Prairie Pasque Nominees 2007-2008

Linda Sue Park

Seventh-graders Julia Song and her friend Patrick do almost everything together. This time, though, they're having trouble coming up with just the right plan. Then Julia's mother offers a suggestion: They can raise silkworms, as she did when she was a girl in Korea. Raising silkworms is so Korean, and she wants a real American project.

Grade Level: 6-up
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Alice Provensen

Eureka! In 1897 gold was discovered in the Klondike, setting off a wave of gold fever. Thousands of prospectors trekked northward in the hopes of finding fortune. Based on the true story of one young prospector, this book traces the grueling journey through the mountains and up the Yukon River to claim a stake and dig for gold.

Grade Level: 3-6
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Bill Wallace

Tom's grandfather is recovering from heart surgery, so during summer vacation Tom is helping him with his hunting dog business. It's hard work, but Tom doesn't mind so much after he falls in love with one of the pups, a rare blue-eyed pointer Tom names Tad. It's almost as if Tad understands when Tom talks to him, especially about confusing things like how hard it is to write to Angie, a girl Tom met on vacation.

The trouble is, Grandpa promised the owner of the pup's sire the pick of the litter, and it's pretty clear that's Tad. Tom knows what he should do, but he can't help hoping there's a way to get around Grandpa's promise. How can he do the honorable thing when it will cost him what he wants most in the world?

Grade Level: 3-7
Publisher: Holiday House, Inc.

Jonah Winter

On an island called Puerto Rico a boy named Roberto Clemente dreamed of nothing but winning at baseball. With no money — but plenty of determination — Clemente practiced on muddy fields with a glove made from a coffee sack. Little League became minor league, which turned into winter league… and, finally, he made it to the major leagues!

Grade Level: 2-6
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Lisa Yee

After flunking sixth-grade English, basketball prodigy Stanford Wong must struggle to pass his summer-school class, keep his failure a secret from his friends, and satisfy his academically demanding father.

Grade Level: 5-7
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.