SHOW ME AWARD

MASL sponsors two children's choice book awards, the Show Me Readers Award and the Mark Twain Award. The Show Me Reader Award is selected by students in grades one through three and presented annually. Nominations of titles of literary merit for the stated grade range to be considered for the award are invited.  The Show Me Readers Award is a children's choice award sponsored by the Missouri Association of School Librarians.

PURPOSE: The Show Me Readers Award is to promote literature, literacy, and reading in Missouri elementary schools for grades one through three, and to promote recognition of authors and illustrators of books that are favorites of Missouri children in these grades. WHO MAY VOTE: Children in grades one through three are eligible to vote for their favorite book if they have read or had read to them a minimum of six books on the current master list.

VOTING: In March, students in grades one through three will vote for the book they liked best. Schools will design their own ballots and each student will get one vote. Votes are tallied by each school and placed on a tally sheet provided by the MASL off ice. The tally sheet should be sent to the MASL office by March 15.

2004-2005 Winners

1st Place: Frog Principal by Stephanie Calmenson

After the princiipal of P.S. 88 is turned into a frog by a bumbling magician, the frog bargains for the chance to act as principal until Mr. Bundy returns from his "family emergency".

2nd Place: The Monster Who Ate My Peas by Danny Schnitzlein

A young boy agrees to give disgusting monster first his soccer ball, then his bike in return for eating the boy's peas, but when the monster asks for his puppy, the boy makes a surprising discovery.

3rd Place: Ted by Tony DiTerlizza

A young boy manages to get his busy father's attention with the help of a special imaginary friend.

Show-Me Award Nominees
2005-2006

Bad Boys by Margie Palatini
Two hungry wolves in disguise attempt to raid a sheep farm.

Blizzard by Betty Ren Wright
Although a blizzard prevents his cousins from visiting his birthday, a disappointed Billy ends up having a very special day when his teacher and classmates must stay overnight at his family's house to wait out the snowstorm.

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming
After a young Dutch girl writes to her new American friend in thanks for the care package sent after World War II, she begins to receive increasingly larger boxes.

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
A young worm discovers, day by day, that there are some very good and some not so good things about being a worm in this great big world.

Fishing Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney
When Reenie and her mother, who are African Americans, go fishing, Reenie decides to share the secret to their success with their needy white neighbors.

George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra
A rollicking rhyme portrays George Washington's lifelong struggle with bad teeth. 

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Jeremy Jacob joins Braid Beard and his pirate crew and finds out about pirate language, pirate manners, and other aspects of their life.

Jackalope by Janet Stevens
A jackrabbit who wishes to be feared asks his fairy godrabbit for horns and becomes the first jackalope, but there's one condition: he must not tell lies.

My Brother Martin by Christine King Farris
A sister remembers growing up with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Souperchicken by Mary Jane Auch
When Henrietta becomes the first chicken in her coop to learn how to read, she uses her skills to save her aunties from becoming chicken soup.

2003 - Go Home! The True Story of James the Cat by Libby Phillips Meggs

A homeless cat spends several seasons trying to survive the elements until at last a suburban family adopts him.

2002—Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester

All his classmates make fun of Rodney because he can't pronounce his name, but it is Rodney's speech impediment that drives away the class bully.

2001—Raising Dragons by Jerdine Nolan  

A farmer's young daughter shares numerous adventures with the dragon that she raises from infancy.

2000—Verdi by Janell Cannon  

A young python does not want to grow slow and boring like the older snakes he sees in the tropical jungle where he lives.

1999—Duke the Dairy Delight Dog by Lisa Campbell Ernst 

Darla doesn't want a dirty dog around her Dairy Delight, but Duke patiently tries every tactic to convince her that her shop is his home.

1998—Heart of a Tiger by Marsha Diane Arnold

As the Name Day celebration approaches, a young kitten tries to deserve a noble name, by following the path of the beautiful Bengal tiger.

1997—My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco  

After losing running, climbing, throwing, and burping competitions to her obnoxious older brother, a young girl makes a wish on a falling star.

1996—Soap! Soap! Don’t Forget the Soap! by Tom Birdseye  

A forgetful boy gets himself into trouble when he repeats what each person he meets on the road says to him.

1995—Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert D. San Souci  

Unhappy with her life at home, Sukey receives kindness and wealth from Mama Jo the mermaid.