2. The Black-Eyed Susan Book Award is a children's choice award for the state of
Maryland. Each year since 1992, the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award has been given to
authors and/or illustrators of outstanding books chosen for the award by Maryland
students. The award seeks to promote literacy and lifelong reading habits by
encouraging students to read quality, contemporary literature.
Reading committees of school and public librarians, and other interested members of
the Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL), meet to determine which books
will be nominated and placed on student reading lists. There are four different reading
lists: Picture Books, books for students in Grades 4-6, books for students in Grades 6-
9, and books for High School students. The nominated books are expected to be
outstanding books that broaden the human experience and provide students with new
insights into their own lives. Books may be suggested for consideration by students,
teachers, parents, or other interested readers.
Following are some of the criteria which are used in determining the nominated books:
● Books may be fiction or nonfiction.
● Books must have a copyright date of the current year or one of the preceding
three years and be readily available.
● Each title selected will have received positive reviews from appropriate
professional journals.
● Books must have been read, discussed, and voted upon by the appropriate
Black-Eyed Susan reading committee before being placed on the appropriate list.
Students may cast one vote for the book they consider to be the most outstanding
book in each of the categories. All votes from schools across the state of Maryland are
submitted to the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award committee to be tallied in order to
determine the winners. The winning authors and/or illustrators receive an award
engraved with the book title, the year, and the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award logo.
Authors, illustrators, and publishers recognize the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book
Award as an honor bestowed by Maryland student readers.
3. The Black-Eyed Susan Book Club at the Central
Branch of the Howard County Library System, is
an exciting opportunity for children, ages 5-8, to
listen to, critique and vote on the fifteen
2012-2013 nominated picture books.
Students attending the monthly class will:
- listen to two of the nominated books
- participate in group discussion
- create a craft
- receive homework sheet to add to BESBC folder
Families will need to register each month, one
month before class.
Class schedule:
September 12 1:00 PM
October 10 1:00 PM
November 14 1:00 PM
December 12 1:00 PM
January 9 1:00 PM
February 20 1:00 PM
March 13 1:00 PM
April 10 1:00 PM
4. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 1
Book title: Argus
Author: Michelle Knudsen
Illustrator: Andrea Wesson
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
5. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 2
Book title: Max's Castle
Author: Kate Banks
Illustrator: Boris Kulikov
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
6. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 3
Book title: The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
Author: Samantha Vamos
Illustrator: Rafael Lopez
Publication: 2011
(2012 Pura Belpré Honor)
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
7. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 4
Book title: Perfect Square
Author: Michael Hall
Illustrator: Michael Hall
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
8. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 5
Book title: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of
the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade
Author: Melissa Sweet
Illustrator: Melissa Sweet
Publication: 2011
(2012 Robert F. Sibert Medal Winner)
(2012 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Winner)
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
9. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 6
Book title: Hampire!
Author: Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
Illustrator: Howard Fine
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
10. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 7
Book title: Me...Jane
Author: Patrick Mcdonnell
Illustrator: Patrick Mcdonnell
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
11. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 8
Book title: The Chiru of High Tibet
Author: Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Illustrator: Linda Wingerter
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
12. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 9
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
Book title: The Princess and the Pig
Author: Jonathan Emmett
Illustrator: Poly Bernatene
Publication: 2011
13. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 10
Book title: Detective (Little Boy) Blue
Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrator: Tedd Arnold
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
14. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 11
Book title: Tornado Slim & the Magic Cowboy Hat
Author: Bryan Langdo
Illustrator: Bryan Langdo
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
15. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 12
Book title: Tsunami!
Author: Kimiko Kajikawa
Illustrator: Ed Young
Publication: 2009
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
16. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 13
Book title: Blackout
Author: John Rocco
Illustrator: John Rocco
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
17. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 14
Book title: Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the
Trees of Kenya
Author: Donna Jo Napoli
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
18. Black-Eyed Susan Book Club page 15
Book title: Cat Secrets
Author: Jef Czekaj
Illustrator: Jef Czekaj
Publication: 2011
What I think of the book...
Characters: ____________________________________
_____________________________________________
Story: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Illustrations: ___________________________________
_____________________________________________
Other: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
My rating: _____________________________________
