Runners-up (novels)

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel

Megan Morrison

What more could a beautiful maiden want? A secure home, constant praise, literally everything she wishes for, all supplied by her beloved Witch. But when a boy named Jack invades her tower and plants the subversive idea that Witch may be lying, Rapunzel wraps up her expansive hair and escapes the tower to prove him wrong. This series opener makes a substantial addition to the popular subgenre of fairy tale reboots as it plumbs old storylines for universal applications. Themes of self-discovery, forgiveness, compassion, and integrity may challenge younger readers, but most will enjoy the engaging characters, humorous touches, and nonstop action.

A Pocket Full of Murder

R.J. Anderson

Isaveth Breck’s family has fallen on hard times—and it gets worse when authorities accuse her father of murder. With the help of Quiz, a streetwise boy, Isaveth sets out to crack the case. This classic mystery takes place in an alternative pseudo-Victorian world of nefarious bureaucrats, energy-producing magic spells, and despised religious minorities. Headstrong Isaveth and daring Quiz will draw even reluctant readers into plotty twists and turns. Religious and political angles add interest and depth, and the story gets in its digs at political figures who think they know what’s better for the people than the people themselves.

The Sign of the Cat

Lynne Jonell

Duncan is far from average: He can speak cat. Despite his mother’s desperate attempts to keep him in the shadows, Duncan plunges into the adventure of a lifetime when his talent comes to light. Cats large and small, wild and domestic, play a prominent role in aiding Duncan’s rise to heroism as he learns his family history and daringly rescues a damsel in distress. Skillful world-building and strong characterization distinguish this fantasy novel for middle-graders. Readers who enjoy swashbuckling tales along with a cat or two will find this story (great for family read-alouds) hard to put down.

The Way Home Looks Now

Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Baseball unites cultures, family members, and teammates in this story of a Taiwanese family struggling with the loss of an older son followed by a mother’s depression. Peter tries to reach his mother through their shared love of baseball, but it’s his father’s quiet (and underappreciated) leadership that eventually makes the difference. The sports theme lifts the novel from weightiness, while Shang handles the cultural conflicts of first- and second-generation immigrants delicately, using them to sketch the father-son relationship. As Peter grows to appreciate his father, the reader sees a strong picture of a man who sacrificially loves and serves his family.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

In The Seventh Most Important Thing (Alfred A. Knopf, 2015) by Shelley Pearsall, Arthur brings his anger under control by collecting “junk” for a folk artist who sculpts beauty from broken things. Binny in Secret (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2015) by Hilary McKay continues the adventures of high-spirited Binny as she adjusts to an unwelcome move, confronts bullies, and makes a true friend. In The Fog Diver (HarperCollins, 2015) by Joel Ross, a crew of misfits protects their adopted grandmother in this dystopian fantasy with humorous touches.

Mechanical dragons and an unlikely friendship make Fires of Invention (Shadow Mountain, 2015) by J. Scott Savage an absorbing fantasy with a steampunk edge. Night on Fire (Albert Whitman & Company, 2015) by Ronald Kidd follows two girls, one white and one African-American, as they witness a church’s faith rising to the occasion during the 1961 Freedom Rides. I Don’t Know How the Story Ends (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2015) is not eligible for official consideration, but author Janie B. Cheaney does bring early Hollywood to life as she comes to understand herself and her father’s involvement in World War I. —B.F.