Awards & Distinctions
Halfway to Harmony
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- North Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominee 2022
Wonderland
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Parents Choice Silver Award
- Magnolia (Mississippi) Childrens Choice Award Nominee 2019-2020
- Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award Nominee 2019-2020
- Young Hoosiers (Indiana) Award Nominee 2020-2021
- Iowa Children’s Choice Award Nominee 2021-2022
Wish
- New York Times Bestseller
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- American Booksellers Association Best Books of the Year; 2016
- Parents Choice Gold Award
- Nerdy Book Club Award 2016
- SCBWI Crystal Kite Award 2017
State Awards
- Arkansas Charlie May Simon Book Award WINNER 2019
- Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee 2018-2019
- Florida Sunshine Book Award Nomintee WINNER 2019
- Illinois Bluestem Children's Book Award WINNER 2019
- Indiana Young Hoosier Award Nominee 2018-2019
- Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee WINNER 2019
- Louisiana Young Readers Award Honor 2019
- Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award WINNER 2019-2020
- Nebraska Golden Sower Award Honor 2019
- North Carolina Children's Book Award WINNER 2018
- Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading Award WINNER 2018
- Rhode Island Children's Book Award WINNER 2018
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fishter Children's Book Award Nominee 2018
- Virginia Young Readers Award Nominee WINNER 2019
- Washington Sasquatch Award Nominee 2018-2019
- Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award Nominee 2017-2018
On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s
- School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2012
- Parents Choice Silver Award 2012
The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester
- Capitol Choices 2011
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2010
- Kirkus Best Books of the Year 2010
State Awards
- Georgia Book Award Nominee 2012
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2012
- Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award Nominee 2013
- Maine Student Book Award Nominee 2012
- Massachusetts Must-Reads 2011
- Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee 2013
- New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award Nominee 2012
- New York Public Library 100 Books for Reading and Sharing 2010
- Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award Nominee 2013
- South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee 2013
- Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award Nominee 2013
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee 2012
- Virginia Young Readers Award Nominee 2013
- West Virginia Children's Choice Book Award Nominee 2012
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis
- ALA 2010 Notable Children’s Books
- Cybils Award Finalist in the middle grade fiction category
- School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
- Kirkus Best Books of the Year
- NCTE Children's Assembly of Literature Notable
- New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
State Awards
- California Young Readers Medal Nominee 2012
- Maine Student Book Award Nominee 2010
- Mississippi Magnolia Children's Book Award Nominee 2012
- South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee 2012
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee 2011
Greetings from Nowhere
- Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2009
- Parents Choice Silver Award 2008
State Awards
- Kansas State Reading Circle Recommendation 2009
- New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading & Sharing 2008
- Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading Award Nominee 2009
- Georgian Children's Book Award Nominee 2009
- Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award Nominee 2012
- New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award Nominee 2010
- Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award Nominee 2010
- Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Nominee 2009
How to Steal a Dog
- ALA Book Links Lasting Connections 2007
- Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2007
- Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2008
- International Reading Assoc Notable Books for a Global Society 2008
- NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies 2008
- Parents Choice Recommendation 2007
- School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 2007
State Awards
- Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee 2010
- Hawaii Nene Book Honor Award 2010 2012; Nominee 2009 2011 2013
- Illinois Blue Stem Award Nominee 2011
- Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee 2011
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2009
- Maine Regional Library Cream of the Crop 2008
- Massachusetts Children's Book Award Nominee 2010
- Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee 2009
- Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee 2008
- South Dakota Prairie Pasque Children’s Book Award WINNER 2010
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2008
- Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award Nominee 2011
Fame and Glory in Freedom, GA
- Baltimore County Library Great Books for Kids 2003
- Beehive Award Nominee (Utah Childrens Book Award) 2005
- Capitol Choices 2003
- Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best" 2003
- Children's Literature Choice Award 2004
- Parents' Choice Gold Award
State Awards
- Arizona Young Readers' Award Nominee 2006
- Garden State Children's Book Award Nominee (New Jersey) 2006
- Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee 2005
- Hawaii Nene Children's Book Award Nominee 2005
- Iowa Children's Choice Award Nominee 2006
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2005
- Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee 2004
- Nevada Young Readers Award Nominee 2007
- New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award Nominee 2005
- New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award Nominee 2006
- Pennsylvania Young Readers Award Nominee 2005
- Rhode Island Children's Book Award Nominee 2005
- South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee 2005
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Nominee (Florida) 2007
- Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2004
- Virginia Young Readers Award Nominee 2005
- West Virginia Children's Book Award Nominee 2006
- William Allen White Award Nominee (Kansas Readers Choice) 2005
Moonpie and Ivy
- Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2002
- Chicago Parent Magazine Best Books of 2001
- Child Magazine Best Books of the Year 2001
- Parents Choice Gold Award 2001
State Awards
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2002
- Maine Regional Library System Cream of the Crop 2002
- Massachusetts Book Award 2002
Me and Rupert Goody
- ALA Notable Book 2000
- School Library Journal Best Books 1999
- Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2000
Me and Rupert Goody won the Dolly Gray Award, which recognizes high quality fictional children’s books with positive portrayals of individuals with developmental disabilities.
State Awards
- Georgia Book Award Nominee 2001-2002
- Kansas City Public Library Best Books 1999
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2001
Taking Care of Moses
- Parents Choice Award WINNER 2004
- Bank Street College Best Books of the Year 2004
State Awards
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee 2006