Each year, the Minnesota Youth Reading Awards announce nominees for the Star of the North picture book award. These books are read by students across the state who then vote on which book should be that year's winning title. Winners are announced each April.
You can learn more about the Star of the North picture book award at the Minnesota Youth Reading Awards website: https://myrahome.org/SOTN
Winner
Potato Pants!
By Keller, Laurie
A potato and his eggplant nemesis struggle to find the perfect pants in this hilarious, heartwarming tale of forgiveness by bestselling Geisel-Award winning creator Laurie Keller.Potato is excited because today -- for one day only -- Lance Vance's Fancy Pants Store is selling . . .POTATO PANTS!Potato rushes over early, but just as he's about to walk in, something makes him stop. What could it be? Find out in this one-of-a-kind story about misunderstandings and forgiveness, and -- of course -- Potato Pants!A Christy Ottaviano Book
Publisher: n/a
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9781250107237
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Hardcover
Honor Titles
Misunderstood Shark
By Dyckman, Ame
Every beachgoer knows that there's nothing more terrifying than a... SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, sidesplittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer) head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn't trying to scare them, he's just misunderstood! Then he's accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn't going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he? Explosively funny, extraordinarily clever, and even full of fun shark facts, this surprisingly endearing story gets to the heart of what it feels like to be misunderstood by the people around you. With a surprise twist ending, our Misunderstood Shark will have kids rolling with laughter!
Publisher: n/a
|
9781338112474
|
Hardcover
A Dog Named Doug
By Wilson, Karma
Dogs love to dig but one dog named Doug takes digging to new heights (and depths) in this laugh-out-loud picture book from New York Times bestselling author Karma Wilson and celebrated illustrator Matt Myers.Meet Doug. Doug is a dog that loves to dig. But when Doug digs he doesn't just dig holes in the backyard. He digs ... ditches the size of tractors! He digs ... tunnels through gold mines! He even digs his way into ... the White House! But not even the Secret Service can stop this digging doggy, because when Doug digs, oh boy, does Doug DIG!
Publisher: n/a
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9781442449312
|
Hardcover
Other Nominees
Be Kind
By Miller, Pat Zietlow
From the award-winning author of Sophie's Squash comes a thoughtful picture book about the power of kindness.When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference -- or at least help a friend.With a gentle text from Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor author Pat Zietlow Miller, and irresistible art from Jen Hill, Be Kind is an unforgettable story about how two simple words can change the world.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781626723214
|
Hardcover
Bear Came Along
By Morris, Richard T.
A cheerful and action-packed adventure about the importance of friendship and community from a successful author and illustrator duo!Once there was a river flowing through a forest. The river didn't know it was capable of adventures until a big bear came along. But adventures aren't any fun by yourself, and so enters Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Racoons, and Duck. These very different animals take off downstream, but they didn't know they needed one another until thankfully, the river came along. This hilarious picture book and heartfelt message celebrates the joy and fun that's in store when you embark together on a ride of a lifetime.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780316464475
|
Hardcover
Fry Bread
By Maillard, Kevin Noble
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.Fry bread is food.It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.Fry bread is time.It brings families together for meals and new memories.Fry bread is nation.It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.Fry bread is us.It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781626727465
|
Hardcover
Going Down Home with Daddy
By Lyons, Kelly Starling
"On reunion morning, we rise before the sun. Daddy hums as he packs our car with suitcases and a cooler full of snacks. He says there's nothing like going down home."Down home is Granny's house. Down home is where Lil' Alan and his parents and sister will join great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Down home is where Lil' Alan will hear stories of the ancestors and visit the land that has meant so much to all of them. And down home is where all of the children will find their special way to pay tribute to family history. All the kids have to decide on what tribute to share, but what will Lil' Alan do? In this rich and moving celebration of history, culture, and ritual, Kelly Starling Lyons' eloquent text explores the power of family traditions. Stunning illustrations by Coretta Scott King Honor-winner Daniel Minter reveal the motion and connections in a large, multigenerational family.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781561459384
|
Hardcover
A Map into the World
By Yang, Kao Kalia
"Filled with wonder and sorrow and happiness." -- Alison McGhee, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Someday A heartfelt story of a young girl seeking beauty and connection in a busy world. As the seasons change, so too does a young Hmong girl's world. She moves into a new home with her family and encounters both birth and death. As this curious girl explores life inside her house and beyond, she collects bits of the natural world. But who are her treasures for? A moving picture book debut from acclaimed Hmong American author Kao Kalia Yang.
Publisher: n/a
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9781541538368
|
Library Binding
Snowman - Cold = Puddle
By Salas, Laura Purdie
Poetry + Math + Science = A new way of looking at springMath meets metaphor in this eye-opening exploration of spring. Each clever equation is a tiny, perfect poem that prompts readers to look at the ordinary and see the miraculous. Can you look at an egg in a nest and see a jewelry box? How are sunlight and heat like an alarm clock? Engaging sidebars reveal the science behind the signs of spring.
Publisher: n/a
|
9781580897983
|
Hardcover
Under My Hijab
By Khan, Hena
Grandma wears it clasped under her chin. Aunty pins hers up with a beautiful brooch. Jenna puts it under a sun hat when she hikes. Zara styles hers to match her outfit. As a young girl observes six very different women in her life who each wear the hijab in a unique way, she also dreams of the rich possibilities of her own future, and how she will express her own personality through her hijab. Written in sprightly rhyme and illustrated by a talented newcomer, Under My Hijab honors the diverse lives of contemporary Muslim women and girls, their love for each other, and their pride in their culture and faith.
Winner
Potato Pants!
By Keller, Laurie
A potato and his eggplant nemesis struggle to find the perfect pants in this hilarious, heartwarming tale of forgiveness by bestselling Geisel-Award winning creator Laurie Keller.Potato is excited because today -- for one day only -- Lance Vance's Fancy Pants Store is selling . . .POTATO PANTS!Potato rushes over early, but just as he's about to walk in, something makes him stop. What could it be? Find out in this one-of-a-kind story about misunderstandings and forgiveness, and -- of course -- Potato Pants!A Christy Ottaviano Book
Honor Titles
Misunderstood Shark
By Dyckman, Ame
Every beachgoer knows that there's nothing more terrifying than a... SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, sidesplittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer) head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn't trying to scare them, he's just misunderstood! Then he's accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn't going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he? Explosively funny, extraordinarily clever, and even full of fun shark facts, this surprisingly endearing story gets to the heart of what it feels like to be misunderstood by the people around you. With a surprise twist ending, our Misunderstood Shark will have kids rolling with laughter!
A Dog Named Doug
By Wilson, Karma
Dogs love to dig but one dog named Doug takes digging to new heights (and depths) in this laugh-out-loud picture book from New York Times bestselling author Karma Wilson and celebrated illustrator Matt Myers.Meet Doug. Doug is a dog that loves to dig. But when Doug digs he doesn't just dig holes in the backyard. He digs ... ditches the size of tractors! He digs ... tunnels through gold mines! He even digs his way into ... the White House! But not even the Secret Service can stop this digging doggy, because when Doug digs, oh boy, does Doug DIG!
Other Nominees
Be Kind
By Miller, Pat Zietlow
From the award-winning author of Sophie's Squash comes a thoughtful picture book about the power of kindness.When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind. From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving and thoughtful story explores what a child can do to be kind, and how each act, big or small, can make a difference -- or at least help a friend.With a gentle text from Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor author Pat Zietlow Miller, and irresistible art from Jen Hill, Be Kind is an unforgettable story about how two simple words can change the world.
Bear Came Along
By Morris, Richard T.
A cheerful and action-packed adventure about the importance of friendship and community from a successful author and illustrator duo!Once there was a river flowing through a forest. The river didn't know it was capable of adventures until a big bear came along. But adventures aren't any fun by yourself, and so enters Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Racoons, and Duck. These very different animals take off downstream, but they didn't know they needed one another until thankfully, the river came along. This hilarious picture book and heartfelt message celebrates the joy and fun that's in store when you embark together on a ride of a lifetime.
Fry Bread
By Maillard, Kevin Noble
Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.Fry bread is food.It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.Fry bread is time.It brings families together for meals and new memories.Fry bread is nation.It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.Fry bread is us.It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
Going Down Home with Daddy
By Lyons, Kelly Starling
"On reunion morning, we rise before the sun. Daddy hums as he packs our car with suitcases and a cooler full of snacks. He says there's nothing like going down home."Down home is Granny's house. Down home is where Lil' Alan and his parents and sister will join great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Down home is where Lil' Alan will hear stories of the ancestors and visit the land that has meant so much to all of them. And down home is where all of the children will find their special way to pay tribute to family history. All the kids have to decide on what tribute to share, but what will Lil' Alan do? In this rich and moving celebration of history, culture, and ritual, Kelly Starling Lyons' eloquent text explores the power of family traditions. Stunning illustrations by Coretta Scott King Honor-winner Daniel Minter reveal the motion and connections in a large, multigenerational family.
A Map into the World
By Yang, Kao Kalia
"Filled with wonder and sorrow and happiness." -- Alison McGhee, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Someday A heartfelt story of a young girl seeking beauty and connection in a busy world. As the seasons change, so too does a young Hmong girl's world. She moves into a new home with her family and encounters both birth and death. As this curious girl explores life inside her house and beyond, she collects bits of the natural world. But who are her treasures for? A moving picture book debut from acclaimed Hmong American author Kao Kalia Yang.
Snowman - Cold = Puddle
By Salas, Laura Purdie
Poetry + Math + Science = A new way of looking at springMath meets metaphor in this eye-opening exploration of spring. Each clever equation is a tiny, perfect poem that prompts readers to look at the ordinary and see the miraculous. Can you look at an egg in a nest and see a jewelry box? How are sunlight and heat like an alarm clock? Engaging sidebars reveal the science behind the signs of spring.
Under My Hijab
By Khan, Hena
Grandma wears it clasped under her chin. Aunty pins hers up with a beautiful brooch. Jenna puts it under a sun hat when she hikes. Zara styles hers to match her outfit. As a young girl observes six very different women in her life who each wear the hijab in a unique way, she also dreams of the rich possibilities of her own future, and how she will express her own personality through her hijab. Written in sprightly rhyme and illustrated by a talented newcomer, Under My Hijab honors the diverse lives of contemporary Muslim women and girls, their love for each other, and their pride in their culture and faith.