The Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) reading program was established in 1979 to encourage Texas children to read more books, explore a variety of current books, develop powers of discrimination, and identify their favorite books. All school libraries, public libraries, and home school associations are encouraged to participate in Texas Bluebonnet Award. The program is aimed at students in grades 3-6. Participating students must read a minimum of five books from the current master list before they may vote for their favorite title. Teachers and parents are encouraged to read some of the books aloud. The author of the book receiving the most votes statewide is declared the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award.”

2008-2009 Master List (Nominees):

Auch, Mary Jane. One Handed Catch. Henry Holt, 2006.
Carman, Patrick. Atherton: the House of Power. Little, Brown, 2007.
Cheaney, J. B. The Middle of Somewhere. Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. Semicolon review here. An interview with J.B. Cheaney.
Day, Karen. Tall Tales. Wendy Lamb Books, 2007. Semicolon review here.
DeFelice, Cynthia. One Potato, Two Potato. Illustrated by Andrea U’Ren. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.
Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Harcourt, Inc., 2007.
Graff, Lisa. The Thing About Georgie. Laura Geringer Books, 2006. Semicolon review here.
Harper, Charise Mericle. Just Grace. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007.
Hart, Alison. Gabriel’s Horses. Peachtree, 2007.
Jenkins, Emily. Toys Go Out. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Schwartz & Wade Books, 2006.
Lauber, Patricia. What You Never Knew About Beds, Bedrooms, and Pajamas. Illustrated by John Meanders. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006.
McCully, Emily Arnold. Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.
O’Connor, Barbara. How to Steal a Dog. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. Karate Kid’s review.
Patterson, Nancy Ruth. The Winner’s Walk. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.
Paulsen, Gary. Lawn Boy. Wendy Lamb Books, 2007.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Scholastic Press, 2007.
Sidman, Joyce. This is Just to Say. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
Thimmesh, Catherine. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
Tingle, Tim. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom. Illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. Cinco Puntos Press, 2006.
White, Ruth. Way Down Deep. Farrar, Strass and Giroux, 2007. Semicolon review here.

Thanks to the Cybil Award process, I’ve actually read some of these books. If the ones I’ve read are any indication, the children of Texas should have a good time this next year (voting deadline: January 31, 2009) reading some great books.

By the way, nominations are still open through November 21st (tomorrow) for the Cybil Awards. If you haven’t nominated your favorite 2007 titles, now is the time.