The poet laureate of kids has done it again. His newest collection of rhymes is bound to please even those who insist they don't like poetry. Most of these poems are about animals; but not sentimentalized or scientific in nature. And then there's the Fabulous Skating Potato, Stokingbirds strutting, and Halibutterflies, among other creations. It's full of the usual Prelutsky humor and silly illustrations that add to the entertainment. Our 8-year old tester and his mom took turns reading these to each other and shared the fun. 5-10.

Age: Early School Years, Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.

If you have a sixth grader--perhaps a reluctant reader who happens to love baseball — Jack Mogens' story will score high! Jack manages to make the team but in the first game he is hit by a stray pitch. After that Jack’s fear of getting hit again turns his love of the game into fear. 8 & up.

Age: Later School Years. Award Year: 2012. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.