Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Every night, at nine o'clock, wherever he is, Mr. Bianchi, an accountant who often has to travel for work, calls his daughter and tells her a bedtime story. But since it's still the 20th century world of pay phones, each story has to be told in the time that a single coin will buy. Reminiscent of Scheherazade and One Thousand and One Nights, Gianni Rodari's Telephone Tales is composed of many stories--in fact, seventy short stories, with one for each phone call. Each story is set in a different place and a different time, with unconventional characters and a wonderful mix of reality and fantasy. One night, it's a carousel so beloved by children that an old man finally sneaks on to understand why, and as he sails above the world, he does. Or, it's a land filled with butter men, roads paved with chocolate, or a young shrimp who has the courage to do things in a different way from what he's supposed to do.

Mildred L. Batchedler Award Winner
New in the neighborhood and hounded by fort-wrecking bullies, Rusty is looking glum. And to top it all off, his grandfather has just died. Rusty is stuck sorting out his emotions while the adults are busy sorting out the "practicalities" with the hospital. But one dark night, after watching a superhero movie on TV, Rusty gets an idea...Dressed in brown pants, a black-and-brown striped shirt, a brown mask and cape, and his mother's brown belt, the superhero BROWN is born!Guided by his grandfather's ghost, two cans of paint, and a little help from his friends, Brown can do anything! Just as long as nobody's parents find out.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
Learn about family, happiness, and friendship in this hope-filled children's book. Our story starts with a boy named Paul, who lives in a cozy treehouse in a big city with his family. And then something unexpected happens--Paul befriends a wise, friendly fox on a walk home from the bakery. The fox gives Paul a space to think about what makes him happy and what friendship means--all in the pages of a bright and quirky storybook. Join Paul and the fox while helping young readers decide what makes them happy.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
Sally Jones is not only a loyal friend, she's an extraordinary individual. In overalls or in a maharaja's turban, this unique gorilla moves among humans without speaking but understanding everything. She and the Chief are devoted comrades who operate a cargo boat. A job they are offered pays big bucks, but the deal ends badly, and the Chief is falsely convicted of murder. For Sally Jones this is the start of a harrowing quest for survival and to clear the Chief's name. Powerful forces are working against her, and they will do anything to protect their secrets.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Eddie is five and a half, and thinks she is the only one in her family who isn't really good at something. So when she hears her little sister say "birthday--Mommy--fluffy--little--squishy," it's extra important for her to find this amazing present before anyone else does. So, gregarious, charming, clever little Eddie goes all around the neighborhood to all her fabulous friends--the florist, the chic boutique owner, the antiques dealer, and even the intimidating butcher--to find one. It's a magical adventure that draws on Eddie's special gifts, ones that she herself learns to appreciate. Beatrice Alemagnawas born in Italy in 1973. At the age of eight, she decided that whatever the cost she would become a "painter and writer of novels" when she grew up.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award
One day, Mikis's grandfather has a surprise for him: a new donkey waiting! Mikis falls in love with the creature, but his grandparents tell him that the donkey is a working animal, not a pet. However, they still let Mikis choose her name -- Tsaki -- and allow the two of them to spend their Sundays together. Mikis and Tsaki soon become fast friends, and together the two have some grand adventures. Eventually, both Mikis and his grandfather learn a bit more about what exactly it means to care for another creature. Brought to life by drawings from Philip Hopman, Bibi Dumon Tak's gentle, humorous story is perfect for any readers who may have their own soft spot for animals.