LibGuides: Schneider Family Book Award: Middle Grade Category

Schneider Family Book Awards

Middle Grade Category

2020-2029

WINNER: Song for a Whale by Kelly Lynne

Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
Call Number: Juv F KEL (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781524770242

Publication Date: 2019-02-05

Twelve-year-old Iris and her grandmother, both deaf, drive from Texas to Alaska armed with Iris's plan to help Blue-55, a whale unable to communicate with other whales.

HONOR BOOK: Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

Each Tiny Spark by Cartaya, Pablo
Call Number: Juv F CAR (Juvenile Fiction)

ISBN: 9780451479723

Publication Date: 2019-08-06

Sixth-grader Emilia Torres struggles with ADHD, her controlling abuela, her mother's work commitments, her father's distance after returning from deployment, evolving friendships, and a conflict over school redistricting.

WINNER: Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

HONOR BOOKS:

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, color by Iman Geddy

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit
Call Number: Juv F KAP (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780525554189

Publication Date: 2020-02-25

Eleven-year-old knuckleball pitcher Vivy Cohen, who has autism, becomes pen pals with her favorite Major League baseball player after writing a letter to him as an assignment for her social skills class.

WINNER: A Bird Will Soar by Alison Green Myers

A Bird Will Soar by Alison Green Myers
Call Number: Juv F GRE (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780593325674

Publication Date: 2021-10-19

After a tornado, Axel, who loves birds, finds an injured eaglet, and helps to rescue it--and also helps to resolve the problems in his broken family, and draw his father back home.

HONOR BOOKS:

Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Raúl the Third
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds; Raúl the Raúl the Third (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv F REY (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781534418165

Publication Date: 2021-11-30

Portico Reeves' secret identity as Stuntboy allows him to use his superpower to keep everybody safe, but when his superhero parents start fighting a lot he feels the responsibility to save them.

_____

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
Call Number: Juv F MNI (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780593374252

Publication Date: 2021-10-19

When she discovers that her small Scottish town used to burn witches simply because they were different, a neurodivergent girl who sees and hears things others cannot refuses to let them be forgotten.

WINNER: Wildoak by C. C. Harrington

Wildoak by C. C. Harrington
Call Number: JUV F HAR (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781338803860

Publication Date: 2022-09-20

Twelve-year-old Maggie's stutter causes her much heartache and only her menagerie of pets, whom she can speak with fluidly, provide her comfort, but when she finds Rumpus, an abandoned snow leopard, in a forest in Cornwall, their chance encounter will change their lives forever.

HONOR BOOKS:

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd
Call Number: JUV F LLO (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781338654585

Publication Date: 2022-08-02

When twelve-year-old Olive, who suffers from brittle bone disease and has been homeschooled all her life, finally attends school in person she soon discovers fitting in is not that easy, but if she can find the magical wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives nearby, and prove herself worthy, maybe her deepest wish will be granted.
Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn
Call Number: Juv F MDU (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781547606252

Publication Date: 2022-03-01

Struggling with ADHD, loneliness, and connecting with his divorced father who would rather see him embrace sports instead of cooking, sixth-grader Elliott finds an unlikely friend in popular, perfect Maribel when the two are paired in a school-wide contest.

WINNER

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
Call Number: JUV F PLA

ISBN: 9780063268791

Publication Date: 2023-07-11

Follows thirteen-year-old neurodivergent Maudie during an eventful summer in California with her father, where she struggles with whether to share a terrible secret about life with her mom and stepdad.

HONOR BOOK

Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
Call Number: JUV F KUY

ISBN: 9781338816105

Publication Date: 2023-04-04

Seventh-grader Selah Godfrey knows that to be "normal" she has to keep her feelings tightly controlled when people are around, but after hitting a fellow student, she needs to figure out just what makes her different--and why that is OK. Told in verse.
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
Call Number: JUV F BOW

ISBN: 9781368082853

Publication Date: 2023-01-31

Two years after a tragedy saddles him with viral fame, twelve-year-old Simon O'Keeffe and his family move to Grin And Bear It, Nebraska, where the internet and cell phones are banned so astrophysicists can scan the sky for signs of alien life, and where, with the help of two new friends, a puppy, and a giant radio telescope, Simon plans to restart the narrative of his life.

WINNER

Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Popcorn by Rob Harrell
Call Number: JUV F HAR

ISBN: 9780593697924

Publication Date: 2024-09-03

Andrew's just trying to make it through Picture Day, which is easier said than done when it seems like the whole world is out to get him--from a bully to a science experiment gone wrong to a someone else's juice snot (don't ask). But as Andrew goes through the school day, and as one thing after another goes wrong, that little kernel of worry in his stomach is getting hotter and hotter, until it threatens to pop and turn into a public panic attack, his worst fear. He tries to keep his anxiety at bay, but the news that his grandmother with Alzheimer's is missing is too much.

HONOR BOOK

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu
Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

2010-2019

WINNER: Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Call Number: Juv F BAS (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781416963783

Publication Date: 2009-03-24

Jason, a twelve-year-old autistic boy who wants to become a writer, relates what his life is like as he tries to make sense of his world.

WINNER: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Call Number: J-Fiction SO (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780439837064

Publication Date: 2010-02-01

Although Jeff and Tad help one another overcome effects of their cancer treatments to prepare for eighth-grade graduation, Jeff still craves advice from his older brother who is studying drums in Africa.

WINNERS:

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Call Number: YA F BAU-J (Young adult fiction)

ISBN: 9780142420171

Publication Date: 2012-01-05

Twelve-year-old Foster McFee and her mother escape from her mother's abusive boyfriend and end up in the small town of Culpepper, West Virginia, where they use their strengths and challenge themselves to build a new life, with the help of the friends they make there.
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv F SEL (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780545027892

Publication Date: 2011-09-13

After losing his mother and his hearing, Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets Rose.

WINNER: A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean
Call Number: J-Fiction LE (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780062122209

Publication Date: 2012-09-04

Cally stops talking, partly because her father & brother never speak of her mother's recent death, but friendships with a homeless man & a disabled boy ensure she still communicates.

WINNER: Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell
Call Number: J-Fiction HA (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780062008169

Publication Date: 2013-05-28

Yearning for life in a cloistered scriptorium, thirteen-year-old Princess Matilda, whose lame foot brings fear of the evil eye, escapes her scheming cousin Ivo and joins her servant Judith and an old friend, Parz, in hunting dragons and writing about them.

WINNER: Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
Call Number: J-Fiction MA (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780312643003

Publication Date: 2014-10-07

Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms, which is why she named her stray dog Rain, a name with two homonyms, which makes the name very special in Rose's mind. After recovering Rain from being lost in a severe thunderstorm, she discovers Rain has an implanted microchip and must face losing the dog once again.

WINNERS:

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Call Number: J-Fiction HU (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780399162596

Publication Date: 2015-02-05

Ally's greatest fear is that everyone will find out she is as dumb as they think she is because she still doesn't know how to read.
FIsh in a Tree [streaming audiobook] by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Call Number: J-Fiction HU Audiobk (OverDrive)

ISBN: 9781101890707

Publication Date: 2015

WINNER: As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds

As Brave As You by Reynolds, Jason
Call Number: JUV F REY (Juvenile Fiction)

ISBN: 9781481415903

Publication Date: 2016-05-03

Scooping poop at his grandparent's house - that sure as heck wasn't the way eleven-year-old Genie expected to be spending his summer. But when his parents send him and his big brother, Ernie, to Virginia to experience the great (not!) outdoors, they're in for some big surprises. First, there are chores galore (picking peas, really?). Second, Grandpop just might be completely off his rocker. The man has a big ol' secret - and once Genie learns what it is, all of Grandpop's oddities start to make sense. Like why he locks himself up in a room that's filled with birds. And why he never - not ever, no sir, no how, no way - steps foot outside. On top of that, Grandpop has a crazy idea for how to celebrate Ernie's fourteenth birthday. Actually, to Genie it isn't so crazy, but Ernie thinks it's completely wack. Genie wonders if that's because Ernie isn't brave enough. but is being brave doing something? Or knowing when not to?

WINNER: Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green

Macy Mcmillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green
Call Number: Juv F GRE (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781772780338

Publication Date: 2017-05-15

Olivia has been Macy McMillan's best friend ever since Macy transferred to Hamiliton Elementary from Braeside School for the Deaf. But then their sixth grade teacher assigned that embarrassing family tree project, and Olivia made a joke about Macy's father, and now neither girl is speaking -- signing -- to the other. It couldn't have happened at a worse time. With her mother getting married and an ugly For Sale sign jammed into their yard, Macy could really use a best friend right now. But it seems the only person who has time for her these days is Iris Gillan from next door. And it's not like a crabby old woman who doesn't even know sign language is going to be any comfort. Right?

WINNER: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
Call Number: Juv F CON (Juvenile Fiction)

ISBN: 9780062491435

Publication Date: 2018-01-23

Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason's learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason's best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family's orchard. An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can't understand why Lieutenant Baird won't believe the story Mason has told about that day.

HONOR BOOK: The Collectors by Jacqueline West

The Collectors by Jacqueline West
Call Number: Juv F WES (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780062691699

Publication Date: 2018-10-09

Overlooked in class, a hearing-impaired boy who collects lost or discarded trinkets discovers a dangerous underground world full of stolen wishes and the people who collect them.

2004-2009

WINNER: A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
Call Number: Juv F MAS (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780756970215

Publication Date: 2006-09-01

Afraid that she is crazy, thirteen-year-old Mia, who sees a special color with every letter, number, and sound, keeps this a secret until she becomes overwhelmed by school, changing relationships, and the death of her beloved cat, Mango.

WINNER: Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Call Number: J-Fiction RY (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780439269698

Publication Date: 2004-09-01

When Naomi's absent mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great-grandmother and younger brother in search of her father.
Becoming Naomi Leon [streaming audiobook] by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Call Number: J-Fiction RY Audiobk (OverDrive)

ISBN: 9780739344705

Publication Date: 2006

WINNER: Tending to Grace by Kimberly Fusco Newton

Tending to Grace by Kimberly Newton Fusco
Call Number: J-Fiction FU (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780375828621

Publication Date: 2004-05-11

When Cornelia's mother runs off with a boyfriend, leaving her with an eccentric aunt, Cornelia must finally confront the truth about herself and her mother.

WINNER: Rules by Cynthia Lord

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Call Number: J-Fiction LO (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780439443821

Publication Date: 2006-04-01

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
Rules [E-Book] by Cynthia Lord
Call Number: J-Fiction LO Ebook (OverDrive)

ISBN: 9780545666206

Publication Date: 2013-09-24

WINNER: Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Call Number: J-Fiction ZI (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9781599900377

Publication Date: 2007-03-06

In this novel written in verse, Josie, who has cerebral palsy, befriends a boy who moves into a house behind her old farmhouse.

WINNER: Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
Call Number: J-Fiction CO (Juvenile fiction)

ISBN: 9780060890889

Publication Date: 2008-02-05

Addie tries to cope with her mother's odd behavior and separation from her stepfather and half-sisters when she and her mother move to a trailer by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of town.

Schneider Family Book Award

2020-2029

WINNER: Song for a Whale by Kelly Lynne

HONOR BOOK: Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

WINNER: Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

HONOR BOOKS:

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, color by Iman Geddy

WINNER: A Bird Will Soar by Alison Green Myers

HONOR BOOKS:

Stuntboy, in the Meantime by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Raúl the Third

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

WINNER: Wildoak by C. C. Harrington

HONOR BOOKS:

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn

WINNER

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

HONOR BOOK

Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

WINNER

Popcorn by Rob Harrell

HONOR BOOK

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

2010-2019

WINNER: Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

WINNER: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

WINNERS:

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

WINNER: A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean

WINNER: Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell

WINNER: Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

WINNERS:

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

WINNER: As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds

WINNER: Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green

WINNER: The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

HONOR BOOK: The Collectors by Jacqueline West

2004-2009

WINNER: A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

WINNER: Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan

WINNER: Tending to Grace by Kimberly Fusco Newton

WINNER: Rules by Cynthia Lord

WINNER: Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

WINNER: Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor