The Mark Twain Readers Award, or simply Mark Twain Award, is a

children's A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

book award which annually recognizes one book selected by vote of

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

schoolchildren from a list prepared by librarians and volunteer readers. It is now one of four

Missouri Association of School Librarians {{short description, None Below is a continuation of the List of library associations#North America, North America section of the List of library associations. Included are state associations, school library associations, and special library associ ...

(MASL) Readers Awards and is associated with school grades 4 to 6; the other MASL Readers Awards were inaugurated from 1995 to 2009 and are associated with grades K–3, 6–8, 9–12 and nonfiction. The 1970

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

winning book '' Sounder'', by William H. Armstrong, was the inaugural winner of the Mark Twain Award in 1972.

Peg Kehret Peg Kehret (born Margaret Ann Schulze on November 11, 1936) is an American author, primarily writing for children between the ages of 10 and 15. Life Margaret Ann Schulze was born on November 11, 1936, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She contracted poli ...

has won the Mark Twain Award four times, once in 1999 for '' Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio'', a memoir of her childhood, and three times in six years from 2007 to 2012 for novels.

Nomination guidelines

* Books should interest children in grades four through six. * Books should be an original work written by an author living in the United States. * Books should be of literary value which may enrich children's personal lives. * Books should be published two years prior to nomination on a master list of twelve nominees.

Voting process

Though the list of nominated books is designated for grades four through six, any student can vote for the winner so long as they satisfy the following criteria: * Book must have been read by voter. * Voter must have read at least four books from the list of nominees. * Voter can only vote once. Schools design their own ballots. Individual votes for each school (or qualified group) are tallied on a single sheet and submitted to the MASL.

Winners

The award has recognized a single book by a single writer without exception from 1972. * 2021 ''Blended'' by

Sharon Draper Sharon Mills Draper (born August 21, 1948) is an American children's writer, professional educator, and the 1997 National Teacher of the Year. She is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for books about the young and adolescent Afric ...

* 2020 ''One for Sorrow: a Ghost Story'' by

Mary Downing Hahn Mary Downing Hahn (born December 9, 1937) is an American writer of young adult novels and a former school librarian. She is known for books such as ''Stepping On The Cracks'' and ''Wait Till Helen Comes''. She published her first book in 1979 and ...

* 2019 ''Framed!'' by James Ponti * 2018 ''

The War That Saved My Life ''The War That Saved My Life'', by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, is a 2015 children’s historical novel published by Dial Books for Young Readers. In 2016, it was a Newbery Honor Book and was named to the Bank Street Children's Book Committee ...

'' by

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (born June 24, 1967) is an American children's and young adult book author. In 2016, her children's book ''The War That Saved My Life'' received the Newbery Honor Award and was named to the Bank Street Children's Book ...

* 2017 ''A Million Ways Home'' by Dianna Dorisi-Winget * 2016 '' Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library'' by

Chris Grabenstein Christopher Grabenstein is an American author. He published his first novel in 2005. Since then he has written novels for both adults and children, the latter often with frequent collaborator James Patterson. He graduated from the University of Te ...

* 2015 ''

Wonder Wonder most commonly refers to: * Wonder (emotion), an emotion comparable to surprise that people feel when perceiving something rare or unexpected Wonder may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * The Wonders, a fictional band ...

'' by R.J. Palacio * 2014 ''

The Unwanteds ''The Unwanteds'' is a dystopian fantasy book series written by Lisa McMann. Plots Book 1: The Unwanteds Eve year in Quill there is a tradition of sorting thirteen year olds into three categories: Wanted, Necessary and Unwanted. The st ...

'' by

Lisa McMann Lisa McMann (born February 27, 1968) is an American author and the creator of The Unwanteds and The Unwanteds Quests series for young readers and the ''WAKE'' trilogy for young adults. McMann was born in Holland, Michigan and now lives in Temp ...

* 2013 '' Out of My Mind'' by

* 2012 ''Runaway Twin'' by

* 2011 '' Stolen Children'' by

* 2010 ''

Deep and Dark and Dangerous ''Deep and Dark and Dangerous'' is a 2007 children's mystery horror novel written by Mary Downing Hahn. It was first published on May 21, 2007 through Clarion Books and follows a young girl who tries to investigate a torn photograph but gets wrapp ...

'' by

* 2009 ''

The Sea of Monsters ''The Sea of Monsters'' is an American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan and published in 2006. It is the second novel in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series and the sequel to ''The Lightning Th ...

'' by

Rick Riordan Richard Russell Riordan Junior (; born June 5, 1964) is an American author, best known for writing the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million co ...

* 2008 ''

The Lightning Thief ''The Lightning Thief'' is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. It won the Adult Library Services Association Be ...

'' by

* 2007 ''

Abduction! ''Abduction!'' by Peg Kehret, is a novel about a 13-year-old girl named Bonnie who searches for her brother Matt and their dog Pookie who were both abducted. Her abductor, a mystery at first, ends up being someone much close to home. Plot summ ...

'' by

* 2006 ''

The City of Ember ''The City of Ember'' is a post-apocalyptic novel by Jeanne DuPrau that was published in 2003. The story is about Ember, a post-apocalyptic underground city threatened by aging infrastructure and corruption. The young protagonist, Lina Mayfle ...

'' by

Jeanne DuPrau Jeanne DuPrau (born 1944 in San Francisco, California) is an American writer, best known for ''The Books of Ember'', a series of science fiction novels for young people. She lives in Menlo Park, California. Works The Books of Ember * ''The C ...

* 2005 ''Wenny Has Wings'' by

Janet Lee Carey Janet Lee Carey (born January 11, 1954) is an American college professor who writes fantasy fiction for children and young adults. Her novels ''The Dragons of Noor'' (2010) won a Teens Read Too Gold Star Award for Excellence, ''Dragon's Keep'' ...

(made into a Japanese movie ''Ano sora wo Oboetaru'') * 2004 ''Zach's Lie'' by

Roland Smith Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...

* 2003 ''

Because of Winn-Dixie ''Because of Winn-Dixie'' is a 2000 children's novel written by Kate DiCamillo. It was adapted as a 2005 family film directed by Wayne Wang, produced by Walden Media and Twentieth Century Fox, and starring AnnaSophia Robb as Opal Buloni.

'' by

Kate DiCamillo Katrina Elizabeth DiCamillo (born March 25, 1964) is an American children's fiction author. She has published over 25 novels, including ''Because of Winn-Dixie'', '' The Tiger Rising'', ''The Tale of Despereaux'', ''The Miraculous Journey ...

* 2002 ''Dork In Disguise'' by Carol Gorman * 2001 ''

Holes A hole is an opening in or through a particular medium, usually a solid body. Holes occur through natural and artificial processes, and may be useful for various purposes, or may represent a problem needing to be addressed in many fields of en ...

'' by

Louis Sachar Louis Sachar ( ; born March 20, 1954) is an American young-adult mystery-comedy author. He is best known for the ''Wayside School'' series and the novel ''Holes''. ''Holes'' won the 1998 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature

* 2000 '' Saving Shiloh'' by Phyllis Naylor * 1999 '' Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio'' by

* 1998 ''Titanic Crossing'' by Barbara Williams * 1997 ''Time for Andrew'' by

* 1996 ''Ghosts of Mercy Manor'' by

Betty Ren Wright Betty Ren Wright (June 15, 1927 – December 31, 2013) was an American writer of children's fiction including '' Christina's Ghost'', ''The Dollhouse Murders'', ''The Ghosts Of Mercy Manor'' and ''A Ghost in The House''. Background Wright l ...

* 1995 ''

The Man Who Loved Clowns ''The Man Who Loved Clowns'' is a 1992 novel by June Rae Wood about coping with mental disability in the family. The story is based on Wood's personal experience of life with her brother Richard who himself had Down Syndrome. Wood also wrote a se ...

'' by

June Rae Wood June Rae Wood is an American author. One of her books, ''The Man Who Loved Clowns'', won the Mark Twain Award and William Allen White Award in 1995. Early life June Rae Wood grew up in Versailles, Missouri, with seven siblings. Her brother, R ...

* 1994 '' Shiloh'' by Phyllis Naylor * 1993 ''

Maniac Magee ''Maniac Magee'' is a novel written by American author Jerry Spinelli and published in 1990. Exploring themes of racism and inequality, it follows the story of an orphan boy looking for a home in the fictional town of Two Mills. Two Mills is ha ...

'' by

Jerry Spinelli Jerry Spinelli (born February 1, 1941) is an American writer of children's novels that feature adolescence and early adulthood. His novels include ''Maniac Magee'', '' Stargirl'', and ''Wringer''. Life Spinelli was born in Norristown, Penn ...

* 1992 '' The Doll in the Garden: A Ghost Story'' by

* 1991 '' All About Sam'' by

Lois Lowry Lois Ann Lowry (; née Hammersberg; March 20, 1937) is an American writer. She is the author of several books for children and young adults, including ''The Giver Quartet,'' ''Number the Stars'', and ''Rabble Starkey.'' She is known for writing a ...

* 1990 ''

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom ''There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom'' is a 1987 juvenile fiction book from the author Louis Sachar, about a fifth-grade bully named Bradley whose behavior improves after intervention from a school counselor. The title comes from a point when a ...

'' by

* 1989 ''Sixth-Grade Sleepover'' by Eve Bunting * 1988 '' Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job'' by

Willo Davis Roberts Willo Davis Roberts (May 29, 1928 – November 19, 2004) was an American writer, known primarily for children's mystery and suspense novels. Biography Willo Louise Davis was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1949, she married David W. Roberts. ...

* 1987 ''The War with Grandpa'' by

Robert Kimmel Smith Robert Kimmel Smith (July 31, 1930 – April 18, 2020) was a novelist and award-winning American children's author. Smith was born in Brooklyn, New York and first learned to read from his mother Sally. Smith was inspired to become a writer at age ...

* 1986 ''

The Dollhouse Murders ''The Dollhouse Murders'' is a 1983 book written by author Betty Ren Wright. It is a story of teenager, Amy, and her sister, Louann, who had an intellectual disability. In 1989, it received the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award. Plot In ...

'' by

* 1985 ''A Bundle of Sticks'' by Pat Rhoads Mauser * 1984 ''The Secret Life of the Underwear Champ'' by Betty Miles * 1983 ''The Girl with the Silver Eyes'' by

* 1982 ''The Boy Who Saw Bigfoot'' by Marian Place * 1981 ''Soup for President'' by Robert Newton Peck * 1980 ''Pinballs'' by

Betsy Byars Betsy Byars (née Cromer; August 7, 1928 – February 26, 2020) was an American author of children's books. Her novel '' Summer of the Swans'' won the 1971 Newbery Medal.Author's website She has also received a National Book Award for Young Peo ...

* 1979 ''Champion of Merrimack County'' by Roger W. Drury * 1978 ''

Ramona the Brave ''Ramona the Brave'' is a children's novel written by Beverly Cleary. It is the third book in the Ramona series, and follows Ramona Quimby and her classmates (some of them were in her kindergarten class for the previous year) going into first gr ...

'' by

Beverly Cleary Beverly Atlee Cleary (née Bunn; April 12, 1916March 25, 2021) was an American writer of chapter books, children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide sin ...

* 1977 ''The Ghost of Saturday Night'' by

Sid Fleischman Albert Sidney Fleischman (born Avron Zalmon Fleischman; March 16, 1920 – March 17, 2010) was an American author of children's books, screenplays, novels for adults, and nonfiction books about stage magic. His works for children are known for ...

* 1976 ''The Home Run Trick'' by

Scott Corbett W. Scott Corbett (July 27, 1913 – March 6, 2006) was an American novelist and educator. Beginning 1950 he wrote five adult novels, then began writing books for children. He retired from teaching in 1965 to write full-time. His best known book ...

* 1975 ''

How to Eat Fried Worms ''How to Eat Fried Worms'' is a children's book written by Thomas Rockwell, first published in 1973. The novel's plot involves a boy eating worms as part of a bet. It has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library ...

'' by

Thomas Rockwell Thomas Rhodes Rockwell (born March 13, 1933) is an American author of children's books. Rockwell is the son of the American artist Norman Rockwell and his then-wife Mary Rockwell, an unpublished author. He grew up in Arlington, Vermont, a very r ...

* 1974 ''It's a Mile from Here to Glory'' by Robert C. Lee * 1973 '' Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH'' by Robert C. O'Brien * 1972 '' Sounder'' by William H. Armstrong

References

{{reflist , refs= "The MASL Readers Awards"
(homepage). Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL). Retrieved 2014-05-05. "Mark Twain Award Previous Winners"
972 to 2010 Retrieved 2014-08-06. "2013–2014 MASL Readers Awards Winners"
MASL. Retrieved 2014-05-05. With tabulated results of four elections. "Mark Twain Award"
{{webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811173740/http://www.mrrl.org/content/mark-twain-award , date=2014-08-11 . Missouri River Regional Library (mrrl.org). Retrieved 2014-08-06. With list of winners 1990 to 2013; lists of nominees with blurbs 2010/11 to 2014/15.

External links

Mark Twain Award winners 1972–
booklist at

WorldCat WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the OCL ...

The MASL Readers Awards
– point of entry to all four Missouri School Librarians reader choice book awards Mark Twain Awards American children's literary awards Awards established in 1972 Missouri culture Missouri education-related lists

Nomination guidelines

Voting process

Winners

See also

References

External links