2012-2013 Show Me Award Nominees

The Missouri Show Me Reader Awards have been announced.

"The Can Man" written by Laura Williams. To earn money, a young boy decides to collect and redeem empty soft drink cans, but ends up giving away his money to help a local homeless man.

"Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme" written by Lisa Campbell Ernst. Sylvia Jean disguises herself in order to assist a neighbor who does not want her enthusiastic help, but she still might be the only one in her Pig Scout Troop who will not earn a Good Deed Badge.

"The Blue House Dog" written by Deborah Blumenthal. A boy without a dog-and a dog without an owner-find each other in this powerfully moving story of loneliness and redemption. Day after day, Cody watches Bones roam the streets. No one else thinks the old stray is special, but Cody does. He knows the dog is alone now. He watched them tear down the blue house where Bones used to live with an old man. Cody knows how it feels to lose someone, too. Slowly-cautiously-Cody opens his home and his heart to the scruffy dog with one blue eye and one brown. Readers will be deeply affected by Deborah Blumenthal's story of love and loss.

"Stand Straight, Ella Kate" written by Kate Klise. A fictionalized biography of Ella Kate Ewing, born in 1872, who was eight feet tall by the age of seventeen and who became financially independent by traveling the country for nearly twenty years appearing at museums, exhibitions, and in circus shows.

"Fly Free!" written by Rosanne Thong. When Mai feeds the caged birds at a Buddhist temple in Vietnam, her simple act of kindness starts a chain of thoughtful acts that ultimately comes back to her. Includes author's note explaining the Buddhist concepts of karma and samsara, or the wheel of life. 

"Memoirs of a Goldfish" written by Devin Scillian. A goldfish gives a personal account of his experiences while swimming around his bowl as it slowly fills with fish and other accessories, only to realize when he is relocated for a cleaning how much he misses them.

"Librarian on the Roof!: A True Story" written by M.G. King. The story of RoseAleta Laurell who arrived in Lockheart, Texas to be the head of the Dr. Eugene Clark Library. The library was outdated so she spent a week on the library roof to raise money and interest in the library.

"Lucky Beans" written by Becky Birtha. During the Great Depression, Marshall, an African American boy, uses lessons learned in arithmetic class and guidance from his mother to figure out how many beans are in a jar in order to win her a new sewing machine in a contest. 

"Pierre the Penguin: A True Story" written by Jean Marzollo. When Pierre, a penguin living at the California Academy of Sciences, loses his feathers, he gets some help from his human friends. A true story of veterinary ingenuity.

"How Rocket Learned to Read" written by Tad Hills. A little yellow bird teaches Rocket the dog how to read.