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Projects:
Los Angeles' 100 Best Books - 2000
(Outstanding preK-12 Literature - A Balanced Library Acquisition Program)

 

About the Book Selection Program
1999 List
2001 List
Picture Books
Large-Print, Early Reader Books
Emergent-Reader Transitional Books
Fiction
Story Collection
000 - General Works / Computers
100 - Philosophy and Psychology
200 - Religions
300 - Social Sciences
398.2 - Folklore
400 - Languages
500 - Pure Sciences
600 - Applied Science and Technology
700 - Arts
800 - Literature
900 - Geography and History
920 - Biography - Autobiography
Reprints

All these books were published in 2000.

Picture Books (12)

Child, Lauren. I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato. Candlewick, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.PreK-3
Collier, Bryan. Uptown. Holt, R=Gr.1-2, I=Gr.PreK-3
Falconer, Ian. Olivia. Atheneum, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.PreK-5
Graham, Bob. Max. Candlewick, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.PreK-4
Locker, Thomas. Cloud Dance. Silver Whistle, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.K-12
Myers, Tim. Basho and the Fox. Il. by Oki S. Han. Marshall Cavendish, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.3-6
Ogburn, Jacqueline. The Magic Nesting Doll. Il. by Laurel Long. Dial, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-10
Oppel, Kenneth. Peg and the Whale. Il. by Terry Widener. Simon, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.K-3
Siebert, Diane. Cave. Il. by Wayne McLoughlin. HarperCollins, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.2-8
Vizurraga, Susan. Miss Opal’s Auction. Il. by Mark Graham. Holt, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-5
Wells, Rosemary. Emily’s First 100 Days of School. Hyperion, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-2
Winters, Kay. Tiger Trail. Il. by Laura Regan. Simon, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-5

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Large-Print, Early Reader Books (1)
(Fiction books with large print and limited vocabulary, hence useful for the early reader)

Yolen, Jane. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? Il. by Mark Teague. Blue Sky, R=Gr.1-2, I=Gr.PreK-2

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Emergent-Reader Transitional Books (1)
(Fiction books with numerous pictures in which the text conveys meaning independent of the illustrations; useful for the newly-fluent reader as a transition to longer books)

Yaccarino, Dan. First Day on a Strange New Planet. Il. by author. Hyperion, 2000. R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.2-5

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Fiction (12)
(Books of prose that may have some basis in fact but which are primarily a product of the author’s imagination)

Anderson, Laurie. Fever, 1793. Simon, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-10
Cousins, Steven. Frankenbug. Holiday House, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.3-5
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Candlewick, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-6
Freymann-Weyr, Garret. When I Was Older. Houghton, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-11
Kerner, Charlotte. Blueprint. Lerner, R=Gr.7-8, I=Gr.9-A
Konigsburg, E. L. Silent to the Bone. Atheneum, 2000. R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-8
Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed. Harcourt, R=Gr.7-8, I=Gr.8-A
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza Rising. Scholastic, 2000. R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.4-8
Sturtevant, Katherine. At the Sign of the Star. Farrar, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-8
Tervalon, Jervey. Dead Above Ground. Pocket Books, R=Gr.12-A, I=Gr.11-A
Whelan, Gloria. Homeless Bird. HarperCollins, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-12
Woodson, Jacqueline. Miracle’s Boys. Putnam, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-A

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Story Collection (2)
(A collection of fictional short stories by one or more authors)

Myers, Walter. 145th Street: Short Stories. Delacorte, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-12

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000 - General Works / Computers (1)

Masoff, Joy. Oh, Yuck!: The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty. Il. by Terry Sirrell. Workman, R=Gr.7-8, I=Gr.7-A

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100 - Philosophy and Psychology (1)

Katz, Jon. Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho. Villard, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-A

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200 - Religions (2)

Gerstein, Mardicai (Reteller). Queen Esther the Morning Star. Il. by reteller. Simon, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.K-6
Jaffe, Nina. Tales for the Seventh Day. Il. by Kelly Stribling. Scholastic, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.5-10

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300 - Social Sciences (9)

Alexander, Sally. Do You Remember the Color Blue? Viking, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-9
Ammon, Richard. Conestoga Wagons. Il. by Bill Farnsworth. Holiday House, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-8
Coleman, Penny. Girls: A History of Growing Up Female in America. Il. Scholastic, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-A
Fradin, Dennis. Bound for the North-Star: True Stories of Fugitive Slaves. Il. Clarion, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-12
Jackson, Ellen. The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest. Il.by Jan Davey Ellis. Millbrook, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.2-5
Kassinger, Ruth. U. S. Census: A Mirror of America. Il. Raintree Steck-Vaughn, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-A
Rogers, Fred. Extraordinary Friends. Il. Putnam, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-3
Schanzer, Rosalyn. Escaping to America: A True Story. Il. HarperCollins, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-7
Winick, Judd. Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned. Il. Holt, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-12

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398.2 - Folklore (7)

Aesop. Aesop’s Fables; Selected and Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. SeaStar, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.3-A
Casanova, Mary. The Hunter: A Chinese Folktale. Il. by Ed Young. Atheneum, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.K-5
Kimmel, Eric. The Two Mountains: An Aztec Legend. Il. by Leonard Everett Fisher. Holiday House, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-7
Olaleye, Isaac. In the Rainfield, Who Is the Greatest? Il. by Ann Grifalconi. Blue Sky, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.2-A
Osborne, Mary Pope. Kate and the Beanstalk. Il. by Giselle Potter. Atheneum, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.PreK-4
San Souci, Robert (Reteller). Little Gold Star. Il. by Sergio Martinez. Morrow, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.2-7
Sierra, Judy. The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Tale. Il. by Reynold Ruffins. Simon, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.K-5

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400 - Languages (1)

Barron, Rex (Il). Fed Up! A Feast of Frazzled Foods. Ed. by Victoria Wells. Putnam, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.3-12

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500 - Pure Sciences (11)

Allan, Jerry. The Horse and the Iron Ball. Il. by author. Lerner, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-9
Ballard, Robert. The Eternal Darkness. Il. Princeton University Press, R=Gr.9-10, I=Gr.9-A
Collard, Sneed. Forest in the Clouds; by Sneed Collard. Il. by Michael Rothman. Charlesbridge, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.1-4
Day, Trevor. Youch! It Bites: Real-Life Monsters Up Close. Il. Simon, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.2-7
Isadora, Rachel. 123 POP! Il. Viking, R=Wordless, I=Gr.K-5
London, Jonathan. Panther: Shadow of the Swamp. Il. by Paul Morin. Candlewick, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.K-5
Michelson, Richard. Ten Times Better. Il. by Leonard Baskin. Marshall Cavendish, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.PreK-5
Pringle, Laurence. Bats!: Strange and Wonderful. Il. by Meryl Henderson. Boyds Mills, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-4
Relf, Patricia. A Dinosaur Named Sue. Il. Scholastic, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.5-A
Singer, Marilyn. On the Same Day in March. Il. by Frane Lessac. HarperCollins, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.K-5
Toft, Kim. Neptune’s Nursery. Il. by author. Charlesbridge, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.1-5

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600 - Applied Science and Technology (8)

Azarian, Mary. A Gardener’s Alphabet. Il. Houghton, R=Gr.K-1, I=Gr.PreK-1
Brynie, Faith. 101 Questions About Your Immune System... Il. by S. Holm. 21st Century, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-12
Friedlander, Mark P. Outbreak: Disease Detectives at Work. Il. by Leonard T. Kurland. Lerner, R=Gr.8-9, I=Gr.7-12
Keller, Laurie. Open Wide: Tooth School Inside. Il. by author. Holt, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.2-7
Majoor, Mireille. Inside the Hindenburg. Il. by Marshall, McGaw,, & Gordon. Madison, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.6-A
Markel, Michelle. Cornhusk, Silk, and Wishbones. Il. Houghton, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.3-7
Simon, Seymour. Out of Sight: Pictures of Hidden Worlds. Il. SeaStar, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.4-8
Thimmesh, Catherine. Girls Think of Everything. Il. by Melissa Sweet. Houghton, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.5-9

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700 - Arts (7)

Agee, Jon. Elvis Lives: And Other Anagrams. Il. by author. Farrar, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-A
Bachrach, Susan. The Nazi Olympics: Berlin 1936. Il. Little, R=Gr.7-8, I=Gr.7-A
Gould, Roberta. Kidtopia. Il. Tricycle, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-A
Greenberg, Jan and Sandra Jordan. Frank O. Gehry: Outside In. Il. DK Ink, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-12
Hoberman, Mary. The Eensy Weensy Spider. Il. by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Little, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.PreK-4
Macaulay, David. Building Big. Il. Houghton, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-12
McGill, Alice (Collector). In the Hollow of Your Hand. Il. by Michael Cummings. Houghton, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.K-5

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800 - Literature (6)

Adoff, Arnold. The Basket Counts. Il. by Michael Weaver. Simon, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.4-9
Florian, Douglas. Mammalabilia: Poems and Paintings. Il. by author. Harcourt, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.PreK-8
Glenn, Mel. Split Image: A Story in Poems. HarperCollins, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.9-A
Hopkins, Lee. My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States. Il. by Stephen Alcorn. Simon, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-8
Johnson, Dave (Ed.). Movin’: Teen Poets Take Voice. Il. by Chris Raschka. Orchard, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-A
Wong, Janet. Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams. Il. by Julie Paschkis. McElderry, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.2-6

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900 - Geography and History (12)

Armstrong, Jennifer. Spirit of Endurance. Il. by William Maughan & Frank Hurley. Crown, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.4-8
Cooper, Michael. Fighting for Honor. Il. Clarion, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.7-12
Curlee, Lynn. Liberty. Il. Atheneum, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-8
Freedman, Russell. Give Me Liberty. Il. Holiday House, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.5-8
Lanier, Shannon. Jefferson’s Children: The Story of One American Family. Il. Random, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-A
Levine, Ellen. Darkness Over Denmark. Il. Holiday House, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.7-12
Rubin, Susan. Fireflies in the Dark. Il. Holiday House, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.6-A
St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be President? Il. by David Small. Philomel, R=Gr.2-3, I=Gr.1-8
Stanley, Jerry. Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California. Il. Crown, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-A
Stolley, Richard. Life: Our Century in Pictures for Young People. Il. Little, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-A
Talbott, Hudson. Forging Freedom. Il. by author Putnam, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-9
Winnick, Karen. Sybil’s Night Ride. Il. by author. Boyds Mills, R=Gr.3-4, I=Gr.1-5

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920 - Biography - Autobiography
(8)

Aronson, Marc. Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado. Il. Clarion, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.7-A
Borden, Louise. Fly High: The Story of Bessie Coleman. Il. by Teresa Flavin. McElderry, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.4-8
Coulter, Laurie. When John and Caroline Lived in the White House. Il. Hyperion, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.3-A
Landau, Elaine. John F. Kennedy, Jr. Il. Twenty-First Century, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-12
Marcus, Leonard. Author Talk. Il. Simon, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.4-A
Pinkney, Andrea. Let It Shine. Il. by Stephen Alcorn. Gulliver, R=Gr.5-6, I=Gr.5-12
Rumford, James. Seeker of Knowledge. Houghton, R=Gr.4-5, I=Gr.3-8
Stanley, Diane. Michelangelo. HarperCollins, R=Gr.6-7, I=Gr.5-A

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Reprints

This list (along with annotations, reading and interest levels, and curriculum connections for each title) is available in The Dragon Lode, 20/2, Spring 2002, pp. 77-88. For your convenience, a reprint of this article is available for $2.50. This issue is also now online (click Volume 20, No. 2, Spring, then click Los Angeles' 100 Best Books - 2000).

Distinctive seals to place on your books are also available.

Use the Subscription and Membership Form so you can subscribe and not miss forthcoming lists in this excellent series!

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©2002 IRA Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (IRA CL/R SIG).
All rights reserved. Website: http://www.csulb.edu/org/childrens-lit
Dr. Kaye West, Webmistress
Date modified: May 28, 2003 . Feedback