VSBA 2024-20245-- Intermediate Nominees

In this novel-in-verse that picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob, Ruby recounts her life before the circus when her caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa comes for a visit.

"Wesley's hopeful plans for Indigenous Peoples' Day (and asking her crush to the dance) go all wrong--until she finds herself surrounded by the love of her Indigenous family and community at the intertribal powwow."--

Will is the only round kid in a school full of string beans. So he hides in baggy jeans and oversized hoodies, in the back row during class, and anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch. But shame isn't the only feeling that dominates Will's life. He's also got a crush on a girl named Jules who knows he doesn't have a chance with, string beans only date string beans, but he can't help wondering what if? Will's best shot at attracting Jules's attention...

As Pelican Island's history-making drought wears on, the water level on Bex and Davey's beloved marsh reveals the hand of a statue that has been underneath the water for who knows how long, and the siblings are determined to find out more.

Twelve-year-old Hazel Rothbury stows away aboard the Titanic and, with the help of a porter named Charlie and a first-class passenger named Sylvia, she sets out to explore the great ship, uncovering a haunting mystery--until the ship hits an iceberg and she must fight to save herself and her friends.

When a mysterious Little Free Library guarded by a large orange cat appears overnight, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.

"It's not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool--like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much--like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbor. All Nic Blake wants is to be a powerful Manifestor like her dad. But before she has a chance to convince him to teach her the gift, a series of shocking revelations and terrifying events...

A true story of determination and groundbreaking achievement follows eighth grade African American spelling champion MacNolia Cox, who left Akron, Ohio, in 1936 to compete in the prestigious National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., only to be met with prejudice and discrimination.

"The one thing Nugget, a cute puppy, has ever known to do is love, and his cuteness has always been enough for others to love him back. But when Nugget is put up for adoption, he thinks it's because no one loves him anymore -- that he isn't cute anymore. So he does the only thing he can think of: he runs away. Now Nugget is alone on the streets of Boston, where he quickly learns that not everyone is kind. After an unfortunate run-in with another animal...

After guardian dog Gus is injured defending his flock of sheep, he is sent to recuperate and heal with a young boy, Diego, whom Gus finds he can help by learning how to work as an emotional support animal.