2001 Nutmeg Nominees

The Ghost of Fossil Glen
by Cynthia DeFelice
Sixth-grader Allie has always been aware of things that others couldn't see but even she has a hard time believing in the ghost of Lucy Stiles. Lucy, a girl the same age as Allie, mysteriously disappeared four years ago in Allie's favorite spot, Fossil Glen. In a race to save the glen, Lucy's ghost desperately leaves clues for Allie, relying on her to reveal the awful story of the disappearance of Lucy Stiles.

Deep Doo Doo
by Michael Delaney
After 12 year old Bennet and his best friend Pete, build a television transmitter from old parts which can interrupt the local TV station, they decide to have some fun with the current campaign for governor by putting Pete's dog Gus on TV to debate the governor. Reporters, the Police and FBI are all searching for the culprits of these pranks. If they get caught, the boys know they will be in Deep Doo Doo!

My Louisiana Sky
by Kimberly Willis Holt
Tiger Ann is growing up and not too happy about her small town life in 1950s Louisiana. Her daddy is "slow" and her mama is off balance. The popular girls shut her out. Then Aunt Dorie offers Tiger a brand new life in Baton Rouge, the big city. A family secret, Hurricane Audrey, the Louisiana Lady Camellias, all play a part in her decision. What will she choose?

A Shooting Star: A Novel About Annie Oakley
by Sheila Solomon Klass
When her father dies, Phoebe Anne Moses, knows she can help her poor family survive. She knows in her heart that she is a hunter, but her mother believes that a girl should never even think of handling a gun, and Annie is sent to work. How will this nineteenth century girl ever escape from her job as a servant to a cruel family? And when will Phoebe Ann become the famous sharpshooter, known to us as Annie Oakley?

No More Nice
by Amy MacDonald
Simon knows that by the way his parents talk about his great-aunt and uncle that there is something very strange about them. So he is prepared for the worst when he is sent to stay with them for spring vacation. Simon spends a eye-opening vacation with his eccentric Great-aunt Mattie and his Uncle Philbert, where he un-learns how to be polite-and learns how to stand up for himself in the process.

Riding Freedom
by Pam Munoz Ryan
Growing up in an orphanage in the 1800's, Charlotte Parkhust quickly learns that being a girl means working in the kitchen instead of the stable, where she loved to be with the horses. So Charlotte devises a plan to disguise herself as a man, in order to be able to live her life the way she wants. Charlotte with her uncanny knack with horses, becomes a famous stage coach driver, and the first woman to vote in California- probably in the United States. This historical novel about Charlotte Parkhust follows Charlotte as she overcomes many obstacles to reach her goals and dreams.

Gib Rides Home
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
It's 1909, and Gib Wittaker lives at the Lovell House Home for Orphanded and Abandoned Boys. His greatest wish is to escape the harsh treatment he suffers at the orphanage, and to be adopted into a real family. But not all adoptions are what they seem. Some boys are "farmed out"- sent to work as slave labor. Gib refuses give up hope- even when he is farmed out to troubled family with mysterious secrets. Instead Gib works hard, and learns to be a true wrangler. But will Gib's dreams of being part of a family ever come true?

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Move over Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, there is a new detective on the scene. Sammy Keyes is an unpredictable middle-school student who somehow always manages to get right in the middle of trouble. While doing her favorite activity of spying on the neighbors, she witnesses a robbery and tries to solve the crime, but the police refuse to listen to her. The situation gets more and more dangerous as Sammy gets closer to the truth. But has Sammy gotten into more trouble than she can handle?

101 Ways to Bug Your Parents
by Lee Wardlaw
Sneeze can't believe it when, instead of going to the Invention Convention where he had planned to unveil his Nice Alarm invention, his parents enroll him in a summer creative writing class. So Sneeze decides to raise money to pay his own way to the Convention by publishing his creative writing project- a list of 101 ways to bug your parents. He and his friend Hiccup have to decide which of his ideas are duds, which are dynamos, and which are disasters. Will his classmates buy enough copies of this list to pay his way to the Invention Convention?

Belle Prater's Boy
by Ruth White
Gypsy Leemaster, also known as Beauty, is anxious to keep the circumstances surrounding her father's death a secret. Her cousin, Woodrow, is just as anxious to keep his own secret- the story of his mother's strange disappearance. Both Woodrow and Gypsy begin a slow, painful journey to discover the real truth about each parents' story. Belle Prater's Boy, Woodrow is a dreamer, storyteller and loner. Beauty, Amos Leemaster's daughter is strong and compassionate companion to her cousin Woodrow. Their truths bind them as cousins and friends.

Last updated on: 14 February, 2007

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