From AwardAnnals
Each of these books has been nominated for a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Picture Book. They are ranked by honors received.
You may also enjoy these honor rolls:
Grandfather's Journey
Allen Say
Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather’s life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant acount of a family’s unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his own love for his two countries, and the strong and constant desire to be in both places at once.
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China
Ed Young
This “gripping variation of Red Riding Hood…is an outstanding achievement that will be pored over again and again” (School Library Journal, starred review). “The illustrations seem to throb with the mystery and terror of the wolf.”—The Horn Book, starred review.
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
John Steptoe
Mufaro was a happy man. Everyone agreed that his two daughters were very beautiful. Nyasha was kind and considerate as well as beautiful, but everyone—except Mufaro—knew that Manyara was selfish, badtempered, and spoiled.
When the king decided to take a wife and invited “The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land” to appear before him, Mufaro declared proudly that only the king could choose between Nyasha and Manyara. Manyara, of course, didn’t agree, and set out to make certain that she would be chosen.
John Steptoe has created a memorable modem fable of pride going before a fall, in keeping with the moral of the folktale that was his inspiration. He has illustrated it with stunning paintings that glow with the beauty, warmth, and internal vision of the land and people of his ancestors.
Outside Over There
Maurice Sendak
With Papa off to sea and Mama despondent, Ida must go outside over there to rescue her baby sister from goblins who steal her to be a goblin’s bride.
Mr. Gumpy's Outing
John Burningham
One sunny day Mr. Gumpy decides to take a ride in his small boat. It’s a perfect idea for a lovely summer day, and soon he is joined by children, a rabbit, a cat, a pig, and a host of other friends. But when the goat kicks, the chickens flap, the dog teases the cat and the children squabble—the boat tips into the water and everyone tumbles out. No one minds getting wet on such a nice day, though, especially since Mr. Gumpy invites everyone to his house for tea.
The Hello, Goodbye Window
Norton Juster, Chris Raschka
This is a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild. The kitchen window at Nanna and Poppy’s house is, for one little girl, a magic gateway. Everything important happens near it, through it, or beyond it. Told in her voice, her story is both a voyage of discovery and a celebration of the commonplace wonders that define childhood, expressed as a joyful fusion of text with evocative and exuberant illustrations.The world for this little girl will soon grow larger and more complex, but never more enchanting or deeply felt.
Traction Man Is Here!
Mini Grey
Traction Man—wearing combat boots, battle pants, and his warfare shirt—comes in a box, but very quickly finds the way into the imagination of his lucky boy owner. This superhero searches for the Lost Wreck of the Sieve as the boy makes a game of doing the dishes, and later in the bathtub, he conquers the Mysterious Toes that are stealing his pet, the brave little Scrubbing Brush. These are just a few of the action-packed adventures played out by the boy and his new toy that may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but can vanquish all manner of villains lurking around the house. Mini Grey’s story in words and pictures is an irresistible invitation to the private world of a child’s play.
Wolves
Emily Gravett
Rabbit borrows a book about wolves from the library. Straightforward enough. But it's not long before a sinister figure with sharp claws and a bushy tail starts to creep right off the pages. You won't believe your eyes especially if you're a rabbit.
Brilliantly witty, with amazing artwork, two surprise endings, plus fun novelty elements, "Wolves" created a real buzz of excitement among critics and booksellers alike on first publication in 2005.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Mordicai Gerstein
In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own: lyrical words and lovely paintings that present the detail, daring, and—in two dramatic foldout spreads—the vertiginous drama of Petit’s feat.
