DCF Award Books 2007-2008

Named for the "First Lady of Vermont Literature," the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award honors the author each year whose book ranks as the favorite of Vermont readers in grades 4-8. First given in 1957, it is co-sponsored by the Vermont State PTA and the Vermont Department of Libraries. Each spring children in grades 4-8 from across the state vote for their favorite book from the master list. The titles on this list are chosen from books by American authors published during the preceding year.

Official Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Website

2007-2008 DCF Winner: Rules by Cynthia Lord

2007-2008 List of Nominees

Abbott, Tony. Firegirl. A middle school boy's life is changed when Jessica, a girl disfigured by burns, starts attending his Catholic school while receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Anderson, M.T. The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen. Looking forward to a vacation, Katie, Lily and Jasper attach their flying Gyroscopic Sky Suite to Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort, where they mingle with other child heroes found in books, and where they become embroiled in a mystery involving lederhosen-clothed quintuplets and a screaming ventriloquist.

Auch, Mary Jane. One-Handed Catch. A strong sense of purpose, leavened by generous doses of humor and post-World War II period detail, drives this story of a resilient middle-grader who demonstrates that having one hand is an opportunity rather than a handicap.

Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. Fourth-grade science whiz Phineas L. MacGuire is forced to team up with the new boy in class on a science fair project, but the boy's quirky personality causes Phineas to wonder if they have any chance of winning.

Ellis, Sarah. Odd Man Out. Twelve-year-old Kip goes to his grandmother's house in British Columbia while his mother and stepfather are on their honeymoon, and finds an unexpected treasure hidden within the walls of the attic.

Fleischman, Sid. Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini. A biography of the magician, ghost chaser, aviator, and king of escape artists whose amazing feats are remembered long after his death in 1926. 

Fleischman, Sid. The White Elephant.  In old Siam, young elephant trainer Run-Run and his old charge, Walking Mountain, must deal with the curse of a sacred white elephant.

Fletcher, Susan. Alphabet of Dreams. Fourteen-year-old Mitra, of royal Persian lineage, and her five-year-old brother Babak, whose dreams foretell the future, flee for their lives in the company of the magus Melchior and two other Zoroastrian priests, traveling through Persia as they follow star signs leading to a newly-born king in Bethlehem. 

Freedman, Russell. The Adventures of Marco Polo. A beautifully illustrated look at Marco Polo’s life, journeys, including a discussion about what was true in his tale and what was not.

Hatkoff, Isabella. Owen & Mzee. The true story of a hippopotamus orphaned by the December, 2004 tsunami and his friendship with a giant Aldabra tortoise.

Hobbs, Will. Crossing the Wire. Fifteen-year old Victor Flores journeys north in a desperate attempt to cross the Arizona border and find work in the United States to support his family in central Mexico.

Kadohata, Cynthia. Weedflower. After twelve-year-old Sumiko and her Japanese-American family are relocated from their flower farm in southern California to an interment camp on an Indian reservation in Arizona, she helps her family and neighbors, becomes friends with a local Indian boy, and tries to hold on to her dream of owning a flower shop.

Key, Watt. Alabama Moon. After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.

Kurlansky, Mark. The Story of Salt. The story of the only rock we eat, including its origin, the other discoveries made because of it, and tales of salt and the people who have been involved with it through the ages.

Larson, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky. After inheriting her uncle's homesteading claim in Montana, sixteen-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks travels from Iowa in 1917 to make a home for herself.

Lawrence, Iain. Gemini Summer. Danny's grief over the death of his older brother Beau is eased when a stray puppy adopts him, but he soon decides that Beau is somehow in the dog, and sets out to make his brother's dream of seeing a rocket launch at Cape Kennedy come true.

Leavitt, Martine. Keturah and Lord Death. When sixteen-year-old Keturah follows a legendary hart into the forest she becomes lost, and eventually Lord Death comes to claim her, but when she is able to charm him with her story she gains a reprieve of twenty-four hours, if she can find her one true love.

Lisle, Janet Taylor. Black Duck. Years afterwards, Ruben Hart tells the story of how, in 1929 Newport, Rhode Island, his family and his best friend's family were caught up in the violent competition among groups trying to control the local rum-smuggling trade. 

Lord, Cynthia. Rules. Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.

Nuzum, K.A. A Small White Scar. Fifteen-year-old Will Bennon's brother Denny has Down syndrome, but when Will is ready to leave his family’s ranch and become a professional cowboy, Denny unexpectedly joins the journey. 

Paterson, Katherine. Bread and Roses, Too. Jake and Rosa form an unlikely friendship as they try to survive and understand the 1912 Bread and Roses strike of mill workers in Lawrence, MA and later are sent to Barre, Vermont.

Patron, Susan. The Higher Power of Lucky. Fearing that her legal guardian plans to abandon her to return to France, ten-year-old aspiring scientist Lucky Trimble determines to run away while also continuing to seek the Higher Power that will bring stability to her life.

Pearsall, Shelley. All of the Above. Four urban middle school students, their teacher, and other community members relate how a school project to build the world's largest tetrahedron affects the lives of everyone involved. 

Schlitz, Laura Amy. A Drowned Maiden's Hair.  At the Barbary Asylum for Female Orphans, eleven-year-old Maud is adopted by three spinster sisters moonlighting as mediums who take her home and reveal to her the role she will play in their seances.

Shinn, Sharon. The Dream-Maker's Magic. Kellen's mother insisted her only child was born a male and raised her as a boy till she was forced to go to school.  Then she became friends with Gryffin who would become the new Dream-Maker of their village. 

Springer, Nancy. The Case of the Missing Marquess. Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother.

Tolan, Stephanie S. Listen! During her solitary convalescence from a crippling accident, twelve-year-old Charley finds a wild dog, and the arduous process of training him leads her to explore her feelings about her mother's death two years earlier.

Turner, Megan Whalen. The King of Attolia. Eugenides, still known as the Thief of Eddis, faces palace intrigue and assassins as he strives to prove himself both to the people of Attolia and to his new bride, their queen.

Winthrop, Elizabeth. Counting on Grace. It's 1910 in Pownal, Vermont.  At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must go to work in the mill, helping their mothers work the looms.  Together Grace and Arthur write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in the mill.  A few weeks later Lewis Hine, a famous reformer, arrives undercover to gather evidence.