Annal:1991 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Picture Book

The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks

Katherine Paterson, Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon

• 1991 Horn Book-picture winner
• Score: 10.41

Coveting a mandarin duck for his magnificent plumage, a greedy Japanese lord captures and cages him for all to admire. But the wild drake pines for his mate. Some compassionate servants release the drake to go to his mate, but are sentenced to death for it—and the drake comes to their rescue. Watercolor and pastel paintings illuminate this Japanese folktale.

Aardvarks, Disembark!

Ann Jonas

• 1991 Horn Book-picture honor
• Score: 6.41

When Noah called the zebras out of the Ark, he thought it was empty, but he was wrong! There were still many unusual animals aboard—from zerens to aoudads.

“Totally unique, innovative, and involving….This tour de force concludes with a list of the 132 species of animals pictured in the book, including a pronunciation of the difficult ones, along with a line of information about each. Those now extinct or endangered are indicated….From any perspective it’s a masterpiece.” —Horn Book.

Sophie and Lou

Petra Mathers

• 1991 Horn Book-picture honor
• Score: 6.41

Sophie is so shy, she goes to the supermarket when it’s empty. She would give anything to learn how to dance, but she doesn’t dare sign up for lessons. So, she borrows a how-to book from the Book-Mobile. Soon she has learned all the right steps. And then magically…a dance partner appears at her front door.