Annal:1971 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
From AwardAnnals
Results of the National Book Award in the year 1971. For a ranked list of books, try an honor roll:
The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian
- 1971 NBA–Youth winner
- 1971 Mythopoeic-Adult finalist
- Score: 16.21
When fourth fiddler Sebastian loses his place in the Baron’s orchestra, he has to leave the only home he knows—which turns out to be the least of his troubles. He rescues a stray cat from a group of tormentors, who then smash his precious violin; and the troubled young boy he tries to help turns out to be the Crown Princess, on the run from an arranged marriage. Sebastian, Princess Isabel, and Presto the cat soon find themselves fleeing stuffy officials, hired assassins, furious guardsmen and sentries—and, in their journey, find out what is truly important in…
