2020 Towner Book Award Nominees

  • Avalanche Dog Heroes: Piper and Friends Learn to Search the Snow

    by Elizabeth Rusch Year Published: 2018

    Avalanche Dog Heroes is a nonfiction picture book illustrated with stunning, adorable photography that draws parallels between kids' experiences in elementary school and the training days of the avalanche rescue dogs of Crystal Mountain, Washington State's largest ski resort, located in the Cascade Range.

    Follow along with Piper, a friendly border collie who came to the mountain as a smart but timid shelter dog, terrified by everything, as she confidently heads off to school on a chairlift to meet her canine classmates. Over a season they romp together through the snow, learning and practicing the skills they need to be avalanche rescue dogs and earn their rescue certification.

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  • The Bee Book

    by Charlotte Milner Year Published: 2018


    The perfect introduction to bee conservation for little ones. Learn all about the beautiful world of bees and their adventure from flower to flower. You'll find out just how much they matter, why they are declining, and what we can do to help in this adorable kids' book. 

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  • Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

    by Helaine Becker Year Published: 2018

    The bold story of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician who worked for NASA during the space race and was depicted in the film Hidden Figures.

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  • The Hen Who Sailed Around the World: A True Story

    by Guirec Soudee Year Published: 2018


    Monique is a highly accomplished chicken: she surfs, she skateboards, and she just crossed the world on a tiny boat with her human companion, Guirec, who helped steer. On their three-year journey, together they were unstoppable. When they became stranded in the ice off Greenland for four months, Monique, unruffled as always, kept Guirec alive with her eggs-- and they both made it home.

    Guirec and Monique are irresistible as unlikely comrades and friends taking on the world, and Guirec documented their journey with his remarkable, comical photographs. A deeply touching portrait of the real-life bond between animals and the humans who love them as well as a thrilling survival story, The Hen Who Sailed Around the World is an adventure for the ages.

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  • Highest Mountain, Smallest Star: A Visual Compendium of Wonders

    by Kate Baker Year Published: 2018

    Do you know how tall the tallest mountain on Earth is? Or how deep the deepest ocean goes? Have you ever wondered how a dinosaur would measure up against the Great Pyramid of Giza? Or if a bird could fly faster than an airplane? Learn all this and more in this exquisite book of superlatives and comparisons. Illustrated by award-winning artist Page Tsou, this is a visual feast of a compendium that will fill readers with wonder at the world we live in.

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  • Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World

    by Susan Hood Year Published: 2018

    In this book of poems, you will find Mary Anning, who was just thirteen when she unearthed a prehistoric fossil. You’ll meet Ruby Bridges, the brave six year old who helped end segregation in the South. And Maya Lin, who at twenty-one won a competition to create a war memorial, and then had to appear before Congress to defend her right to create.

    And those are just a few of the young women included in this book. Readers will also hear about Molly Williams, Annette Kellerman, Nellie Bly, Pura Belpré, Frida Kahlo, Jacqueline and Eileen Nearne, Frances Moore Lappé, Mae Jemison, Angela Zhang, and Malala Yousafzai—all whose stories will enthrall and inspire. This poetry collection was written, illustrated, edited, and designed by women and includes an author’s note, a timeline, and additional resources.

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  • Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Pilot's World War II Story

    by Marc Tyler Nobleman Year Published: 2018

    The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, drew the United States into World War II in 1941. But few are aware that several months later, the Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita dropped bombs in the woods outside a small town in coastal Oregon. This is the story of those bombings, and what came after, when Fujita returned to Oregon twenty years later, this time to apologize.
         This remarkable true story, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, is an important and moving account of reconciliation after war.

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  • Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Know Exactly What You Are

    by Julia Kregenow Year Published: 2018

    Written to the classic melody of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" by an expert in astrophysics, is the perfect primer for learning exactly what those twinkling little stars are doing way up high in the sky. Discover how stars are created, what they're made of, and even what makes them look like they're twinkling.

    Stars are not only great for wishing upon, but they are also spectacular examples of scientific magic. From atmospheric turbulence to fusing atoms, these delightful (more accurate!) lyrics will become your new favorite version of this classic tune. Instead of wondering what stars are, you will know for sure!

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  • What Do They Do with All That Poo?

    by Jane Kurtz Year Published: 2018


    There are so many different kinds of animals at the zoo, and they each make lots and lots (and sometimes LOTS!) of poo. So what do zoos do with all of that poo? This zany, fact-filled romp explores zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to white hyena scat, and all of the places it ends up, including in science labs and elephant-poo paper—even backyard gardens!

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  • What's On Your Plate?: Exploring the World of Food

    by Whitney Stewart Year Published: 2018

    What’s on your plate? Chances are it’s not quite the same as what’s on other children’s plates around the world. Come on a journey to see how people in different countries prepare, eat, and think about their food. Beautiful photographs and illustrations capture the food culture of 14 countries, from Brazil and Spain to Morocco, India, and China. Each spread includes an overview of the country and its native foods, photographs of the various dishes with pronunciations and descriptions, an easy recipe for kids to try, and an illustrated crop map of the country. With so many fun elements to intrigue them, young foodies will be excited to learn about how people eat across the globe!

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  • Previous Winners

    2019: This Book Isn't Safe by Colin Furze

    2018: Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate

    2017: Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli

    2016: Neighborhood Sharks by Katherine Roy

    2015: Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss

    2014: Snakes by Nic Bishop 

    Voting is for students in grade 2 through 6 in Washington State. Student votes can be submitted by school and public librarians only. In addition, we will recognize an Educators' Choice. This is your chance to share with other educators which book you found most useful in the classroom.