Origin and purpose of the award:
The Gryphon Award of $1,000 is given annually in recognition of an English language work of fiction or non-fiction for which the primary audience is children in Kindergarten through Grade 4. The title chosen best exemplifies those qualities that successfully bridge the gap in difficulty between books for reading aloud to children and books for practiced readers.
The Gryphon award was conceived as a way to focus attention an area of literature for youth that, despite being crucial to the successful transition of new readers to independent lifelong readers, does not get the critical recognition it deserves.
The award is sponsored by the Center for Children's Books at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Award Committee:
The award committee will consist of 4-6 members drawn from the youth services faculty of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, the editorial staff of the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, local public and school librarians, and the library and education community at large.
Announcement of the Gryphon Award:
The winning title of the 2009 Gryphon Award for Children's Literature was announced on February 1, 2009.
The Gryphon Honors:
Each year the Gryphon is awarded, an Honors List of best titles for transitional reading will be compiled by the Gryphon Award Committee. Books must be nominated for the honor list by a member of the award committee.
2009 Gryphon Award Book
Frogs by Nic Bishop (Scholastic, 2008)
Bishop combines arresting close-up photos with an information-rich text featuring frogs of a range of sizes, colors (including transparent!), and habitats. This fascinating combination of accessible text and brilliant photos could well inspire a whole new generation of frog aficionados.
2009 Honor Books
Bad Kitty Gets a Bath by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook, 2008)
Start with the fact that CATS HATE BATHS!!! Add one Bad Kitty, who really really really needs a bath! The result is a hilarious book of instructions and bath disaster slapstick as the good intentions of responsible pet ownership collide with the reality of a bath-phobic cat
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey (Knopf, 2008)
This adventure stars intrepid action toy figure Traction Man, faithful companion Scrubbing Brush, the battery-operated interloper TurboDog, and assorted household objects. both benevolent and fearsome. The text recalls comic book superhero tales, while the action-filled illustrations include the many incidental texts (product labels, cereal boxes, etc.) that comprise the newly literate readers’ world.
2008 Gryphon Award Book:
Billy Tartle in Say Cheese! by Michael Townsend (Knopf, 2007)
School picture day is fast approaching, and Billy is determined to liven his up. When his mother nixes his dream haircut (“it should have 5 points … oh, and it must be pink”), Billy’s Plan B makes the class picture even more special. This humorous anti-boredom fantasy of the ultimate school picture day is told in an exuberant graphic novel format .
2008 Honor Books:
Spiders by Nic Bishop (Scholastic, 2007)
The text begins, "Spiders were hunting long before lions and tigers. They were hunting even before Tyrannosaurus rex." This book is an absorbing account of 15 varieties of spiders illustrated with Bishop's arresting and colorful photos of spiders in action – crawling, jumping, spinning, capturing, devouring, and other spidery activities.
Rufus the Scrub Does Not Wear a Tutu by Jamie McEwan, illustrated by John Margeson (Darby Creek, 2007)
Young would-be football player Rufus is benched by his clumsiness until he makes a bold leap into ballet lessons. He successfully defies his teasing teammates, and skilled instruction and ‘practice practice practice’ help him acquire the agility he needs to make that winning play. Take that, you ballet scoffers!
2007 Gryphon Award Book:
The True Story of Stellina by Matteo Pericoli (Knopf, 2006)
Stellina, a little wild finch, is found on a Manhattan sidewalk by the author’s wife. She brings the bird home to her artist husband and the two raise Stellina as their own. This book’s words and pictures tell the true story of Stellina’s eight years with her human family.
2007 Honor Books:
Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by John Lawrence (Candlewick, 2006)
With its detailed and muted illustrations of wood block prints and watercolor washes, this book introduces and describes the life and life cycle of the elusive seahorse.
Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything by Lenore Look, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (Scholastic, 2006)
In this second tale of Ruby Lu, Flying Duck, Ruby Lu’s cousin from China, comes to stay with the family. This initially wondrous news to Ruby Lu is tempered by the reality of her cousin’s presence and his lack of interest in knuckling under to her strong will and activity preferences. Adventures follow.
Good Boy, Fergus! by David Shannon (Blue Sky Press, 2006)
Fergus, star of this boldly illustrated picture book, is a mischievous yet good-natured young dog who is just looking for some fun. His journey takes him from potted plants (edible) to dog food with a whipped cream topping (very edible) and culminate in a cat chase (not edible but still entertaining).
2006 Gryphon Award Book:
Stinky Stern Forever by Michelle Edwards (Harcourt, 2005)
Stinky Stern is the bully of the second grade class, but one afternoon he is suddenly gone, killed in a car accident. His stunned classmates share their mixed feelings of loss and bewilderment as they respond to Stinky’s death in this sensitive and honest story. How do you grieve for someone you didn’t always like?
2006 Honor Books:
Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House, 2005)
This black-white-pink graphic novel tells the story of Babymouse, young mouse with an attitude, who is tired of the monotony of her life (get up, go to school, return overdue library books—boring!). She’d really rather be queen of the world! Failing that, she’ll settle for an invitation to Felicia Furrypants’ super-cool slumber party.
Chameleon, Chameleon by Joy Cowley, photographs by Nic Bishop (Scholastic, 2005)
The informative text and full-color, close-up photographs depict the life of a chameleon, who journeys through the tropical forest in search of a new home: climbing, jumping, grabbing a snack, crawling, averting danger, and grabbing a snack.
Jigsaw Pony by Jessie Haas, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu(Greenwillow, 2005)
Twins Fran and Kiera are the proud owners of their very own pony, Jigsaw. The two girls must work together learn the necessary skills to care for Jigsaw in this chapter book devoted to the joys and responsibilities of having an equine pet.
2005 Gryphon Award Book:
Little Rat Rides by Monika Bang-Campbell (Harcourt, 2004)
Little Rat wants to ride a horse, just like her daddy, but horses are so BIG! Her initial jitters are eased when she finally meets, mounts, and rides Pee Wee, a “mountain on four legs,” and the two prepare for the Big Event—the Fourth of July horse show.
2005 Honor Books:
Down Girl and Sit: Smarter Than Squirrels by Lucy Nolan, illustrated by Mike Reed(Marshall Cavendish, 2004)
Best friends and neighbors Down Girl and Sit are “smarter than squirrels” dogs with the seemingly simple task of keeping their neighborhood safe from intruders. However, when Here Kitty Kitty moves in, the two dogs meet unexpected challenges.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley (Little Brown, 2004)
Classic fairy tales (The Three Bears, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.) are succinctly retold in conversational rhymes designed to be read aloud by pairs of readers—adult/child or child/child. A well-arranged and color-coded text, plus humorous, cartoon-like illustrations, will attract reluctant and fluent readers alike.
2004 Gryphon Award Book:
Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats and Dogs by Douglas Florian (Harcourt, 2003)
In this collection of witty dog- and cat-inspired poetry, watercolor collage paintings face each poem. The art enhances the humorous qualities of the poetry (for example, the ocelot has spots made of question marks) and visually highlights the textual puns for young readers.
2004 Honor Books:
Snowed in with Grandmother Silk by Carol Fenner (Dial, 2003)
Ruddy is not looking forward to spending Halloween with his stuffy Grandmother Silk. But when an early snowstorm hits, leaving his grand-mother’s rural home without water, electricity or telephone, the two of them must work together to keep themselves warm and fed. In the days they spend waiting for the power to return, they also become friends.
Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist: Lunch Walks among Us by Jim Benton (Simon "& Schuster, 2003)
Franny K. Stein is not like the other kids. A skilled mad scientist of unlimited mad talent, she succeeds in masking some of her geekiness in order to fit in with her classmates. But when the students inadvertently create a Giant Monstrous Fiend—which promptly kidnaps the teacher and takes her to the top of the school flagpole a la King Kong—Franny must reclaim her identity and save the day.
Award Criteria:
Selection criteria for the Gryphon Award include but are not limited to:
- excellence of presentation for target audience
- distinctive literary quality and appropriateness of style
- for non-fiction, the presentation of information including accuracy, clarity and organization
- exceptional integration of text, illustration, and design
Eligibility and Terms:
- Books to be considered for this award must be published in the calendar year preceding the presentation of the award.
- The award is given for a single publication, not for the body of an author/illustrator's work.
- The work must be notable and contribute to the world of children's literature.
- Only original works written for children will be considered.
- Textbooks will not be considered.
- Books should be written for an audience of children grades K-4
- English language works of fiction and non-fiction are eligible.
- The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media (i.e., sound or film equipment) for its enjoyment.
- In the event of a dispute as to eligibility, the committee will decide whether a book is eligible.
Entry (for 2010):
Publishers may submit English language books with scheduled first-run publication dates between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. Entries may be submitted as finished proofs, bound galleys and bound manuscripts.
Please send 2 copies of each submission to:
The Center for Children's Books
501 E. Daniel Street
Champaign, IL 61820
Attn: Gryphon Award Committee
Submissions must be postmarked by December 31, 2009.
Additional titles may be nominated for consideration by members of the Gryphon Award Committee.
