Young people suggest the names of favorite books for nomination, or teachers and librarians note repeatedly read or requested titles, and these are submitted to the California Young Reader Medal Committee. Members of the committee read the suggested books, discuss their merits and appeal to children, and then decide upon a well-balanced list of nominees. A book to be considered for nomination must be an original work of fiction published within the last five years by a living author.
2008 Winners
Primary
Dex: The Heart of a Hero (originally published as Superdog: The Heart of a Hero) by Caralyn Buehner. Illustrated by Mark Buehner
Intermediate
Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Middle School/Junior High
The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman
Young Adult
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpugo
Picture Books for Older Readers
Mr. Maxwell's Mouse by Frank Asch. Illustrated by Devin Asch
2007 Winners
Primary
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza
Intermediate
Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveler by William Wise, illustrated by Patrick Benson
Middle School/Junior High
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Young Adult
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles
Picture Books for Older Readers
Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Wendy Watson
2006 Winners
Primary
Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook by Michael Garland
Intermediate
The Good Dog by Avi
Middle School/Junior High
12 Again by Sue Corbett
Young Adult
After by Francine Prose
Picture Books for Older Readers
Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming and Stacey Dressen-McQueen
2005 Winners
Primary
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas
Intermediate
Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech
Middle School/Junior High
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Young Adult
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Picture Books for Older Readers
Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco
2004 Winners
Primary
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech
Intermediate
The School Story by Andrew Clements
Middle School/Junior High
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Young Adult
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka
Picture Books for Older Readers
And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon by Janet Stevens
2003 Winners
Primary
I Will Never, Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Intermediate
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Middle School/Junior High
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
Young Adult
Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters
Picture Books for Older Readers
The Babe and I by David Adler
2002 Winners
Primary
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester. Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Intermediate
Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman
Middle School/Junior High
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Young Adult
Bad by Jean Ferris
Picture Books for Older Readers
Weslandia by Paul Fleischman
2001 Winners
Primary
Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement
Intermediate
Honus and Me: A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman
Middle School/Junior High
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Young Adult
Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville
2000 Winners
Primary
Lost by Paul Brett Johnson and Celeste Lewis
Intermediate
Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan
Middle School/Junior High
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Young Adult
Breaking Boxes by A.M. Jenkins
1999 Winners
Primary
Livingstone Mouse by Pam Edwards. Illustrated by Henry Cole
Intermediate
The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman. Illustrated by Peter Sis
Middle School/Junior High
Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
Young Adult
The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen Randle
1998 Winners
Primary
Dog Breath by Dav Piley
Intermediate
The Junkyard Dog by Erika Tamar
Middle School/Junior High
The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis
Young Adult
Ironman by Chris Crutcher
1997 Winners
Primary
Don't Fidget a Feather by Erica Silverman. Illustrated by S.D. Schindler
Intermediate
Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville
Middle School/Junior High
Sparrow Hawk Red by Ben Mikaelsen
Young Adult
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
1996 Winners
Primary
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Intermediate
Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
Middle School/Junior High
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Young Adult
Shadow of the Dragon by Sherry Garland
1995 Winners
Primary
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh
Intermediate
Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad
Middle School/Junior High
Rescue Josh McGuire by Ben Mikaelsen
Young Adult
Downriver by Will Hobbs
1994 Winners
Primary
High-Wire Henry by Mary Calhoun. Illustrated by Erick Ingraham
Intermediate
Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts
Middle School/Junior High
There's a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli
Young Adult
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
1993 Winners
Primary
Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
Intermediate
Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume
Middle School/Junior High
Something Upstairs by Avi
Young Adult
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause
1992 Winners
Primary
Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet
Intermediate
All About Sam by Lois Lowry
Middle School/Junior High
Sniper by Theodore Taylor
Young Adult
A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting
1991 Winners
Primary
Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester. Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
Intermediate
Harry's Mad by Dick King-Smith
Middle School/Junior High
December Stillness by Mary Downing Hahn
Young Adult
Night Kites by M.E. Kerr
1990 Winners
Primary
Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf. Illustrated by Ed Young
Intermediate
The War with Grandpa by Robert K. Smith
Middle School/Junior High
The Other Side of Dark by Joan Lowery Nixon
Young Adult
Izzy, Willy Nilly by Cynthia Voigt
1989 Winners
Primary
What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs? by Carol Carrick. Illustrated by Donald Carrick
Intermediate
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop
Middle School/Junior High
The Stalker by Joan Lowery Nixon
Young Adult
The Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting
1988 Winners
Primary
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff. Illustrated by Felicia Bond
Intermediate
Be a Perfect Person in Just 3 Days by Stephen Manes
Middle School/Junior High
The Root Cellar by Janet Lunn
Young Adult
Interstellar Pig by William Sleator
1987 Winners
Primary
The Napping House by Audrey Wood. Illustrated by Don Wood
Intermediate
The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright
Middle School/Junior High
You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes
Young Adult
Pursuit by Michael French
1986 Winners
Primary
Space Case by Edward Marshall. Illustrated by James Marshall
Intermediate
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements
Middle School/Junior High
Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts
Young Adult
The Darkangel by Meredith Pierce
1985 Winners
Primary
Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman. Illustrated by Kelly Oechsli
Intermediate
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Middle School/Junior High
Taking Terri Mueller by Norma Fox Mazer
Young Adult
The Truth Trap by Frances Miller
1984 Winners
Primary
Bagdad Ate It by Phyllis Green. Illustrated by Joel Schick
Intermediate
The Trouble with Tuck by Theodore Taylor
Middle School/Junior High
There's a Bat in Bunk Five by Paula Danziger
Young Adult
Stranger with My Face by Lois Duncan
1983 Winners
Primary
Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp by Mercer Mayer
Intermediate
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Middle School/Junior High
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
Young Adult
Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan
1982 Winners
Primary
Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard. Illustrated by James Marshall
Intermediate
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Middle School/Junior High
Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford
Young Adult
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
1981 Winners
Primary
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Intermediate
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry
1980 Winners
Primary
Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet
Intermediate
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Middle School/Junior High
The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Young Adult
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
1979 Winners
Primary
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Intermediate
Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
The Late Great Me by Sandra Scoppettone
1978 Winners
Primary
Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate. Illustrated by Diane de Groat
Intermediate
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
1977 Winners
Primary
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Intermediate
Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
Watership Down by Richard Adams
1976 Winners
Primary
How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet
Intermediate
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
1975 Winners
Primary
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Intermediate
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Middle School/Junior High
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
Young Adult
NO AWARD GIVEN (see NOTES)
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NOTES The first Primary Award was given in 1976. Primary books were not included in the voting in 1977, 1979 and 1981. Beginning in 1987, the illustrator of the winning book was given full recognition along with the author. Intermediate books were not included in the 1976, 1978, or 1980 voting. After the 1977 voting, it was decided the intermediate category was too broad and a Middle School/Junior High School category was added. The Middle School/Junior High School Award began in 1980; it was not included in the voting in 1981. The Young Adult Award began in 1977. Young Adult books were not included in the voting in 1978, 1980, and 1982. The Picture Books for Older Readers Award was begun in 2000; it was not included in the vote of 2001.
