2005 Nominees

Getting Away With Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case  - MS

by Christopher Crowe

In 1954, 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American, was visiting his family in Mississippi when he was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and killed. What happened to those who committed the crime? They got away with it.

City of Ember - MS

by Jeanne DuPrau

In the year 241, 12-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

Parvana's Journey - MS

by Deborah Ellis

Parvana buries her father, disguises herself as a boy, and sets out across war-torn Afghanistan to find the surviving members of her family.

Loose Threads - MS

by Lorie Ann Grover

A series of poems describes how seventh-grader Kay Garber faces her grandmother's battle with breast cancer while living with her mother and great-grandmother and dealing with everyday junior high school concerns.

The Secret Within - MS

by Theresa Golding

Carly's father doesn't allow her any social life so she sneaks out at night to the boardwalk and finds friends that help her reveal the secret trapped within her family.

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Farber, Ship's Boy - MS

by L.A. Meyer

During an outbreak of plague in London, orphan Jacky Faber gets a job as a ship's boy aboard the HMS Dolphin to pursue pirates.  There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl!

Heir Apparent - MS

by Vivian Vande Velde

While playing a virtual reality game of kings and intrigue, 14-year-old Giannine learns that demonstrators have damaged the equipment to which she is connected, and she must win the game quickly or be damaged herself.

The Year of the Hangman - All

by Gary Blackwood

In 1777, Creighton, a 15-year-old British teen is sent to the American colonies to learn to be a gentleman,becomes part of the colonial rebellion after George Washington is captured by the British and the Sons of Liberty flee to Louisiana.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things - All

by Carolyn Mackler

Virginia Shreves thinks her family is perfect and that she is doomed to live by The Fat Girl Code of Conduct until she discovers in her fifteenth year that all is not as it seems.

Eragon - All  (2005 winner)

by Christopher Paolini
In Alagaesia, a 15-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

After - All

by Francine Prose

After a school shooting nearby, a counselor takes over a high school and enacts increasingly harsh measures to control students, some of whom disappear.

Pirates! - All

by Celia Reese

Wanting to escape an arranged marriage and slavery, two young women join together to seek their fortune on the high seas as pirates!

Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story - All

by Pegi Deitz Shea

After a ten-year wait in a Thai refugee camp, 13-year-old Mai Yang finally realizes her dream of coming to America.  Arriving in Providence, she struggles with becoming Americanized like her cousins while holding on to her Hmong culture.

Full Tilt: A Novel - All

by Neal Schusterman

To save his brother's life, Blake must face his many fears at a phantom carnival. Will he be able to overcome them before it's too late?

Inside Out - All

by Terry Truman

A sixteen-year-old with schizophrenia is taken hostage during an attempted robbery.

No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine - HS

by Brooks Brown & Rob Merritt

Written by someone who knew both killers, this book tries to answer the question of why violence was tolerated at this school.

Amaryllis - HS

by Craig Crist-Evans

To escape their abusive father, Jimmy's 18-year-old brother Frank enlists and is sent to Vietnam.  Jimmy, once Frank's surfing buddy, becomes his older brother's confidant as Frank struggles with the horrors of war.

Northern Lights - HS

by Jennifer Donnelly

It's 1906, and 16-year-old Mattie has escaped the responsibilities of helping to run the family farm in exchange for a paid summer job as a serving girl at a fancy hotel in the Adirondacks where a mystery unfolds.

Geography Club - HS

by Brent Hartinger

Russell and his friends start the Geography Club as a safe way for gay students to meet at their high school, but the club evolves to include others who are "different."

First Part Last - HS

by Angela Johnson

When 16-year-old Bobby decides to care for his infant daughter by himself, there isn't much support for this daunting task but his intense love for the baby helps him persevere.