Books in Blue Crab Book Award - Beginning Fiction

The Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award is a literature award created to recognize high-quality books for beginning and transitional readers in kindergarten through fourth grade. It is granted annually by the Maryland Library Association's Children's Services Division (CSD). The Children's Services Division initiated the award in 2004 as a means of identifying and promoting the best fiction and nonfiction books for beginning readers.

2025

Book Author Award Level Completed
We Have a Dull-Emma! We Have a Dull-Emma! Jenny Alvarado Winner Log In To Like
Dog Gets a Pet Dog Gets a Pet Jeff Mack Honor Log In To Like
Showtime Showtime Kelly Starling Lyons Honor Log In To Like
Words Are Magic Words Are Magic Zaila Avant-Garde Honor Log In To Like

2024

Book Author Award Level Completed
How to Love a Pony How to Love a Pony Michelle Meadows Winner Log In To Like
Elena Rides Elena Rides Juana Medina Honor Log In To Like
Arfy and the Stinky Smell Arfy and the Stinky Smell Troy Cummings Honor Log In To Like
Trim Sets Sail Trim Sets Sail Deborah Hopkinson Honor Log In To Like

2023

Book Author Award Level Completed
I'm a Unicorn I'm a Unicorn Helen Yoon Winner Log In To Like
Lou Lou Breanna Carzoo Honor Log In To Like
Gigi and Ojiji Gigi and Ojiji Melissa Iwai Honor Log In To Like
Somewhere in the Bayou Somewhere in the Bayou Jerome Pumphrey Honor Log In To Like

2022

Book Author Award Level Completed
Friends Do Not Eat Friends Friends Do Not Eat Friends Jill Esbaum Winner Log In To Like
Training Day #VALUE! Honor Log In To Like
Frankenslime Frankenslime Joy Keller Honor Log In To Like
Dad Bakes by Katie Dad Bakes by Katie Katie Yamasaki Honor Log In To Like

2021

Book Author Award Level Completed
Arlo & Pip: King of the Birds Elise Gravel Winner Log In To Like
Lift Lift Minh Lê Honor Log In To Like
The Old Truck The Old Truck Jerome Pumphrey Honor Log In To Like
Happy Paws Happy Paws Vicky , Nishiyama, Christine Fang Honor Log In To Like

2020

Book Author Award Level Completed
Birthday on Mars! Sara Schonfeld Winner Log In To Like
M Is for Melanin: A Celebration of the Black Child M Is for Melanin: A Celebration of the Black Child Tiffany Rose Honor Log In To Like
I Got Next I Got Next Daria Peoples-Riley Honor Log In To Like
The Book Hog The Book Hog Greg Pizzoli Honor Log In To Like

2019

Book Author Award Level Completed
Pizza Pig Pizza Pig Diana Murray Winner Log In To Like
Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes Hena Khan Honor Log In To Like
Eat Pete Eat Pete Michael Rex Honor Log In To Like
My Friends Make Me Happy! My Friends Make Me Happy! Jan Thomas Honor Log In To Like

2018

Book Author Award Level Completed
Life on Mars Life on Mars Jon Agee Winner Log In To Like
Alfie: (the Turtle That Disappeared) Alfie: (the Turtle That Disappeared) Thyra Heder Honor Log In To Like
Charlie & Mouse Charlie & Mouse Laurel Snyder Honor Log In To Like
Frankie Frankie Mary Sullivan Honor Log In To Like

2017

Book Author Award Level Completed
Duck, Duck, Porcupine! Duck, Duck, Porcupine! Salina Yoon Winner Log In To Like
Billions of Bricks: A Counting Book about Building Billions of Bricks: A Counting Book about Building Kurt Cyrus Honor Log In To Like
Good Night Owl Good Night Owl Greg Pizzoli Honor Log In To Like
Bunny Slopes Bunny Slopes Claudia Rueda Honor Log In To Like

2016

Book Author Award Level Completed
What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig Emma J Virjan Winner Log In To Like
3, 2, 1, Go! 3, 2, 1, Go! Emily Arnold McCully Honor Log In To Like
Two Mice Sergio Ruzzier Honor Log In To Like
I Really Like Slop! I Really Like Slop! Mo Willems Honor Log In To Like

2015

Book Author Award Level Completed
My New Friend Is So Fun! My New Friend Is So Fun! Mo Willems Winner Log In To Like
Little Ducks Go Little Ducks Go Emily Arnold McCully Honor Log In To Like
Pants for Chuck Pants for Chuck Pat, III Schories Honor Log In To Like

2014

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Watermelon Seed The Watermelon Seed Greg Pizzoli Winner Log In To Like
Outfoxed Outfoxed Mike Twohy Honor Log In To Like
The Loopy Coop Hens: Letting Go The Loopy Coop Hens: Letting Go Janet Morgan Stoeke Honor Log In To Like
Penny and Her Marble Penny and Her Marble Kevin Henkes Honor Log In To Like

2013

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Fly Flew In The Fly Flew In David Catrow Winner Log In To Like
Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story Kite Day: A Bear and Mole Story Will Hillenbrand Honor Log In To Like
Penguin and Pinecone: A Friendship Story Penguin and Pinecone: A Friendship Story Salina Yoon Honor Log In To Like
Penny and Her Song Penny and Her Song Kevin Henkes Honor Log In To Like

2012

Book Author Award Level Completed
Max Spaniel: Best in Show Max Spaniel: Best in Show David Catrow Winner Log In To Like
I Want My Hat Back I Want My Hat Back Jon Klassen Honor Log In To Like
Friday the Scaredy Cat Friday the Scaredy Cat Kara McMahon Honor Log In To Like
See Me Run See Me Run Paul Meisel Honor Log In To Like

2011

Book Author Award Level Completed
We Are in a Book! We Are in a Book! Mo Willems Winner Log In To Like
Silly Milly Silly Milly Wendy Cheyette Lewison Honor Log In To Like
Mac and Cheese Mac and Cheese Sarah Weeks Honor Log In To Like
Who Wears Glasses? Who Wears Glasses? Ana Galan Honor Log In To Like

2010

Book Author Award Level Completed
Good Dog, Aggie Good Dog, Aggie Lori Ries Winner Log In To Like
Max Spaniel Dinosaur Hunt David Catrow Honor Log In To Like
Birds Birds Kevin Henkes Honor Log In To Like
A Birthday for Bear A Birthday for Bear Bonny Becker Honor Log In To Like

2009

Book Author Award Level Completed
Annie and Simon Annie and Simon Catharine O'Neill Winner Log In To Like
Don't Worry Bear Don't Worry Bear Greg Foley Honor Log In To Like
Benny and Penny in Just Pretend: Toon Level 2 Geoffrey Hayes Honor Log In To Like
Chicken Said, "cluck!" Chicken Said, "cluck!" Judyann Ackerman Grant Honor Log In To Like

2008

Book Author Award Level Completed
My Friend is Sad My Friend is Sad Mo Willems Winner Log In To Like
Wiggle and Waggle Wiggle and Waggle Caroline Arnold Honor Log In To Like
Cork and Fuzz: Good Sports Dori Chaconas Honor Log In To Like
Pup and Hound Hatch an Egg Susan Hood Honor Log In To Like

2007

Book Author Award Level Completed
Dirk Bones And The Mystery of The Haunted House Dirk Bones And The Mystery of The Haunted House Doug Cushman Winner Log In To Like
Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow Mrs. Wow Never Wanted a Cow Martha Freeman Honor Log In To Like
Dancing Dinos Go to School Dancing Dinos Go to School Sally Lucas Honor Log In To Like
Super Fly Guy! Super Fly Guy! Tedd Arnold Honor Log In To Like

2006

Book Author Award Level Completed
Hi! Fly Guy! Hi! Fly Guy! Tedd Arnold Winner Log In To Like
Mr. Putter & Tabby Make a Wish Mr. Putter & Tabby Make a Wish Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
May I Please Have a Cookie? May I Please Have a Cookie? Jennifer Morris Honor Log In To Like
Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like

2005

Book Author Award Level Completed
Baa-Choo! Baa-Choo! Sarah Weeks Winner Log In To Like
Bubble Trouble Bubble Trouble Margaret Mahy Honor Log In To Like
The New Baby Mary Packard Honor Log In To Like
The Giant Jelly Bean Jar The Giant Jelly Bean Jar Marcie Aboff Honor Log In To Like
Swing Otto Swing! Swing Otto Swing! David Milgrim Honor Log In To Like
Sam Gets Lost Mary Labatt Honor Log In To Like
Ruby Bakes a Cake Susan Hill Honor Log In To Like
Pearl and Wagner: Three Secrets Kate McMullan Honor Log In To Like
Mr Putter and Tabby Write the Book Mr Putter and Tabby Write the Book Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
Minnie and Moo: The Attack of the Easter Bunnies Minnie and Moo: The Attack of the Easter Bunnies Denys Cazet Honor Log In To Like
Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
Firefly Friend Kimberly Wagner Klier Honor Log In To Like
Copy Cat Olivia George Honor Log In To Like

2004

Book Author Award Level Completed
See Pip Point See Pip Point David Milgrim Winner Log In To Like
What Are You Waiting For? What Are You Waiting For? Cynthia Copeland Honor Log In To Like
The Case of the Fidgety Fox The Case of the Fidgety Fox Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
Puppy Mudge Has a Snack Puppy Mudge Has a Snack Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends Kate McMullan Honor Log In To Like
Mud Soup Judith Head Honor Log In To Like
Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup Cynthia Rylant Honor Log In To Like
Mouse's Hide-and-Seek Words Kathryn Heling Honor Log In To Like
Make New Friends Make New Friends Rosemary Wells Honor Log In To Like
Little Witch Learns to Read Little Witch Learns to Read Deborah Hautzig Honor Log In To Like
Biscuit's Big Friend Biscuit's Big Friend Alyssa Satin Capucilli Honor Log In To Like
Buster and Phoebe: The Great Bone Game Lisze Bechtold Honor Log In To Like