and jokes of the other rodents at his school. He is so embarrassed that he tries to disappear by burying his head in his jacket. However, he becomes a hero to his classmates when he saves them from the big mean bully, Camilla Capybara. During a game of "Simon Says," when Wodney is the leader, his speech impediment saves the day to foil the villain. At the end of the game, Wodney says "Go West" to his tired classmates who understand what he is telling them to do - all except Camilla. She keeps on going to the delight of all the students of the school. This story is hilarious as well as heartening to those who feel like the outsiders.

2001 - 1996 Winners

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