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Book of the Year Archive

Surrey Schools Book of the Year
Winners and Nominees
1973 - 2025

Please see Surrey Schools Book of the Year Past Winners for more information.

2025 - Winner to be announced June 2025
Nominees:
  • Farther than the Moon by Lindsay Lackey
  • Game Face by Shari Green
  • Good Different by Meg Kuyatt
  • Hoops by Matt Tavares
  • The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan
  • Medusa by Katherine Marsh
  • Monster Camp by Sarah Henning
  • Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruqi
  • A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner
  • You Are Here by Ellen Oh
2024 - New Dragon City By Mari Mancusi
Nominees:
  • Air By Monica Roe
  • Answer In The Pages By David Levithan
  • Falling Short By Ernesto Cisneros
  • Giju's Gift By Brandon Mitchell
  • Maizy Chen's Last Chance By Lisa Yee
  • Odder By Katherine Applegate
  • A Rover's Story By Jasmine Warga
  • Speak Up By Rebecca Burgess
  • Swim Team By Johnnie Christmas

2023 - Alone by Megan Freeman
Nominees:

  • The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
  • The Aquanaut by Dan Santat
  • Case Files Little Claws by Eliot Schrefer
  • Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer by Leslie Gentile
  • Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers by Caela Carter
  • Just Roll with it by Veronica Agarwal
  • List of Unspeakable Fears by J. Kasper Kramer
  • That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar
  • Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff

2022 - Go with the Flow by Lily Williams
Nominees:

  • Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian
  • The Barren Grounds by David Robertson
  • Becoming Muhammad Ali: A Novel by James Patterson
  • City Spies by James Ponti
  • The Fabulous Zed Watson by Basil Sylvester
  • If We Were Giants by Dave Matthews
  • Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
  • Starfish by Lisa Fipps
  • When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson

2021 - Bloom by Kenneth Oppel (Winner)
Nominees:

  • The Best of Iggy by Annie Barrows 
  • The Case of the Missing Auntie by Michael Hutchinson
  • Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee.
  • Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi.
  • Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Scheerger.
  • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga.
  • Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly.
  • Stargazing by Jen Wang.
  • A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry

2020 - The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Arlo Finch by John August
  • Float by Laura Martin
  • Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
  • Journey Forward: When we play our drums, they sing! ; Lucy & Lola by Richard Van Camp, Monique Gray Smith
  • Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy Mcanulty
  • Missing Mike by Shari Green
  • Nightbooks by J.A. White
  • Sanity & Tallulah by Molly Brooks
  • Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

2019 - Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
  • Greetings From Witness Protection by Jake Burt
  • Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George
  • Chase by Linwood Barclay
  • The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
  • Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans
  • The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
  • Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
  • Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

2018 - The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Big Wish by Brandon Robshaw
  • Heart of a Champion by Ellen Schwartz
  • Beetle Boy by M. G. Leonard
  • Edge of Extinction: The Ark Plan by Laura Martin
  • A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
  • The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks
  • The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford
  • Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks
  • A Bandit's Tale by Deborah Hopkinson

2017 - Speechless by Jennifer Mook-Sang (Winner)
Nominees:

  • The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
  • Lost in the Backyard by Alison Hughes
  • A Dark Inheritance by Chris d'Lacey
  • Random Acts by Valerie Sherrard
  • Outside in by Sarah Ellis
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
  • Galaxy's Most Wanted by John Kloepfer
  • Masterminds by Gordon Korman
  • The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

2016 - Game Over by Pete Watson (Winner)
Nominees:

  • 33 minutes by Todd Hasak-Lowy
  • Curiosity by Gary Blackwood
  • Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery at Museum Mile by Marcia Wells
  • Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
  • The Fourteen Goldfish by Jennifer Holm
  • The Iron Trail by Holly Black
  • The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
  • Odd Weird & Little by Patrick Jennings
  • Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

2015 - Cartboy and the Time Capsule by L.A. Campbell (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Road Trip by Gary Paulsen
  • Mister Orange by Truus Matti
  • The Metro Dogs of Moscow by Rachelle Delaney
  • Ungifted by Gordon Korman
  • Popular Clone by M.E. Castle
  • Stranded by Jeff Probst
  • Pickle by Kim Baker
  • Jinx by Sage Blackwood
  • The Forbidden Stone by Tony Abbott

2014 - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Winner)
Nominees:

  • The Adventures of Beanboy by Lisa Harkrader
  • The Templeton Twins Have an Idea by Ellis Weiner
  • Wild Things by Clay Carmichael
  • Run, Marco, Run by Norma Charles
  • Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi
  • Box of Shocks by Chirs McMahen
  • Storm Runners by Roland Smith

2013 - Sidekicks by Dan Santat (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
  • Green by Laura Roberts
  • Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder
  • Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow
  • Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
  • Unsinkable by Gordon Korman
  • We the Children by Andrew Clements
  • White Crane by Sandy Fussell
  • Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
2012 - The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (Winner)

2011 - How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Cyberia by Chris Lynch
  • Dream Catcher by Stella Calahasen
  • Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkles
  • The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
  • The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
  • Lost Riders by Elizabeth Laird
  • The Magic Half by Annie Barrows
  • Safe as Houses by Eric Walters
  • The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook by Eleanor Davis

2010 - Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Champ by Marcia Jones
  • Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth
  • How to Save Your Tail by Mary Hanson
  • Ivan the Terrible by Ann Fine
  • Listen! by Stephanie Tolan
  • Out on a Limb by Gail Banning
  • Pete's Gold by Luanne Armstrong
  • The Talent Thief by Alex Williams
  • Vampire's Visit by David A. Poulsen
2009 - Amulet: The Stone Keeper by Kazu Kibuishi

2008 - Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
Nominees:

  • The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler
  • Odd Man Out by Sarah Ellis
  • The Trenches by Jim Eldridge
  • Magyk by Angie Sage
  • Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost by Cornelia Funke
  • The Onts by Dan Greenburg
  • Give My Regrets to Broadway by Bruce Hale
  • Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
  • Chu Ju's House by Gloria Whelan

2007 - Eragon by Christopher Paolini

2006 - Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng (Winner)

2005 - The Field Guide by Holly Black (Winner)
2004 - Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Winner)
2003 - Little Wolf's Book of Badness by Ian Why Brow (Winner)
2002 - Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis (Winner)
2001 - Holes by Louis Sachar (Winner)

2000 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen
  • Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel
  • The Hollow Tree by Janet Lunn
  • The Belonging Place by Jean Little
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Levine
  • Disconnected by Shelley Hrdlitschka
  • Ghost Canoe by Will Hobbs
  • Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
  • Under Emily's Sky by Ann Alma
1999 - Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson (Winner)

1998 - Poppy by Avi (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Ellen's secret by Jean Booker
  • The dark garden by Margaret Buffie
  • The midwife's apprentice by Jaren Cushman
  • Yuit by Yvette Edmonds
  • Dark of the moon by Barbara Haworth-Attard
  • Castle Tourmandyne by Monica Hughes
  • Cougar Cove by Julie Lawson
  • Past tense by Ken Roberts
  • Shabash! by Ann Walsh
1997 - Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. (Winner)

1996 - The Giver by Lois Lowry. (Winner)
Nominees:

  • Who's got Gertie? And how can we get her back? by Linda Bailey
  • The dragon's egg by Allison Baird
  • The year of impossible goodbyes by Sook Nyue Choi
  • What happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
  • Out of the blue by Sarah Ellis
  • Something weird is going on by Christie Harris
  • A night without stars by James Howe
  • The lights go on again by Kit Pearson
  • Zlata's diary: a child's life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic
1995 - The Biggest Klutz in Fifth Grade by Bill Wallace. (Winner)
1994 - How Come the Best Clues Are Always in the Garbage? by Linda Bailey. (Winner)
1993 - The Sky Is Falling by Kit Pearson. (Winner)
1992 - Secret of the Cards by Sonia Craddock. (Winner)
1991 - There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. (Winner)
1993 - The Sky Is Falling by Kit Pearson. (Winner)
1992 - Secret of the Cards by Sonia Craddock. (Winner)
1991 - There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. (Winner)
1993 - The Sky Is Falling by Kit Pearson. (Winner)
1992 - Secret of the Cards by Sonia Craddock. (Winner)
1991 - There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. (Winner)
1990 - Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. (Winner)
1989 - Pop Bottles by Ken Roberts. (Winner)
1988 - Sixth-Grade Sleepover by Eve Bunting. (Winner)
1987 - Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary. (Winner)
1986 - Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days! by Stephen Manes. (Winner)
1985 - The Secret of Spirit Mountain by Helen Kronberg Olson. (Winner)
1984 - The Toothpaste Genie by Frances Duncan. (Winner)
1983 - Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary. (Winner)
1982 - Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford. (Winner)
1981 - The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars. (Winner)
1980 - The Goof That Won the Pennant by Jonah Kalb. (Winner)
1979 - Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. (Winner)
1978 - Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers. (Winner)
1977 - Me and My Little Brain by John D. Fitzgerald. (Winner)
1975 - The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary. (Winner)
1974 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. (Winner)
1973 - Charlotte's Web by E. B. White. (Winner)

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