Texas Bluebonnet Award
2007-2008 Master List

The Texas Library Association sponsors the
Texas Bluebonnet Award reading list
solely t o encourage free voluntary reading.

Abbott, Tony. 2006. Firegirl. New York: Little, Brown. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-316-01171-1, $15.99. Reviews

When Jessica, horribly disfigured by a car fire, enters Tom Bender’s seventh grade classroom at St. Catherine’s school, she triggers a connection with Tom that changes his perception of himself and his friends.

Bauer, Marion Dane. 2005. The Blue Ghost. Illustrated by Suling Wang. New York: Random House. Library Edition, ISBN: 0-375-93179-1, $13.99. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-375-83179-7, $11.95. Paperback Edition, Random House (2006), ISBN: 0-375-83339-0, $3.99. Reviews

While visiting her grandmother, Liz learns about her family’s history when she encounters a blue ghost and steps back in time to answer a call for help.

Borden, Louise. 2004. The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands. Illustrated by Niki Daly. New York: Margaret McElderry. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-689-84502-2, $18.95. Reviews

In the winter of 1941, a ten-year old Dutch boy, Piet Janssen, tests his courage and ice skating skills by outsmarting German soldiers when he leads two children over the icy canals to Belgium.

Couloumbis, Audrey. 2005. The Misadventures of Maude March. New York: Random House. Library Edition, ISBN: 0-375-93245-3, $17.99. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-375-83245-9, $15.95. Paperback Edition, Yearling (2007), ISBN: 0-375-83247-5, $6.50. Audio CD, Listening Library (2006), ISBN: 0-739-33545-6, $45.00. Audio Cassette, Listening Library (2006), ISBN: 0-739-33609-6, $35.00. Reviews

Orphans Maude and Sallie head across the frontier to search for their uncle, and their rip-roaring exploits -- including horse theft, bank robbery, and murder -- begin to resemble the plots of the dime novels Sallie loves to read.

Dowell, Frances O’Roark. 2005. Chicken Boy. New York: Atheneum. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-689-85816-7, $15.95. Large Print Edition, Thorndike (2006), ISBN: 0-786-28280-0, $22.95. Paperback Edition, Aladdin (2007), ISBN: 1-416-93482-0, $5.99. Audio CD, Listening Library, ISBN: 0-307-24562-4, $30.00. Reviews

Tobin, usually a loner, becomes friends with Henry and gets involved helping Henry raise chickens, which allows Tobin an escape from his disconnected father, delinquent siblings, and a troublesome grandmother.

Freeman, Martha. 2005. Who Stole Halloween? New York: Holiday House. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-8234-1962-2, $16.95. Reviews

While trying to solve a mystery involving missing cats, Alex reluctantly lets his friend Yasmeen talk him into allowing his cat Luau become a decoy to catch the culprit.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. 2005. Double Identity. New York: Simon & Schuster. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-689-87374-3, $15.95. Reviews

Twelve-year-old Bethany’s parents suddenly leave her with an unknown aunt; then Bethany learns of a dead sister who looked exactly like Bethany. Now Bethany must discover the truth about herself.

Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. Weedflower. New York: Atheneum. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-689-86574-9, $16.95. Audio CD, Listening Library, ISBN: 0-307-28413-1, $30.00. Reviews

When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, the American government forces twelve-year-old Sumiko and her family to leave their California flower farm and live in a Japanese internment camp in Poston, Arizona.

Kehret, Peg. 2005. The Ghost’s Grave. New York: Dutton. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-525-46162-0, $16.99. Reviews

Josh is spending the summer at his Aunt Ethel’s house. He encounters a peacock that may be his Aunt Florence and a ghost whose body is buried with a mysterious box of cash.

Lin, Grace. 2006. The Year of the Dog. New York: Little, Brown. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-316-06000-3, $14.95. Reviews

Grace is the only Taiwanese-American girl in her class until Melody arrives. She and Grace become friends throughout the “Year of the Dog,” as Grace grows into her cultural identity.

Markle, Sandra. 2005. Outside and Inside Mummies. New York: Walker. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-8027-8966-8, $17.95. Reviews

Using new scientific methods, researchers are learning about mummies from the inside out.  X-rays, CT scans, and computers help scientists solve the mysteries about people who lived and died in ancient times.

Montgomery, Claire and Monte. 2005. Hubert Invents the Wheel. Illustrated by Jeff Shelly. New York: Walker. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-8027-8990-0, $16.95. Reviews

Go back five thousand years and meet Hubert, a boy with big dreams and a wild imagination. He’s constantly experimenting and inventing, while his father, Gorp, wants him to join the family hauling business.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. 2006. Roxie and the Hooligans. New York: Ginee Seo/Atheneum. Trade Edition, ISBN: 1-4169-0243-0, $15.95. Reviews

"Don’t panic" is Roxie’s golden rule of survival. But, it’s not an easy task as she confronts playground bullies, is dumped with the garbage, and encounters a duo of murderous thieves.

Nolan, Lucy. 2005. Down Girl and Sit: On the Road. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-7614-5234-6, $14.95. Reviews

Down Girl gives a dog’s-eye account of several outings – from generously providing her owner with a smelly fish to savoring the discomfort of her nemesis, Here Kitty Kitty, at the Vet’s office.

Osborne, Mary Pope. 2006. Pompeii: Lost and Found. Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen. New York: Knopf. Library Edition, ISBN: 0-375-92889-8, $18.99. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-375-82889-3, $16.95. Reviews

Osborne and Christensen ask readers to become archaeologists, imagining the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 CE and interpreting the daily life of this very “modern” ancient Roman town.

Schubert, Leda. 2006. Ballet of the Elephants. Illustrated by Robert Parker. New Milford, Connecticut: Brodie/Roaring Brook. Trade Edition, ISBN: 1-59643-075-3, $17.95. Reviews

In the early 1940s, John Ringling North, Igor Stravinsky, and George Balanchine collaborated to create an unusual circus act -- elephants in pink tutus partnering with beautiful ballerinas to perform the Circus Polka.

Skye, Obert. 2005. Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo. Salt Lake City, Utah: Shadow Mountain. Trade Edition, ISBN: 1-59038-369-9, $17.95. Paperback Edition, Simon & Schuster (2006), ISBN: 1-4169-2806-5, $7.99. Audio CD, Shadow Mountain, ISBN: 1-59038-408-3, $29.95. Audio CD, Simon & Schuster (2006), ISBN: 0-743-56200-3, $34.95. Reviews

 Leven Thumps, a boy with a power to change the future, begins a mission to save the dreams of humankind and the land of Foo from the evil Sabine.

Stanley, Diane. 2006. Bella at Midnight. New York: HarperCollins. Library Edition, ISBN: 0-06-077574-2, $16.89. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-06-077573-4, $15.99. Reviews

Written in multiple voices, this Cinderella tale chronicles Bella’s magical quest to save her kingdom from war and warn her childhood friend, Prince Julian, of the threat against his life.

Taylor, Gaylia. 2006. George Crum and the Saratoga Chip. Illustrated by Frank Morrison. New York: Lee & Low. Trade Edition, ISBN: 1-58430-255-0, $16.95. Reviews

 Teased as a child, George Crum could turn feisty. When he became a chef, a fussy customer insisted her French fries weren’t crisp, so feisty George whipped up a new creation: the potato chip.

Yep, Laurence. 2006. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. New York: HarperCollins. Library Edition, ISBN: 0-06-027525-1, $15.89. Trade Edition, ISBN: 0-06-027524-3, $14.99. Reviews

Henry, the son of a wealthy banker, and Chin, the son of the Chinese houseboy, describe the 1906 earthquake in alternating chapters. When a firestorm breaks out, both boys discover the true meaning of heroism.

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The TBA Committee selected the 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List titles after receiving suggestions from librarians, teachers, parents, students and others. The Master List books, all recommended by one or more reviewing source, should be evaluated in terms of each library’s selection policy. It is not mandatory that a school or public library purchase all titles listed.

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