Skip to Main Content

Minnesota State Reading Lists

2023 Wanda Gag Read Aloud Award

Mina

Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
This edition: Hardcover, 68 pages
Publication date: February 15, 2022

Five starred reviews! Named Best Picture Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews and Shelf Awareness “Marvelous mouse-sized mischief for all ages.” —Boo...

2023 Wanda Gag Read Aloud Honor Book

Acorn Was a Little Wild

Illustrated by Jessica Gibson
This edition: Hardcover, 40 pages
Publication date: March 15, 2022
Ages: 4 - 8

Jory John’s Bad Seed series meets After the Fall by Dan Santat in this charming picture book about a young acorn’s grand adventure and the incredib...

I Can't Draw

Illustrated by Brian Biggs
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: October 18, 2022
Ages: 4 - 8

The Idea Jar meets When I Draw a Panda in this hilarious picture book following a boy who recruits his talented friend to teach him how to draw!Max...

2023 Maud Hart Lovelace Award

City Spies

(Book #1 of City Spies)
This edition: Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication date: March 10, 2020
Ages: 8 - 12

A New York Times bestseller! A GMA3 Summer Reading Squad Selection! “Ingeniously plotted, and a grin-inducing delight.” —People “Will keep young re...

2022 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee

Blended

This edition: Hardcover, 320 pages
Publication date: October 30, 2018
Ages: 8 - 12

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winni...

Blended

This edition: Hardcover, 320 pages
Publication date: October 30, 2018
Ages: 8 - 12

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s blended family is more divided than ever in this thoughtful story about divorce and racial identity from the award-winni...

A World Below

This edition: Hardcover, 272 pages
Publication date: March 06, 2018
Ages: 8 - 12

“A swift-paced survival tale that’s a cool blend of Lord of the Flies and Journey to the Center of the Earth.” —School Library Journal “A sharp med...

The Rhino in Right Field

This edition: Hardcover, 272 pages
Publication date: July 10, 2018
Ages: 8 - 12

“Laugh-out-loud fun…A winner in every way.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Funny and good-hearted.” —Publishers Weekly A boy who loves baseball ...

2021 Minnesota Book Award finalist

Where We Are

This edition: Hardcover, 272 pages
Publication date: September 01, 2020
Ages: 14 - 99

From New York Times bestselling author Alison McGhee comes a stunning and heartbreaking story of two teens who fight to reunite when one of them is...

2021 Minnesota Book Award

What If a Fish

This edition: Hardcover, 240 pages
Publication date: August 11, 2020
Ages: 8 - 12

A whimsical and unflinchingly honest generational story of family and identity where hats turn into leeches, ghosts blow kisses from lemon trees, a...

2020 Star of the North Picture Book Award Nominee

The Honeybee

Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: May 08, 2018

Buzz from flower to flower with a sweet honeybee in this timely, clever, and breathtakingly gorgeous picture book from critically acclaimed author ...

2020 Comstock Read Aloud Book Award

Sulwe

Illustrated by Vashti Harrison
This edition: Hardcover, 48 pages
Publication date: October 15, 2019
Ages: 4 - 8

A New York Times bestseller! Featured in its own episode in the Netflix original show Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices! Recipient of a Coretta S...