Massachusetts Children's Book Award 2008 Nominees

Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Soon after Peter, an orphan, sets sail from England on the ship Never Land, he befriends and assists Molly, a young Starcatcher, whose mission is to guard a trunk of magical stardust from a greedy pirate and the native inhabitants of a remote island.

Shark Life: True Stories about Sharks and the Sea, by Peter Benchley

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, by Jeanne Birdsall
While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.

The World According to Humphrey, by Betty Birney
Humphrey, pet hamster at Longfellow School, learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher.

The Last Holiday Concert, by Andrew Clements
Life is usually easy for popular fifth grader Hart Evans, but when his music teacher puts him in charge of the holiday concert, Hart must use all of his leadership skills to unite the other students.

Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard to Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade, by Esmé Raji Codell
Hilarious, quirky, and poignant, this unusual memoir recounts episodes from the transformative fifth-grade year of an acclaimed author.

The Legend of Spud Murphy, by Eoin Colfer
When their mother starts dropping them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread boredom and the overbearing librarian, but they are surprised at how things turn out.

The Big House, by Carolyn Coman
When Ivy and Ray's parents are sent to jail, and they are left in the custody of their parent's accusers, they decide to look for evidence that will "spring" their parents.

Lionboy, by Zizou Corder
In the near future, a boy with the ability to speak the language of cats sets out from London to seek his kidnapped parents and finds himself on a Paris-bound circus ship learning to train lions.

The People of Sparks, by Jeanne DuPrau
Having escaped to the Unknown Regions, Lina and the others seek help from the village people of Sparks.

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery, by John Feinstein
After winning a basketball reporting contest, eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament, where they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.

A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for Young Poets, by Ralph Fletcher
This collection includes twenty-seven short poems on a variety of subjects.

Eager, by Helen Fox
Unlike Grumps, their old-fashioned robot, the Bell family's new robot, Eager, is programmed to not merely obey but to question, reason, and exercise free will.

Ghosthunters and the Totally Moldy Baroness!, by Cornelia Funke (Book #3 of the Ghosthunters series)
Mrs. Worm and Gloomsburg castle are taken over by ghosts.

The Liberation of Gabriel King, by Kelly Going
In Georgia during the summer of 1976, Gabriel, a white boy who is being bullied, and Frita, an African American girl who is facing prejudice, decide to overcome their many fears together as they enter fifth grade.

Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale
While attending a strict academy for potential princesses with the other girls from her mountain village, fourteen-year-old Miri discovers unexpected talents and connections to her homeland.

Ida B…and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World, by Katherine Hannigan
In Wisconsin, fourth-grader Ida B spends happy hours being home-schooled and playing in her family's apple orchard, until her mother begins treatment for breast cancer and her parents must sell part of the orchard and send her to public school.

Blow Out the Moon, by Libby Koponen
A fictionalized account of the author's childhood experiences moving from the United States to London, England, and attending a boarding school.

Leon and the Champion Chip, by Allen Kurzweil
Employing scientific methods learned in Mr. Sparks's class, fifth-grader Leon competes in a potato chip tasting contest and takes revenge against Lumpkin the bully.

Worth, by A. LaFaye
After breaking his leg, eleven-year-old Nate feels useless because he cannot work on the family farm in nineteenth-century Nebraska, so when his father brings home an orphan boy to help with the chores, Nate feels even worse.

A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray, by Ann M. Martin
Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal.

Stink and the Incredible Super-galactic Jawbreaker, by Megan McDonald
Seven-year-old Stink Moody discovers that he can get free samples by writing letters to candy companies and plans a surprise for his best friend's birthday.

Project Mulberry, by Linda Sue Park
While working on a project for an after-school club, Julia, a Korean American girl, and her friend Patrick learn not just about silkworms, but also about tolerance, prejudice, friendship, patience, and more. Between the chapters are short dialogues between the author and main character about the writing of the book.

The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan (Book #1 of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series)
After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.

Listening for Lions, by Gloria Whelan
Left an orphan after the influenza epidemic in British East Africa in 1918, thirteen-year-old Rachel is tricked into assuming a deceased neighbor's identity to travel to England, where her only dream is to return to Africa and rebuild her parents' mission hospital.