The Wrinkle Award

Recently I had an assignment for a grad school class that involved the creation of an award for children's literature. My class focused on literature for  Pre-K to grade 6. 

I considered picture books that had children with single parents, picture books that featured children who were only children (they had no siblings), and books that had a twist.Time was short with a full semester class crammed into one summer month, with four days and time missed while I attended my final 10-day Hamline residency. I finally, during the last week of class, had to work with what I had.

The end result was "The Wrinkle Award" celebrating children’s fiction picture books that have an unusual twist or “wrinkle” that usually makes a reader groan or scratch her head or laugh or just continue thinking about it long after the book closes.

Initial criteria for the award include:


Books must: 

• Be a children’s fiction picture book of no more than 48 pages. 
• Have a story arc to drive the reader to turn the page, and a plot to give the story a direction. 
• Have a main character or characters who are interesting, unique in that they have some trait or feature or behavior that draws attention from the reader, be likeable, show a desire of movement toward a specified or unspecified goal, and must do something unexpected based on the reader’s perceptions.

In addition, books must incorporate two or more of the following features:

• Deadpan  character voice
• Dark humor
• Things that appear in the story are not quite as they seem
• Action drives readers/listeners to call out instructions to the characters (i.e. Don’t turn! Go forward!)
• Illustrations play a role in showing and/or emphasizing  the “wrinkle” (i.e. Via facial expressions of characters or mannerisms that the words do not detail)
• Situation(s) presented fit with the story and illustrations and with little effort convince the reader to suspend disbelief (i.e. No problem with wild and domestic animals and humans co-mingling in the city.)

In my limited time, these were my choice books this round (I did set a criteria for the award that it would only be awarded at the end of July in odd numbered years. Therefore, the "committee" looked at books published/released from the second half of 2013 through the end of the first half of 2015.) I'm sure there are other books that could fit or even replace books on this list, but I had to work with what I had--for now. Enjoy! 

BOOK LIST

Antony, Steve. Please,Mr. Panda. New York, NY: Scholastic Press, 2014. ISBN: 975-0545788922 

• Why does Mr. Panda have a box of doughnuts? How could he not look happy holding a box of eight colorful, tasty looking pastries? With deadpan mannerisms and vocals, Mr. Panda asks a penguin, a skunk, an ostrich, a whale, and anyone else who might be listening, if they would like a doughnut. Even though several animals respond, their answers cause Mr. Panda to change his mind about giving away the doughnuts. When all hope seems lost, a lemur’s response changes everything. A slight twist occurs as readers realize what the lemur said that made the difference. Mr. Panda’s comment at the end of the book frosts the story with an additional twisted sprinkle of deadpan humor. (2015 Wrinkle Award Winning Book)

Barnett, Mac. Sam & Dave Dig a Hole. Somerville, MA: Candlewick, 2014. ISBN: 978-0763662295

• Every turn we make in our life’s journey can alter our reality. When Sam and Dave, along with their dog, decide to dig a hole is search of “something spectacular”, their choices of digging direction lead readers to wonder the “what ifs” of discovering hidden gems along the way if only the boys had continued on the path they were heading. Ultimately, the boys do find their “something spectacular”, but it is up to the reader to decide what exactly happens in the end. Readers will call out to the boys to try and guide them to the hidden gems, but the boys make their own decisions. Do they make the right ones? (2015 Wrinkle Award Honor Book)

Busch, Miriam. Lion,Lion. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, 2014. ISBN: 978-0062271044 

• In the city, animals roam free and no one questions a crocodile ambling by, or snapping turtles in the grass, or hedgehogs on toadstools. A little boy shows no fear as he approaches a large lion in his own search for someone or something he calls Lion. Watch the boy as he talks to the lion and starts to figure something out in his head. It is up to the reader to put the clues together to determine what the boy thinks. Readers will not expect what happens next. (2015 Wrinkle Award Honor Book)

Ferrell, Sean. I Don’t Like Koala. New York, NY: Athenum Books for Young Readers, 2015. ISBN: 978-1481400688

• Perhaps our childhood toys choose us. Adam does not like Koala, his stuffed animal. Its creepy eyes seem to be watching him always. No one else understands Adam’s dislike for the toy as they figure Adam loves Koala since the animal is always nearby. Adam’s attempts rid himself of Koala are fruitless as Koala keeps returning, like a possessed doll. Readers can draw their own conclusions. Then, something changes and Adam suddenly sees Koala in a different light. Funny and creepy with endearing illustrations, readers will find something to like about Koala. (2015 Wrinkle Award Honor Book)

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What are other books that would fit the "Wrinkle Award" criteria from over the years? Let me know. Be sure to list the title, author(s) and publication/release date. I love these type of books and would like to keep an ongoing list at my blog.