2018 AML Award Finalists #2: Children’s literature

Camille Andros and Julie Morstad. The Dress and the Girl. Abrams Books.

A little girl and her favorite dress dream of an extraordinary life. They enjoy simple pleasures together on a beautiful Greek island. One day, the dress and the girl must leave the island and immigrate to the United States. Upon arrival, the girl is separated from the trunk carrying her favorite dress, and she fears her dress is lost forever. Many years later, the girl—now all grown up—spots the dress in a thrift store window. As the two are finally reunited, the memories of their times together come flooding back. While the girl can no longer wear the dress, it’s now perfect for her own daughter—and the new journey of a girl and her dress begins. Featuring lush illustrations, The Dress and the Girl is a stunning picture book about memory and the power of the items we hold most dear.

Camille Andros has made her home in Israel, Utah, Arizona, California, Ohio, Nevada, and, now, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has her BA in health science, is an EMT, and danced ballet for fourteen years. Julie Morstad is an award-winning artist living with her family in Vancouver. She is the illustrator of many books for children, including Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova, When Green Becomes Tomatoes, and This Is Sadie.

Shauna Gibby and Casey Nelson. Jesus is Born: A Flashlight Discovery Book. Deseret Book.

This Christmas, give your children a magical reading experience as they learn the story of Christ’s birth. With a flashlight in hand, they can illuminate the pages to find hidden pictures that show who visited Mary the mother of Jesus, where the baby Jesus slept, what the shepherds in the fields saw that night, and much more! All you need is the book, your family, and anything that shines a light.

Shauna Gibby lives in Layton, Utah, and has five children and sixteen grandchildren. She has a degree in psychology and art from Weber State University, and works as a designer at Deseret Book Company. She has authored several pieces for the Friend magazine and LDS Living Magazine, and the ebook FHE from A to Z. Casey Nelson holds a degree in illustration and has worked as a figure drawing teacher in BYU’s illustration department, performed in an improvisational comedy troupe, and been an artist for video games. After fourteen years working for the Walt Disney Company, Casey is now pursuing a master’s degree in illustration. Their previous book, Heroic Stories from The Book of Mormon, was also an AML Award finalist.

Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham. The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare. Candlewick.

Princess Magnolia is excited. Excited and nervous. She’s going to the Interkingdom Science Fair today to present her poster about seeds and plants, and when she arrives, she sees that her friends are there too! Princess Honeysuckle made a mole habitat, Princess Sneezewort has built a blanket fort, and Tommy Wigtower has a talking volcano that’s saying “EAAAAT!” Wait, what? A surprise goo monster makes this a job for the Princess in Black, and the Princess in Blankets is on the scene to lend a hand. But will two masked heroes be enough to save the science fair? A little scientific problem-solving — and a lot of princess power — will make the sixth entry in the New York Times best-selling series a smash hit.

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of sixteen children’s and young adult novels, including multiple award winners The Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days, and Newbery Honor recipient Princess Academy. She also penned three books for adults, beginning with Austenland. She co-wrote the graphic novels Rapunzel’s Revenge and Real Friends, and the illustrated chapter book The Princess in Black series with husband Dean Hale. Shannon has received AML Awards for Emma Burning, Princess Academy, and Real Friends, and has been a finalist or honorable mention winner several times. LeUyen Pham wrote and illustrated Big Sister, Little Sister and The Bear Who Wasn’t There, and is the illustrator of numerous other picture books, including God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. LeUyen Pham lives in California.

Lori Mortensen and Matt Phelan. If Wendell Had a Walrus. Henry Holt.

In this heartwarming story about friendship and imagination, a boy named Wendell dreams of getting a pet walrus. Together, they’d ride bikes, tell jokes, and have a grand time. If only he could find one! But looking for a walrus turns out to be its own adventure, one with an unexpected and happy result.

Lori Mortensen is the author of Chicken Lily, Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg, and Cindy Moo. She lives with her husband in California. Matt Phelan has illustrated many books for young readers, including Xander’s Panda Party and Marilyn’s Monster. He has also written and illustrated a number of graphic novels, such as Snow White and The Storm in the Barn, winner of the Scott O’Dell Award.

Amy Newbold and Greg Newbold. If Da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur. Tilbury House Publishers.

In this sequel to the tour de force children’s art-history picture book If Picasso Painted a Snowman, Amy Newbold conveys nineteen artists’ styles in a few deft words, while Greg Newbold’s chameleon-like artistry shows us Edgar Degas’ dinosaur ballerinas, Cassius Coolidge’s dinosaurs playing Go Fish, Hokusai’s dinosaurs surfing a giant wave, and dinosaurs smelling flowers in Mary Cassatt’s garden; grazing in Grandma Moses’ green valley; peeking around Diego Rivera’s orchids in Frida Kahlo’s portrait; tiptoeing through Baishi’s inky bamboo; and cavorting, stampeding, or hiding in canvases by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Franz Marc, Harrison Begay, Alma Thomas, Aaron Douglas, Mark Rothko, Lois Mailou Jones, Marguerite Zorach, and Edvard Munch. And, of course, striking a Mona Lisa pose for Leonardo da Vinci.

Amy Newbold conceived IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN book while visiting the Musée Picasso in Paris. If she were to draw a snowman, she would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another…or maybe just two. Now she’s back with If Da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur. Award-winning illustrator Greg Newbold grew up drawing superheroes and Dr. Seuss characters on giant rolls of newsprint in his childhood basement. Greg has created work for clients such as Kleenex, Fedex, Heinz, Smucker’s, and American Express as well as illustrating a dozen books for children, including If Da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur, If Picasso Painted a Snowman, The Barnyard Night Before Christmas, The Touch of the Master’s Hand, Winter Lullaby, and Spring Song. Amy and Greg live in Salt Lake City.

SLJ: “When 12-year-old Della finds her mom digging black seeds from a watermelon in the middle of the night, she worries that the schizophrenia that put her mom in the hospital several years ago is back. Along with the stress of her mother’s illness, her dad is struggling to save the family farm as scorching hot temperatures and a drought threaten the crops. Della asks the local Bee Lady for magic honey, which has been known to repair the wounds of residents in their North Carolina town for generations. But as her mom’s symptoms worsen, Della begins to see that rather than trying to fix her mama, she must find a way to love and accept her  . . . Middle grade stories about mental illness, particularly those that focus on empathy and acceptance, are rare. This heartfelt story will stay with readers.”

Cindy Baldwin is a fiction writer, essayist, and poet. She grew up in North Carolina and still misses the sweet watermelons and warm accents on a daily basis. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and daughter, surrounded by tall trees and wild blackberries. Her debut novel, Where The Watermelons Grow, received multiple starred reviews and was named an Indies Introduce and Indie Next title for 2018.

Audiobook only. Maeve Merritt chafes at the rigid rules at her London boarding school for “Upright Young Ladies.” When punishment forces her to sort through the trash, she finds a sardine tin that houses a foul-tempered djinni with no intention of submitting to a schoolgirl as his master. Soon an orphan boy from the charitable home next door, a mysterious tall man in ginger whiskers, a disgruntled school worker, and a take-no-prisoners business tycoon are in hot pursuit of Maeve and her magical discovery. It’ll take all of her quick thinking and sass to set matters right.

Julie Berry earned an M.F.A. in writing from Vermont College of the Fine Arts, and published her first novel for young readers in 2009.  All the Truth That’s In Me, her first YA novel, was named a 2013 Horn Book Fanfare title and a School Library Journal Best of 2013 book. The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place (2014) won many awards, including an AML Middle Grade Novel Award. The Passion of Dolssa won a 2017 Printz Honor from the American Library Association, was a New York Times Notable title, and was an AML Award finalist. Her upcoming novel, Lovely War, releases this spring from Viking children’s books.

SJL: “Sixth grader Flint (aka Squint) is feverishly trying to finish making his comic book in order to enter it in a contest. Due to a genetic eye disease, he wears thick glasses and has double, sometimes triple or quadruple, vision. When McKell, a new girl at school and part of the popular group, sits with him at lunch, he’s wary at first, but she seems genuine. She invites him to take a hike after school and talks about her brother Danny’s YouTube videos where he posts challenges asking people to push themselves and try new things. After Flint tears his cornea and has surgery, he sees better than he has in years, a cause for celebration until he sees his comic more clearly and realizes that it isn’t as good as he thought. He quits drawing, but after Danny dies of heart disease, a consequence of having progeria, a disease where you prematurely age, he works with McKell to fulfill Danny’s last challenge, a chance for them both to achieve their dreams.”

Chad Morris and Shelly Brown are the proud parents of five children. Their previous novel, Mustaches for Maddie, was a finalist for AML and Whitney awards. Morris has also written the Cragbridge Hall Trilogy, and Brown wrote Ghostsitter.

SLJ: “Dwarves live and work underground, and dwarflings are taught to fear the Surface and the humans who live there. Borlen’s scandalous curiosity about the Earth and his fear of depths make life underground a misery, earning him the nickname Grump. When he eventually escapes to the Surface, he befriends a human queen who treats him as a trusted advisor. It is only when the queen uses Borlen’s words to justify her attempt to kill Snow White that he realizes her true character. When he finds himself magically sworn to serve the queen and to protect Snow White, he struggles to do the right thing while finding a place where he belongs. Shurtliff’s fourth fractured fairy tale boasts the same intricate world-building, expansive character development, and rich imagery as her other novels.”

Liesl Shurtliff grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and just as Snow White had seven dwarves, Liesl had seven siblings to keep her company! Liesl graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music, dance, and theater. Her first three books, Rump, Jack, and Red are all New York Times bestsellers, and Rump was named to over two dozen state award lists and won an ILA Children’s Book Award. She lives in Chicago with her family, where she continues to spin fairy tales. This is her second time as an AML Award finalist.

Young Adult Novel

Tricia Levenseller. Daughter of the Siren Queen. Feiwel & Friends.

SLJ: “The author has yet again captured the adventure, romance, and ruthless ways of the high seas in this sequel to Daughter of the Pirate King. It picks up with the story of Alosa, a half-siren, half-human princess who is captain of the Ava-lee, a ship with an almost all-women crew . . . This fast-moving adventure with strong female characters would be great for those who love a good pirate story, a touch of romance, and action-packed sword fighting.”

Tricia Levenseller is the author of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology and forthcoming standalone, Warrior of the Wild. She likes to describe her books as young adult alternate–world historical fantasies with heavy romantic subplots. Initially from a small town in Oregon, Tricia now lives next to the Rocky Mountains with her bossy dog, Rosy. She received her degree in English Language and editing, and she is thrilled that she never has to read a textbook again.

Jennifer A. Nielson. The Traitor’s Game. Scholastic.

Kirkus: “A rebellious lady fends off and flirts with actual rebels in this series starter. Recalled after three years of desert exile, 16-year-old white Kestra Dallisor is kidnapped by Corack rebels while en route. Blackmailed and released to the wary supervision of former servant Simon Hatch and erratic Trina, Kestra returns home with a mission: find a book, find a blade, and help overthrow the evil Lord Endrick, last of the Endrean magic users, leader of the Dominion and ruthless ruler of Antora . . . This mostly medieval, somewhat fantasy tale ricochets among underdog rebellion, improbable heist, and torrid, florid, forbidden romance.”

Brandon Sanderson. Skyward. Random House Children’s.

PW: “In a mysterious world called Detritus where humans live below the surface, 16-year-old Spensa must overcome her deceased starfighter pilot father’s reputation as a coward following his alleged desertion. She has always hoped to follow in his footsteps and defend her home from the increasingly devastating attacks of the alien Krell. After earning a cadet spot in the Defiant Defense Force, Spensa pushes to prove herself amid relentless, unforgiving, possibly fatal training . . . With this action-packed trilogy opener, Sanderson offers up a resourceful, fearless heroine and a memorable cast—including a strangely humorous, mushroom-obsessed robot—set against the backdrop of a desperate conflict.

Brandon Sanderson’s many books include Elantris (2005 AML Novel Award), the Mistborn series, and The Stormlight Archive series, and the middle-grade Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians series, and the young adult novel The Rithmatist (2014 AML YA Speculative Award) . He was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. He has won or been a finalist for an AML Award eight times.

Kiersten White. The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein. Delacorte.

PW: “With this elegantly twisted retelling of the birth of a monster, White resurrects the Gothic tale of survival. Rescued from an abusive caregiver at age five, Elizabeth Lavenza is brought to the Frankenstein family’s villa to act as companion to young Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant child prone to rage. Elizabeth becomes everything to Victor—his champion and protector, his friend and confidante—and hones her manipulative talents. But when the errant genius leaves the family to study and doesn’t write for almost two years, leaving Elizabeth open to possible dismissal from the Frankenstein home, she enlists the aid of her friend Justine to track him down. What she discovers in a strange Bavarian town is another link in a chain of horror that only grows after he’s found . . . Fans of psychological horror will luxuriate in the familiar feel of the timeless story and thrill at its unexpected twists.”

Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling author of the And I Darken trilogy, the Paranormalcy trilogy, the Mind Games series, Illusions of Fate, The Chaos of Stars, In the Shadows, and Beanstalker and Other Hilarious Scarytales, and Slayer. She has one tall husband and three small children in San Diego, where her life is perfectly normal. This is the fourth time she has been a finalist for an AML Young Adult Novel Award.