Gate CityAward Winner
2007-2008

The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon
by Mini Grey

This spin on the classic nursery rhyme has the dish and the spoon running away to New York City to seek fortune and fame.

 Dear Max

by Sally Grindley

As Max--who is almost ten--and his favorite author, D.J. Lucas, exchange letters, the two writers help each other with their new books and develop a special friendship.

Dog Days
by David Lubar

During summer vacation, rising dog food prices and falling scrap yard payouts leave Larry wondering how he will feed his three dogs until his little brother alerts him to an intriguing mystery involving a hostile dog in an alley.

The Earth Dragon Awakes
by Lawrence Yep

Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Green Men of Gressingham
by Philip Ardagh

Tom Dashwood looks forward to becoming a knight but on his way to start his training, he is kidnapped by Robyn-in-the-Hat and the Green Men of Gressingham, a band of outlaws who are protesting unfair taxes.

Heat
by Mike Lupica

Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof.

Horns & Wrinkles
by Joseph Helgerson

Along a magic-saturated stretch of the Mississippi River near Blue Wing, Minnesota, twelve-year-old Claire and her bullying cousin Duke are drawn into an adventure involving Bodacious Deepthink, the Great Rock Troll, a helpful fairy, and a group of trolls searching for their fathers.

How to Twist a Dragon's Tale
by Cressida Cowell

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III has to recover the fire-stone in order to stop a volcano from erupting and wiping out the tribes on Volcano Island.

Igraine the Brave
by Cornelia Funke

The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine wants nothing more than to be a knight; and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor bent on stealing their singing magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick
 

When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
 

The Lemonade War
by Jacqueline Davies

Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars.

Mom for Mayor
by Nancy Edwards

Upon learning that the city has sold his neighborhood park to developers, fifth-grader Eric Clark determines to help his community by getting his mother elected mayor.

Mostly Monty
by Johanna Hurwitz

Because he suffers from asthma, six-year-old Monty is nervous about starting first grade but he soon learns to cope with his illness and use his special talents to make friends.

No Talking
by Andrew Clements

The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.

Pig Pickin'
by Stephanie Greene

Hildy is thrilled when a farmer invites her to enter his "pig pickin'" contest, believing it to be a competition to pick the prettiest pig, but when Moose learns what pig pickin' really is, he must come up with a way to save his friend.

Rosy Cole's Memoir Explosion
 by Sheila Greenwald

When Rosy writes a memoir about herself and her friends for a school assignment, she is surprised when they are not thrilled with the result.

Roxie and the Hooligans
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Roxie Warbler, the niece of a famous explorer, follows Uncle Dangerfoot's advice on how to survive any crisis when she becomes stranded on an island with a gang of school bullies and a pair of murderous bank robbers.

Rules
by Cynthia Lord

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with an young paraplegic.

Swindle
by Gordon Korman

After unscrupulous collector S. Wendell Palomino cons him out of a valuable baseball card, sixth-grader Griffin Bing puts together a band of misfits to break into Palomino's heavily guarded store and steal the card back, planning to use the money to finance his father's failing invention, the Smart Pick fruit picker.

Trapped
by Peg Kehret

When his owner finds an illegal animal trap in the woods, Pete the cat faces grave danger as he tries to help his human friends find the culprit who set the trap.

The World According to Kaley
by Dian Curtis Regan

Kaley Bluster has her own view of the world history she reads for her 4th grade essay writing assignments.