Arkansas Diamond Book Nominees

1. Arkansas Diamond Book Nominees 2012-2013 Slides by Leslie S. Mansur, LMS Crossett Elementary School

2. The Arkansas Diamond award started in 1998 to encourage students in grades K-3 to read. Students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grades who have heard or read at least three of the following books will be eligible to vote for their favorite book in April.

3. 2011-2012 Arkansas Diamond Award Book Winner The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

4. 2011-2012 Arkansas Diamond Honor Book Winner Otis by Loren Long

5. Polar BearsBy Mark Newman Whose fur isn’t really white? Who usually gives birth to twins? Who’s the biggest bear in the world? The Polar Bear! Author Mark Newman adeptly balances photographs and text to introduce these animals to young readers. Accelerated Reader Level:4.8

6. The Hallelujah FlightBy Phil Bildner During the Great Depression, the ace black pilot James Banning decided to fly from coast to coast to serve as an inspiration to people everywhere. So with a little ingenuity and a whole lot of heart, he fixed up the dilapidated OXX6 Eagle Rock plane with his co-pilot and mechanic, Thomas Allen, earning them the derisive nickname, “The Flying Hobos.” But with the help of friends and family along the way who signed their names on the wings of the plane in exchange for food, fuel, and supplies, Banning and Allen made it through treacherous weather and overcame ruthless prejudice to receive a heroes’ welcome upon landing in New York on October 9, 1932. Accelerated Reader Level: 3.9

7. Stand Straight, Ella KateThe True Story of a Real GiantBy Kate Klise & M. Sarah Klise Ella Kate Ewing was born in 1872. She started out small, but she just kept on growing. Soon she was too tall for her desk at school, too tall for her bed at home, too tall to fit anywhere. Ella Kate was a real-life giant, but she refused to hide herself away. Instead, she used her unusual height to achieve her equally large dreams. Accelerated Reader Level: 4.0

8. The Three Little DassiesBy Jan Brett Jan Brett finds inspiration for her version of a familiar story in Namibia, where red rock mountains and vivid blue skies are home to appealing little dassies and hungry eagles.Mimbi, Pimbi and Timbi hope to find "a place cooler, a place less crowded, a place safe from eagles!" to build their new homes. The handsomely dressed Agama Man watches from the borders as the eagle flies down to flap and clap until he blows a house down. But in a deliciously funny twist, that pesky eagle has met his match! Accelerated Reader Level: 3.7

9. I Wanna New RoomBy Karen Kaufman Orloff Ever since their baby sister came along, Alex has been forced to share a room with his little brother Ethan, and it's a night- mare. Ethan always breaks stuff, snores like a walrus, and sticks crayons up his nose. No hardworking, well-behaved, practically grown-up boy like Alex should have to put up with that! Writing letters to his mom convinced her to let him get his pet iguana, so Alex puts pencil to paper again, this time determined to get his own room. Though his powers of persuasion can't get his dad to expand the house, he does come through with a fun alternative. Accelerated Reader Level: 2.7

10. Dave the PotterArtist, Poet, SlaveBy Laban Carrick Hill Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. Accelerated Reader Level: 6.0

11. Back of the BusBy Aaron Reynolds It seems like any other winter day in Montgomery, Alabama. Mama and child are riding where they're supposed to - way in the back of the bus. The boy passes the time watching his marble roll up and down the aisle with the motion of the bus, until from way up front a big commotion breaks out. He can't see what's going on, but he can see the policeman arrive outside and he can see Mama's chin grow strong. "There you go, Rosa Parks," she says, "stirrin' up a nest of hornets. Tomorrow all this'll be forgot." But they both know differently. Accelerated Reader Level: 3.3

12. Ben and the Emancipation ProclamationBy Pat Sherman Ben learned the alphabet from his father and secretly practiced writing and word recognition even though it was illegal for African Americans during the time of the Civil War. One night, after being imprisoned, he read aloud to his fellow inmates from a smuggled newspaper and discovered that Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Accelerated Reader Level: 4.1

13. Interrupting ChickenBy David Ezra Stein It’s time for the little red chicken’s bedtime story—and a reminder from Papa to try not to interrupt. But the chicken can’t help herself! Whether the tale is Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or even Chicken Little, she jumps into the story to save its hapless characters from doing some dangerous or silly thing. Accelerated Reader Level: 2.2

14. A Place Where Hurricanes HappenBy Renee Watson Adrienne, Keesha, Michael, and Tommy have been friends for forever. They live on the same street—a street in New Orleans where everyone knows everybody. They play together all day long, every chance they get. It's always been that way. But then people start talking about a storm headed straight for New Orleans. The kids must part ways, since each family deals with Hurricane Katrina in a different manner. And suddenly everything that felt like home is gone. Accelerated Reader Level: 3.3

15. Lucky BeansBy Becky Birtha Like so many people during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Marshall Loman's dad has lost his job. There's little money, but there are plenty of beans-in fact, Ma cooks them for supper every single night! Beans start looking better when Marshall sees the contest posted in the furniture store window. HOW MANY BEANS ARE IN THE JAR? WIN THIS BRAND NEW SEWING MACHINE! Ma needs that sewing machine-but how can Marshall possibly guess right? Then Marshall remembers something he learned in arithmetic class. Accelerated Reader Level: 4.0

16. Pecan Pie BabyBy Jacqueline Woodson Gia is tired of hearing about the new baby. It hasn't even been born yet, but everyone, even her friends, seem fixated on it. Gia thinks things are fine just the way they are! And she's worried: if the baby's such a big deal now, what's going to happen to Gia's nice, cozy life with Mama once it's born? Accelerated Reader Level: 2.9

17. Citations • Photos and reviews accessed from www.amazon.com on August 26, 2012.