Three Stars Book Award Nominees 2021
2021 Three Stars Book Award Committee:
Co-chairs: Eboni Henry and Monica Gingerich
Committee members: Renee LaRue, Jayla Parks, Edgardo Guerrero, Aisha Randall, K.C. Boyd, Lyndsey Epperson, Theresa Wang, Gayle Wagner, and Julia Pflager
DCLA SLS Director: Jill Schechter
DCLA SLS Assistant Director: Angela Falkenberg
Co-chairs: Eboni Henry and Monica Gingerich
Committee members: Renee LaRue, Jayla Parks, Edgardo Guerrero, Aisha Randall, K.C. Boyd, Lyndsey Epperson, Theresa Wang, Gayle Wagner, and Julia Pflager
DCLA SLS Director: Jill Schechter
DCLA SLS Assistant Director: Angela Falkenberg
2021 Young Readers Nominees
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Gordon C. James
The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall
I Am Enough by Grace Byers; illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry; illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Bunheads by Misty Copeland; illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey
Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Christian Robinson
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Paper Planes by Jim Helmore and Richard Jones
Counting Kindness: Ten Ways to Welcome Refugee Children by Holis Kurman; illustrated by Barroux
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Marintez-Neal
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali; illustrated by Hatem Aly
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold; illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero; illustrated by Zeke Peña
You Matter by Christian Robinson
Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters by Suzanne Slade; illustrated by Don Tate
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Gordon C. James
The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall
I Am Enough by Grace Byers; illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry; illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Bunheads by Misty Copeland; illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey
Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña; illustrated by Christian Robinson
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Paper Planes by Jim Helmore and Richard Jones
Counting Kindness: Ten Ways to Welcome Refugee Children by Holis Kurman; illustrated by Barroux
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; illustrated by Michaela Goade
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Marintez-Neal
The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali; illustrated by Hatem Aly
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold; illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero; illustrated by Zeke Peña
You Matter by Christian Robinson
Swish! The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters by Suzanne Slade; illustrated by Don Tate
2021 Upper Elementary Nominees
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
Isaiah Dunn is my hero by Kelly Baptist
The Supadupa Kid 2 by Ty Allan Jackson
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! By Jessica Kim
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
A Wish in the Dark by Christine Soontornvat
Three Keys: A Front Desk novel by Kelly Yang
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
Isaiah Dunn is my hero by Kelly Baptist
The Supadupa Kid 2 by Ty Allan Jackson
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
Stand Up, Yumi Chung! By Jessica Kim
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
A Wish in the Dark by Christine Soontornvat
Three Keys: A Front Desk novel by Kelly Yang
2021 Middle School Nominees
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell; illustrated by Aurélia Durand
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Land of Cranes by Aida Salazar
Born to Fly by Steve Sheinkin
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
**Middle School nominees by genre with book summaries -- created by DCPS Librarian Christine Stoessel**
Three Stars Book Award MS Genres
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell; illustrated by Aurélia Durand
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
Land of Cranes by Aida Salazar
Born to Fly by Steve Sheinkin
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
**Middle School nominees by genre with book summaries -- created by DCPS Librarian Christine Stoessel**
Three Stars Book Award MS Genres
2021 High School Nominees
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
This is My America by Kim Johnson
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
The Universal Laws of Marco by Carmen Rodrigues
Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul by Leila Taylor
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Dr. Yusef Salaam
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
This is My America by Kim Johnson
Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez
Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen
The Universal Laws of Marco by Carmen Rodrigues
Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul by Leila Taylor
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Dr. Yusef Salaam
