LibGuides: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award: 2020s

Title Box

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
2020-2029

2020

Fry Bread : a Native American Family Story by Kevin Nobel Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Fry Bread : a Native American family story by Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator); Kevin Noble Maillard
Call Number: Easy NOB (Easy Fiction)

ISBN: 9781626727465

Publication Date: 2019-10-22

Using illustrations that show the diversity in Native America and spare poetic text that emphasizes fry bread in terms of provenance, this volume tells the story of a post-colonial food that is a shared tradition for Native American families all across the North American continent. Includes a recipe and an extensive author note that delves into the social ways, foodways, and politics of America's 573 recognized tribes.

All in a Drop : How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger
This Promise of Change : One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce & Debbie Levy
Ordinary Hazards : a Memoir by Nikki Grimes
Hey, Water! written & illustrated by Antoinette Portis

All in a Drop by Lori Alexander; Vivien Mildenberger (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv B LEE (Juvenile Biography)

ISBN: 9781328884206

Publication Date: 2019-08-06

For fans of the "Who Was" series, this lively, accessible, and full-color chapter book biography shows how a self-taught scientist was the first to observe the microbial life in and around us. By building his own microscope, Antony van Leeuwenhoek advanced humanity's understanding of our oft-invisible world around us

This Promise of Change : one girl's story in the fight for school equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce; Debbie Levy
Call Number: Juv 379.2 BOY (Juvenile Nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781681198521

Publication Date: 2019-01-08

In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton 12 themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann--clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students--found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen?

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes
Call Number: YA B GRI-N

ISBN: 9781629798813

Publication Date: 2019-10-08

Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir that will resonate with young readers and adults alike, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.

Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis
Call Number: Easy 553.7 POR (Easy nonfiction)

ISBN: 9780823441556

Publication Date: 2019-03-26

Splashy illustrations and simple text explore water in its many shapes and forms.

2021

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Honeybee : the busy life of apis mellifera by Candace Fleming; Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 595.79 FLE (Juvenile Nonfiction)

ISBN: 9780823442850

Publication Date: 2020-02-04

Describes the life cycle of the hard-working honeybee.

How We Got to the Moon : the People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure written & illustrated by John Rocco
Exquisite : the Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
All Thirteen : the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

How We Got to the Moon by John Rocco
Call Number: Juv 629.45 ROC (Juvenile Nonfiction)

ISBN: 9780525647416

Publication Date: 2020-10-06

This beautifully illustrated, oversized guide to the people and technology of the moon landing by award-winning author/illustrator John Rocco is a must-have for space fans, classrooms, and tech geeks.

Exquisite : the poetry and life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade; Cozbi A. Cabrera (Illustrator)
Call Number: East B BRO (Easy biography)

ISBN: 9781419734113

Publication Date: 2020-04-07

A biography of African American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks.

All Thirteen : the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat
Call Number: Juv 796.52 SOO (Juvenile nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781536209457

Publication Date: 2020-10-13

On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon's adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. Combining firsthand interviews of rescue workers with in-depth science and details of the region's culture and religion, [the author]...masterfully shows how both the complex engineering operation above ground and the mental struggles of the thirteen young people below proved critical in the life-or-death mission.

2022

The People's Painter : How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art by Cynthia Levinson, illustrated by Evan Turk

The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgetter Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin
We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac
Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sara S. Brannen
Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

The Great Stink : how Joseph Bazalgette solved London's poop pollution problem by Colleen Paeff; Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv B BAZ (Juvenile biography)

ISBN: 9781534449299

Publication Date: 2021-08-31

This funny and informative picture book tells the story of Joseph Bazalgette, a 19th century engineer who designed London's first comprehensive sewage system. In doing so, he saved thousands of lives from cholera outbreaks that regularly plagued the city. This STEM-focused story provides a window into the past and shows how one invention went on to affect generations to come--and teaches kids how they can prevent pollution in their own neighborhoods today.

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Fallout : spies, superbombs, and the ultimate Cold War showdown by Steve Sheinkin
Call Number: YA 972.91 SHE-S (Young adult nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781250149015

Publication Date: 2021-09-07

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We Are Still Here! : Native American truths everyone should know by Traci Sorell; Frane Lessac (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 973.04 SOR (Juvenile nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781623541927

Publication Date: 2021-04-20

Too often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of relevant and ongoing. This companion book to the award-winning We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people's past, present, and future. Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including: forced assimilation (such as boarding schools), land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination (the US government not recognizing tribes as nations), Native urban relocation (from reservations), self-determination (tribal self-empowerment), Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development (including casino development), Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood.

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Summertime Sleepers : animals that estivate by Melissa Stewart; Sarah Brannen (Illustrator)
Call Number: Easy 571.786 STE (Easy nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781580897167

Publication Date: 2021-04-27

Estivation is just like hibernation - only it happens in summer instead of winter. Why do some animals settle into cool, snug spots and sink into a summertime sleep? Because it's too hot for their bodies to function, or their food is in short supply. Some estivating animals sleep groups; others rest alone. Some go on a long journey before they slumber; others hunker down right at home. From the pixie frog to the spotted turtle to the desert hedgehog, discover how a variety of animals survive by taking a break during the hottest days of the year.

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Unspeakable : the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford; Floyd Cooper (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 976.6 WEA (Juvenile nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781541581203

Publication Date: 2021-02-02

On May 31 and June 1, 1921, an armed mob looted homes and businesses as Black families fled. The police did nothing to protect Greenwood, and as many as three hundred African Americans were killed, most buried in unmarked graves. Thousands were left homeless. No official investigation occurred until seventy-five years later. Unspeakable helps young readers understand the events of the Tulsa, Oklahoma race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history.

2023

Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partidge; illustrated by Lauren Tamaki

Seen and Unseen : what Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatke, and Ansel Adams's photographs reveal about the Japanese American incarceration by Lauren Tamaki (Illustrator); Elizabeth Partridge
Call Number: JUV 940.53 TAM (Juvenile nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781452165103

Publication Date: 2022-10-25

Legendary photographers Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams all photographed the Japanese American incarceration, but with different approaches-and different results. This nonfiction picture book for middle grade readers examines the Japanese-American incarceration-and the complexity of documenting it-through the work of these three photographers.

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy; illustrated by Janelle Washington
A Seed Grows written & illustrated by Antoinette Portis
Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomer Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel; illustrated by Susan Gal

Choosing Brave : how Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy; Janelle Washington (Illustrator)
Call Number: JUV B TIL (Juvenile biography)

ISBN: 9781250220950

Publication Date: 2022-09-06

The story of the mother of Emmett Till, and how she channeled grief over her son's death into a call to action for the civil rights movement.
A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis
Call Number: EASY 575.68 POR (Easy nonfiction)

ISBN: 9780823448920

Publication Date: 2022-06-21

An educational picture book about the life cycle of a sunflower.
Sweet Justice : Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomer Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff; R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY B GIL (Easy biography)

ISBN: 9781524720643

Publication Date: 2022-01-11

A picture book biography about Georgia Gilmore, the woman whose cooking helped feed and fund the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956.
The Tower of Life : how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and photographs
Call Number: EASY B ELI (Easy biography)

ISBN: 9781338225891

Publication Date: 2022-10-04

The story begins with Yaffa Eliach, a spirited young girl who grows up in a vibrant, happy 800-year-old town in Poland, filled with family life and rich traditions. Yaffa's grandmother, who receives a gift of a camera from America, becomes the village photographer, and takes photos of all the family events: weddings, bar mitzvahs, and family gatherings. And on the Jewish New Year, the villagers send photos to their relatives overseas to wish them a "Gut Yontif"! But one dark day, the town is invaded. And quickly the once happy home to 5,000 Jewish people is uprooted. Yaffa survives the war and becomes a Professor of History and America's foremost Holocaust expert. And when President Jimmy Carter invites her to create an exhibit for the new National Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, she travels around the world hunting down her grandmother's photos taken of people who fled from her beloved town, Eishyshok, along with their stories and memories. This breathtaking revival of the town's collective spirit, which is a permanent exhibit at The National Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, will inspire all who read it.

2024

Mona Lisa Vanishes: a Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day ; illustrated by Brett Helquist

The Mona Lisa Vanishes : a legendary painter, a shocking heist, and the birth of a global celebrity by Nicholas Day; Brett Helquist (Illustrator)
Call Number: JUV 364.16 DAY

ISBN: 9780593643846

Publication Date: 2023-09-05

A narrative nonfiction about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world-and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all.

The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery ; illulstrated by Matt Patterson
Holding Her Own: the Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd ; illustrated by Shannon Wright
Jumper: a Day in the LIfe of the Backyard Jumping Spider written & illustrated by Jessica Lanan
Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Mart W. Sandler

The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery; Matt Patterson (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY 597.92 MON

ISBN: 9780358458074

Publication Date: 2023-05-02

This tribute to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet (turtles) speaks to the diversity and wisdom of these long-lived reptiles.
Holding Her Own : the Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd; Shannon Wright (Illustrator)
Call Number: JUV B ORM (Juvenile biography)

ISBN: 9781338305906

Publication Date: 2023-01-03

When Jackie Ormes sees an opportunity, she takes it. She's a journalist, cartoonist, fashionista, philanthropist, and activist -- and she wants to use her artistry to bring joy and hope to Black people everywhere. But in post-World War II America, Black people are still being denied their civil rights, and Jackie has a dilemma: How can her art remain true to her signature Jackie joy, while also staying honest about the inequalities Black people have been fighting against? Traci N. Todd and Shannon Wright have crafted a gorgeous and moving tribute to the indelible legacy of America's first Black woman cartoonist.
Jumper : a day n the life of a backyard jumping spider by Jessica Lanan (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY 560 LAN (Easy nonfiction)

ISBN: 9781250810366

Publication Date: 2023-04-11

What if you were as small as a bean and could walk on the walls and ceiling, sense vibrarions through your elbows, jump five times your body length, see the world through eight eyes, and hear using tiny hairs all over your body? That is Jumper's world. Open this book and discover the fascinating hidden life of a backyard jumping spider.
Shipwrecked! : diving for hidden time capsules on the ocean floor by Martin W. Sandler
Call Number: JUV 910.452 SAN

ISBN: 9781662602047

Publication Date: 2023-10-31

Shipwrecked! is an adventure-filled nonfiction book for young readers about the most captivating shipwrecks from history. Combining new research, stunning archival material, and vivid storytelling, Shipwrecked! dives deep into the world of marine archaeology and shows young readers what each discovery reveals about the world before our time.

2025

Life After Whale : the Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle ; illustrated by Jason Chin

Life after Whale : the amazing ecosystem of a whale fall by Lynn Brunelle; Jason Chin (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY 577.79 BRU

ISBN: 9780823452286

Publication Date: 2024-06-04

A book about the rich ecosystem that springs up around the death of a whale in the deep sea.

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso ; illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
The Enigma Girls : How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming
The Girl Who Sang : a Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estell Nadel & Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout ; illustrated by Sammy Savos
Wings of an Eagle : the Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills by Bill Mills & Donna Janell Bowman ; illustrated by S.D. Nelson

Call Me Roberto! : Roberto Clemente goes to bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso; Rudy Gutierrez (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY B CLE R

ISBN: 9781635928112

Publication Date: 2024-08-27

Roberto Clemente always loved baseball. Growing up in Carolina, Puerto Rico, he swung tree branches (since he didn't have a bat) and hit tin cans. He was always batting, pitching, running, sliding. His dedication paid off when, at the age of 19, he was tapped for a major league team. First stop: chilly Montreal--where he warmed the bench and himself, longing to play baseball. Months later, he finally got his chance with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente had an instant impact on the field--hitting the ball and making it to first base and finally home. Many Pittsburgh fans loved his bold style on the field, but not everyone was quick to embrace a Black man from Puerto Rico who spoke español. This nonfiction picture book ... shows the emotional highs and lows of Roberto Clemente's career as he fought racism--from fans, reporters, and other figures in the sport--to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time.
The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II (Scholastic Focus) by Candace Fleming
Call Number: JUV B FLE

ISBN: 9781338749571

Publication Date: 2024-03-05

"You are to report to Station X at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, in four days...That is all you need to know." This was the terse telegram hundreds of young women throughout the British Isles received in the spring of 1941, as World War II raged. As they arrived at Station X, a sprawling mansion in a state of disrepair surrounded by Spartan-looking huts with little chimneys coughing out thick smoke -- these young people had no idea what kind of work they were stepping into. Who had recommended them? Why had they been chosen? Most would never learn all the answers to these questions. Bletchley Park was a well-kept secret during World War II, operating under the code name Station X. The critical work of code-cracking Nazi missives that went on behind its closed doors could determine a victory or loss against Hitler's army. Amidst the brilliant cryptographers, flamboyant debutantes, and absent-minded professors working there, it was teenaged girls who kept Station X running. Some could do advanced math, while others spoke a second language. They ran the unwieldy bombe machines, made sense of wireless sound waves, and sorted the decoded messages. They were expected to excel in their fields and most importantly: know how to keep a secret.
The Girl Who Sang : a Holocaust memoir of hope and survival by Estelle Nadel; Sammy Savos; Bethany Strout
Call Number: JUV B NAD

ISBN: 9781250247766

Publication Date: 2024-01-23

Born to a Jewish family in a small Polish village, Estelle Nadel--then known as Enia Feld--was just seven years old when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. Once a vibrant child with a song for every occasion, Estelle would eventually lose her voice as, over the next five years, she would survive the deaths of her mother, father, eldest brother and sister, and countless others. A child at the mercy of her neighbors during a terrifying time in history, The Girl Who Sang is an enthralling first-hand account of Estelle's fight for survival during World War II. She would weather loss, betrayal, near-execution, and spend two years away from the warmth of the sun--all before the age of eleven. And once the war was over, Estelle would walk barefoot across European borders and find remnants of home in an Austrian displaced persons camp before finally crossing the Atlantic to arrive in New York City--a young woman carrying the unseen scars of war. Beautifully rendered in bright hues with expressive, emotional characters, debut illustrator Sammy Savos masterfully brings Estelle story of survival during the Holocaust to a whole new generation of readers. The Girl Who Sang is perfect for fans of March, Maus, and Anne Frank's Diary.
Wings of an Eagle : the gold medal dreams of Billy Mills by Billy Mills; Donna Janell Bowman; S. D. Nelson (Illustrator)
Call Number: EASY B MIL B

ISBN: 9780316373487

Publication Date: 2024-07-02

The autobiographical story of Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota orphan who achieved his dream of winning a gold medal as a runner in the 1964 Olympics despite racism, poverty, and debilitating health challenges.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award

Title Box

2020

Fry Bread : a Native American Family Story by Kevin Nobel Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

All in a Drop : How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger

This Promise of Change : One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce & Debbie Levy

Ordinary Hazards : a Memoir by Nikki Grimes

Hey, Water! written & illustrated by Antoinette Portis

2021

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

How We Got to the Moon : the People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure written & illustrated by John Rocco

Exquisite : the Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

All Thirteen : the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

2022

The People's Painter : How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art by Cynthia Levinson, illustrated by Evan Turk

The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgetter Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by Steve Sheinkin

We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac

Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sara S. Brannen

Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

2023

Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partidge; illustrated by Lauren Tamaki

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy; illustrated by Janelle Washington

A Seed Grows written & illustrated by Antoinette Portis

Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomer Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel; illustrated by Susan Gal

2024

Mona Lisa Vanishes: a Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity by Nicholas Day ; illustrated by Brett Helquist

The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery ; illulstrated by Matt Patterson

Holding Her Own: the Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd ; illustrated by Shannon Wright

Jumper: a Day in the LIfe of the Backyard Jumping Spider written & illustrated by Jessica Lanan

Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Mart W. Sandler

2025

Life After Whale : the Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle ; illustrated by Jason Chin

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso ; illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez

The Enigma Girls : How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming

The Girl Who Sang : a Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival by Estell Nadel & Sammy Savos with Bethany Strout ; illustrated by Sammy Savos

Wings of an Eagle : the Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills by Bill Mills & Donna Janell Bowman ; illustrated by S.D. Nelson