Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)

by David Wiesner

A bright, science minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share... and to keep.

Amazon Price: $11.56 (as of 10/12/2008)

Gone Wild (Caldecott Honor Book)

Feast your eyes on these amazing creatures before they disappear. This stampede of wild animals, from Chinese Alligator to Grevy's Zebra, are so rare, they're all endangered. David McLiman's bold and playful illustrations transform each letter into a work of art, graphically rendered with animal characteristics. Scales, horns, even insect wings transform the alphabet into animated life.

Once you take this eye-opening safari, you'll never look at letters or animals with the same way again. A striking work of art and a zoological adventure, Gone Wild is sure to be loved by children and adults alike.

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 10/12/2008)

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book)

by Carole Boston Weatherford

This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman's strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.

Amazon Price: $7.49 (as of 10/12/2008)

The Hello, Goodbye Window

by Norton Juster

Medal Winner

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. It is also a love song devoted to that special relationship between grandparents and grandchild.

Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/12/2008)

Rosa

by Nikki Giovanni

Honor Book

Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This picture- book tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed. Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovannis evocative text combines with Bryan Colliers striking cut-paper images to retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective.

Amazon Price: $12.71 (as of 10/12/2008)

Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride (Caldecott Honor Book)

The first "manned" hot-air balloon is about to take off! But what are those noises coming from the basket?

Based on the (POSSIBLY) true report of a day in 1783, this si the story of (PERHAPS) the bravest collection of flyers the world has ever seen, as (SORT OF) told to Marjorie Priceman.

Amazon Price: $12.71 (as of 10/12/2008)

Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems (Caldecott Honor Book, BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award)

by Joyce Sidman

From spring's first thaw to autumn's chill, the world of the pond is a dramatic place. Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizensfrom peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetleslead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and their mystery.

Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 10/12/2008)