Rapunzel
By: Paul O. Zelinsky
Medal Winner
NOT REVIEWED
Surely among the most original and gifted of illustrators, Paul O. Zelinsky once again has crafted a unique vision of an age-old tale. Drawing on elements from early French and Italian sources as well as from the Grimms, the artist brings forth the humanity of Rapunzel, taking us beyond the events of the story to discover its powerful, enduring truths. His stunning oil paintings evoke not a barren, forbidding tower, but one of esoteric beauty and physical luxury; not an ugly witch who cruelly imprisons a young girl, but a mother figure who powerfully resists her child's inevitable growth; and two young people who must struggle in the wilderness for the self-reliance that marks the true beginning of adulthood. Resonant with the complex flow of human relationships, this book is a work of rare endeavor.
From the dust jacket
The Gardener
By: Sarah Stewart
Illustrated by: David Small
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds, plenty of stationery, and a passion for gardening to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, brightening the bakery and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece, which she hopes will be powerful enough to maker even Uncle Jim smile.
Colored by a Depression-era setting, The Gardener introduces readers to a winsome and determined young heroine, whose generosity will reward all who meet her.
From the dust jacket
Harlem
By: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrated by: Christopher Myers
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Father and son celebrate a rich and vibrant neighborhood that has been a historic center of African-American culture in New York City. Walter Dean Myers gives poetry a jazz backbeat to tell Harlem's story.
From the publisher
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
By: Simms Taback
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Everyone knows the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly, a spider, a bird, and even worse, but who’s ever seen what’s going on inside the old lady’s stomach? With this inventive die-cut artwork, Simms Tabak gives us a rollicking, eye-popping version of the well-loved poem.
From the publisher
