WYOMING LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

Indian Paintbrush Book Award (Grades 4-6)

The Indian Paintbrush Book Award provides an opportunity for Wyoming youth in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades to choose their favorite book from a list of 10 nominees and honor its author.

The Indian Paintbrush Award is unique in that Wyoming students nominate the books as well as vote for the award winner. The philosophy of the Indian Paintbrush Award is to empower students to recognize and read quality contemporary children’s literature.

The Indian Paintbrush Book Award is sponsored by the Wyoming Library Association and the Wyoming State Literacy Association. 

2023-2024 Awards

2022-2023 Awards

Winners & Nominees (1986-2023)

Indian Paintbrush books by author
Indian Paintbrush books by date

2022-2023



First
My Life as a Potato
by Arianne Costner


Second
Scary Stories for Young Foxes
by Christian McKay Heidicker



Third
Ban This Book

by Alan Gratz

Other Nominees
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
History Smashers: The Mayflower by Kate Messner
Linked by Gordon Korman
S
tarfish by Lisa Fipps
Switched by Bruce Hale
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

2021-2022



Winner
New Kid
by Jerry Craft

First runner-up
Wildfire
by Rodman Philbrick



Second runner-up
A Wolf Called Wander
by Rosanne Parry

Nominees
Becoming Muhammad Ali
by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
The Benefits of Being an Octopus
by Ann Braden
Hello, Universe
by Erin Entrada Kelly
The House with Chicken Legs
by Sophie Anderson
Out of Hiding by Ruth Gruener
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
by Dan Gemeinhart
Us, in Progress
by Lulu Delacre


2020-2021



Winner
The Trail
by Meika Hashimoto

First runner-up
White Bird
by R. J. Palacio


Second runner-up
Refugee
by Alan Gratz
Nominees
Bob
by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
Dear Sister
by Alison McGhee
Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Forest of Wonders by Linda Sue Park
Framed! by James Ponti
Front Desk
by Kelly Yang
Rising Water by Marc Aronson

2019-2020



Winner
Hero
by Jennifer Li Shotz

First runner-up
Resistance
by Jennifer A. Nielsen



Second runner-up
Some Kind of Courage
by Dan Gemeinhart

Other nominees

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
One for Sorrow
by Mary Downing Hahn
Sunny by Jason Reynolds
Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
by Leslie Connor


2018-2019



Winner
The War That Saved My Life
by Kimberly Bradley

First runner-up
Restart
by Gordon Korman


Second runner-up
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
by Dusti Bowling
Other Nominees
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown
Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord
Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai
Under Their Skin by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

2017-2018

 

Winner
The Crossover
by Kwame Alexander


First runner-up
Pax
by Sara Pennypacker

Second runner-up
Wish
by Barbara O'Connor

Other Nominees
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre
Old Wolf by Avi
Raymie Nightingale
by Kate DiCamillo
Roller Girl
by Victoria Jamieson
Swing Sideways
by Nanci Turner Steveson

2016-2017

 

Winner
A Night Divided
by Jennifer A. Nielsen


First runner-up
El Deafo
by Cece Bell


Second runner-up
The Skeleton Tree
by Iain Lawrence

Other Nominees
Beneath
by Roland Smith
Full Cicada Moon
by Marilyn Hilton
Masterminds
by Gordon Korman
The Menagerie
by Tui and Kari Sutherland
Soar
by Joan Bauer
The Thing about Jellyfish
by Ali Benjamin
Woof
by Spencer Quinn

2015-2016

 

Winner
The Iron Trial
by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare


First runner-up
My Friend the Enemy
by Dan Smith


Second runner-up
Beholding Bee
by Kimberly Newton Fusco

Other Nominees
Dash
by Kirby Larson
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Lincoln's Grave Robbers
by Steve Sheinkin
The Mark of the Dragonfly
by Jaleigh Johnson
One Came Home
by Amy Timberlake
Plunked
by Michael Northrop
The Rookie Bookie
by L. Jon Wertheim and Tobias Moskowitz
The Secret of Midway
by Steve Watkins
Sugar
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
A Tangle of Knots
by Lisa Graff
Tracing Stars
by Erin E. Moulton
The Wednesdays
by Julie Bourbeau

2014-2015

 

Winner
Unstoppable
by Tim Green


First runner-up
Fake Mustache
by Tom Angleberger


Second runner-up
The Boy on the Wooden Box
by Leon Leyson

Other Nominees
Anything but Typical
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
The Boy on Cinnamon Street
by Phoebe Stone
A Dog Called Homeless
by Sarah Lean
Fourmile
by Watt Key
Icefall
by Matthew Kirby
Legend of the Ghost Dog
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Liesl & Po
by Lauren Oliver
Prairie Evers
by Ellen Airgood
The Search for Wondla
by Tony DiTerlizzi
Small as an Elephant
by Jennifer Jacobson
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp
by Kathi Appelt
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin

2013-2014

 

Winner
Wonder
by R. J. Palacio


First runner-up
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate


Second runner-up
Wild Life
by Cynthia DeFelice

Other Nominees
Bliss
by Kathryn Littlewood
Bulu
by Dick Houston
Eight Keys
by Suzanne LaFleur
Game Changers
by Mike Lupica
Grounded
by Kate Klise
Ninth Ward
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Pie
by Sarah Weeks
Sophia's War
by Avi
Turtle in Paradise
by Jennifer Holm
Wolf Storm
by Dee Garretson
Woods Runner
by Gary Paulsen
Zero to Hero
by Henry Winkler

2012-2013

 

Winner
Saving Zasha
by Randi G. Barrow


First runner-up
Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper


Second runner-up
Because of Mr. Terupt
by Rob Buyea

Other Nominees
13 Treasures
by Michelle Harrison
Bull Rider
by Suzanne Williams
Dead End in Norvelt
by Jack Gantos
Dog Lost
by Ingrid Lee
Drizzle
by Kathleen Van Cleve
The Flint Heart
by Katherine Paterson
The Fourth Stall
by Chris Rylander
A Long Walk to Water
by Linda Sue Park
Love, Aubrey
by Suzanne LaFleur
Okay for Now
by Gary D. Schmidt
Powerless
by Matthew Cody
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick

2012

 

Winner
The Red Pyramid
by Rick Riordan


First runner-up
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
by Tom Angleberger


Second runner-up
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
by Lauren Tarshis

Other Nominees
11 Birthdays
by Wendy Mass
The Clockwork Three
by Matthew Kirby
Extra Credit
by Andrew Clements
Flawed Dogs
by Berkeley Breathed
Hero
by Mike Lupica
Lone Wolf
by Kathryn Lasky
Masters of Disaster
by Gary Paulsen
Secret of the Night Ponies
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Storm Runners
by Roland Smith
Storyteller
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Tango
by Eileen Beha
Touch Blue
by Cynthia Lord

2011

 

Winner
The Candy Shop War
by Brandon Mull


First runner-up
The Name of This Book is Secret
by Pseudonymous Bosch


Second runner-up
Savvy
by Ingrid Law

Other Nominees
Everything for a Dog
by Ann M. Martin
Found
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Heart of a Shepherd
by Rosanne Parry
How to Steal a Dog
by Barbara O’Connor
Kickoff!
by Tiki and Ronde Barber
Lost and Found
by Andrew Clements
Mudshark
by Gary Paulsen
The Ruins of Gorlan
by John Flanagan
Schooled
by Gordon Korman
The Valley of the Wolves
by Laura Gallego Garcia
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
Wild Girl
by Patricia Reilly Giff

2010

 

Winner
Deep and Dark and Dangerous
by Mary Downing Hahn


First runner-up
The Battle of the Labyrinth
by Rick Riordan


Second runner-up
Football Hero
by Tim Green

Other Nominees
Elephant Run
by Roland Smith
Elijah of Buxton
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Gossamer
by Lois Lowry
Jackie's Wild Seattle
by Will Hobbs
Kenny and the Dragon
by Tony Diterlizzi
Lawn Boy
by Gary Paulsen
Listen!
by Stephanie S. Tolan
The Magic Thief
by Sarah Prineas
The Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Penderwicks
by Jeanne Birdsall
War Horse
by Michael Morpurgo
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt

2009

 

Winner
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney


First runner-up
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick


Second runner-up
The Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan

Other Nominees
Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
The Fairy-Tale Detectives
by Michael Buckley
Getting Air
by Dan Gutman
Hattie Big Sky
by Kirby Larson
Heat
by Mike Lupica
The Legend of Bass Reeves
by Gary Paulsen
The Legend of the Wandering King
by Laura Gallego Garcia
No Talking
by Andrew Clements
Rules
by Cynthia Lord
Swindle
by Gordon Korman
Toby Wheeler, Eighth-Grade Benchwarmer
by Thatcher Heldring
Weedflower
by Cynthia Kadohata

2008

 

Winner
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamillo


First runner-up
A Dog's Life
by Ann M. Martin


Second runner-up
Cracker!
by Cynthia Kadohata

Other Nominees
Beyond the Deepwoods
by Paul Stewart
The Fire Within
by Chris D’Lacey
The Frog Princess
by E. D. Baker
The Homework Machine
by Dan Gutman
Midnight Rider
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Miracle on 49th Street
by Mike Lupica
Mud City
by Deborah Ellis
Niagara Falls, or Does It?
by Henry Winkler
Peter and the Starcatchers
by Dave Barry
Room One
by Andrew Clements
Takini
by Kenneth Thomasma
Wenny Has Wings
by Janet Lee Carey

2007

 

Winner
Dragon Rider
by Cornelia Caroline Funke


First runner-up
Toad Rage
by Morris Gleitzman


Second runner-up
Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism
by Georgia Byng

Other Nominees
The Amulet of Samarkand
by Jonathan Stroud
Buttermilk Hill
by Ruth White
The Heroic Adventure of Hercules Amsterdam
by Melissa Glenn Haber
LightLand
by Heather McCutchen
Maggie's Door
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Maxx Comedy
by Gordon Korman
The Perils of Peppermints
by Barbara Brooks Wallace
The River Between Us
by Richard Peck
The Silent Boy
by Lois Lowry
Stranded in Boringsville
by Catherine Bateson
Survival in the Storm
by Katelan Janke
Worth
by A. LaFaye

2006


Winner
No Dogs Allowed!
by Bill Wallace


First runner-up
Once Upon a Marigold
by Jean Ferris


Second runner-up
Hoot
by Carl Hiaasen

Other Nominees
Best Halloween Ever
by Barbara Robinson
Blue Fingers
by Cheryl Aylward Whitesel
Chasing Vermeer
by Blue Balliett
Circle of Doom
by Tim Kennemore
The Dark Hills Divide
by Patrick Carman
Ida B ... And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
by Katherine Hannigan
The Merchant of Death
by D. J. MacHale
The Ravenmaster’s Secret
by Elvira Woodruff
Rodzina
by Karen Cushman
The School Story
by Andrew Clements
Secret of the Black Widow
by Eugene M. Gagliano
TruckDogs
by Graeme Base

2005


Winner
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo


First runner-up
Double Fudge
by Judy Blume


Second runner-up
Partners in the Wilderness
by Ed Kienzle

Other Nominees
The Capture
by Kathryn Lasky
Everything on a Waffle
by Polly Horvath
The Field Guide
by Toni DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
by Sharon Creech
Leon and the Spitting Image
by Allen Kurzweil
Midnight for Charlie Bone
by Jenny Nimmo
Parvana’s Journey
by Deborah Ellis
Pictures of Hollis Woods
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Saffy’s Angel
by Hilary McKay
Talon and the Dragons of Crinnelia
by Diana Metz
What Would Joey Do?
by Jack Gantos
Wishes, Kisses, and Pigs
by Betsy Gould Hearne

2004


Winner
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by J. K. Rowling


First runner-up
Loser
by Jerry Spinelli


Second runner-up
The Thief Lord
by Cornelia Caroline Funke

Other Nominees
Artemis Fowl
by Eoin Colfer
The Breadwinner
by Deborah Ellis
The Captain's Dog
by Roland Smith
The Carnivorous Carnival
by Lemony Snicket
The Contest
by Gordon Korman
Dread Mountain
by Emily Rodda
The Good Dog
by Avi
The Hideout
by Peg Kehret
Hope Was Here
by Joan Bauer
The Hunted
by Gloria Skurzynski
The Janitor's Boy
by Andrew Clements
Ruby Holler
by Sharon Creech

2003


Winner
Among the Hidden
by Margaret Peterson Haddix


First runner-up
The Reptile Room
by Lemony Snicket


Second runner-up
The Giggler Treatment
by Roddy Doyle

Other Nominees
Choosing Up Sides
by John H. Ritter
The Doll People
by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin
Down the Yukon
by Will Hobbs
Ice Story
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
Jaguar
by Roland Smith
The Lake of Tears
by Emily Rodda
A Mouse Called Wolf
by Dick King-Smith
My Life in Dog Years
by Gary Paulsen
Nory Ryan's Song
by Patricia Reilly Giff
Promises to the Dead
by Mary Downing Hahn
Pure Dead Magic
by Debi Gliori
Westward to Home
by Patricia Hermes

2002

 

Winner
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J. K. Rowling


First runner-up
The Bad Beginning
by Lemony Snicket


Second runner-up
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo

Other Nominees
A Blizzard Year
by Gretel Ehrlich
Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Case of the Measled Cowboy
by John Erickson
Color Me Dark
by Patricia McKissack
Ella Enchanted
by Gail Carson Levine
Ghost Horses
by Gloria Skurzynski
Jason's Gold
by Will Hobbs
Lily's Crossing
by Patricia Reilly Giff
My Louisiana Sky
by Kimberly Willis Holt
Ramona’s World
by Beverly Cleary
The Truth about Sacajawea
by Kenneth Thomasma
The Wanderer
by Sharon Creech

2001

 

Winner
Holes
by Louis Sachar


First runner-up
Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants
by Dav Pilkey


Second runner-up
Sasquatch
by Roland Smith

Other Nominees
The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker
by Cynthia C. DeFelice
Doe Sia
by Kenneth Thomasma
Eye of the Great Bear
by Bill Wallace
The Girls’ Revenge
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
The Landry News
by Andrew Clements
The Maze
by Will Hobbs
My Heart is on the Ground
by Ann Rinaldi
P. S. Longer Letter Later
by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin
Perloo the Bold
by Avi
Rosa Parks: My Story
by Rosa Parks
The Skull of Truth
by Bruce Coville
Soldier's Heart
by Gary Paulsen

2000

 

Winner
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
by J. K. Rowling


First runner-up
Upchuck and the Rotten Willy
by Bill Wallace


Second runner-up
The Ghost of Fossil Glen
by Cynthia C. DeFelice

Other Nominees
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie by Kristiana Gregory
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman
Ghost Canoe by Will Hobbs
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Pleasing the Ghost by Sharon Creech
Rage of Fire by Gloria Skurzynski
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
There’s an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George
Thunder Cave by Roland Smith
Wolf Shadows by Mary Casanova
The World's Worst Fairy Godmother by Bruce Coville
Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

1999


Winner
Saving Shiloh
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor


First runner-up
Falling Up
by Shel Silverstein


Second runner-up
The Backward Bird Dog
by Bill Wallace

Other Nominees
Amber Brown Goes Fourth by Paula Danziger
Amee-nah by Kenneth Thomasma
Bad, Badder, Baddest by Cynthia Voigt
Call Me Francis Tucket by Gary Paulsen
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body by Todd Strasser
The Music of Dolphins by Karen Hesse
The Return of Santa Paws by Nicholas Edwards
Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris
Titanic Crossing by Barbara Williams
The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg
Wagon Train 911 by Jamie Gilson

1998


Winner
Crash
by Jerry Spinelli


First runner-up
Shiloh Season
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor


Second runner-up
Brian’s Winter
by Gary Paulsen

Other Nominees
The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
Countdown by Ben Mikaelsen
Cyberstorm by Gloria Skurzynski
Dinosaurs Alive! by Shelly Ritthaler
Far North by Will Hobbs
The Ghost of Popcorn Hill by Betty Ren Wright
The Light on Hogback Hill by Cynthia C. DeFelice
Moose Tracks by Mary Casanova
Poppy by Avi
The Richest Kids in Town by Peg Kehret
See You Around, Sam! by Lois Lowry
The Tarantula in My Purse and 172 Other Wild Pets by Jean Craighead George

1997


Winner
Watchdog and the Coyotes
by Bill Wallace


First runner-up
Stranded
by Ben Mikaelsen


Second runner-up
Mick Harte Was Here
by Barbara Park

Other Nominees
The Absolutely True Story by Willo Davis Roberts
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
A Christmas Sonata by Gary Paulsen
Dear Levi by Elvira Woodruff
The Girls Get Even by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Lostman’s River by Cynthia C. DeFelice
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear by Lensey Namioka
Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipovic

1996


Winner
Moho Wat
by Kenneth Thomasma

Other Nominees
Addy's Surprise by Connie Rose Porter
Aliens Ate My Homework by Bruce Coville
Beardance by Will Hobbs
The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
End of the Race by Dean Hughes
Frankie Murphy’s Kiss List by Donna Guthrie
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Haymeadow by Gary Paulsen
The Journey Home by Isabelle Holland
Letters from a Slave Girl by Mary E. Lyons
The Magic School Bus, Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole
Monster Blood III by R. L. Stine
Nasty Stinky Sneakers by Eve Bunting
White Hare's Horses by Penina Keen Spinka

1995


Winner
Rescue Josh McGuire
by Ben Mikaelsen

Other Nominees
The Boggart by Susan Cooper
The Dark-Thirty by Pat McKissack
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli
Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville
If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand by Kalli Dakos
Jim Ugly by Sid Fleischman
The Legend of Jimmy Spoon by Kristiana Gregory
Mama, Let's Dance by Patricia Hermes
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
The Mystery of the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Sharing Susan by Eve Bunting
Somewhere Just Beyond by Barbara A. Smith
Tuck Triumphant by Theodore Taylor
Woodsong by Gary Paulsen

1994


Winner
Shiloh
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor


First runner-up
Wayside School is Falling Down
by Louis Sachar


Second runner-up
Weasel
by Cynthia C. DeFelice

Other Nominees
Aldo Peanut Butter by Johanna Hurwitz
Dew Drop Dead by James Howe
The D-Poems of Jeremy Bloom by Gordon Korman
Ghost Brother by C. S. Adler
Humbug by Nina Bawden
Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszka
The River by Gary Paulsen
Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn
Stonewords by Pam Conrad
There's a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli
Wanted by Betsy Cromer Byars

1993


Winner
Pathki Nana
by Kenneth Thomasma


First runner-up
The Doll in the Garden
by Mary Downing Hahn


Second runner-up
Totally Disgusting!
by Bill Wallace

Other Nominees
All about Sam by Lois Lowry
The Ghost Cadet by Elaine Marie Alphin
Missing by James Duffy
On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Practical Joke War by Alane Ferguson
The Secret of the Indian by Lynne Reid Banks
Shoebag by Mary James
Soup’s Hoop by Robert Newton Peck
Strider by Beverly Cleary
Teacher's Pet by Johanna Hurwitz
Who Invited the Undertaker? by Ivy Ruckman
The Young Black Stallion
by Walter Farley

1992


Winner
Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli


First runner-up
Fudge-a-mania
by Judy Blume


Second runner-up
Fudge
by Charlotte Towner Graeber

Other Nominees
38 Weeks till Summer Vacation
by Mona Kerby
Afternoon of the Elves
by Janet Taylor Lisle
Awfully Short for the Fourth Grade
by Elvira Woodruff
The Basement Baseball Club
by Jeffrey Kelly
Beetles, Lightly Toasted
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Cricket and the Crackerbox Kid
by Alane Ferguson
The Great Male Conspiracy
by Betty Bates
It's a Dog's Life
by John Erickson
High Wizardry
by Diane Duane
Horrible Harry in Room 2B
by Suzy Kline
Lone Star
by Barbara Barrie
The Shadowmaker
by Ron Hansen

1991


Winner
Matilda
by Roald Dahl


First runner-up
Wait till Helen Comes
by Mary Downing Hahn


Second runner-up
Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry

Other Nominees
Amy’s Eyes
by Richard Kennedy
Angel’s Mother’s Wedding
by Judy Delton
Beauty
by Bill Wallace
The Canada Geese Quilt
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
Catwings
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Dangerous Ground
by Gloria Skurzynski
Don’t Call Me Toad!
by Mary Francis Shura
The Ghost Drum
by Susan Price
Glass Slippers Give You Blisters
by Mary Auch
Maggie, Too
by Joan Lowery Nixon
No Place for Me
by Barthe DeClements
Park’s Quest
by Katherine Paterson
Prisoner of Vampires
by Nancy Garden
The Rainbow People
by Lawrence Yep
The Show-and-Tell War and Other Stories about Adam Joshua
by Janice Smith
Ten Kids, No Pets
by Ann M. Martin
You've Been Away All Summer
by Sheila Hayes

1990


Winner
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom
by Louis Sachar


First runner-up
Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen


Second runner-up
Just as Long as We're Together
by Judy Blume

Other Nominees
Birthday Burglar and A Very Wicked Headmistress
by Margaret Mahy
The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt
by Patricia MacLachlan
Fran Ellen's House
by Marilyn Sachs
The Happiest Ending
by Yoshiko Uchida
Harry's Mad
by Dick King-Smith
Hobie Hansen, You're Weird
by Jamie Gilson
Josie's Beau
by Natalie Honeycutt
The Not-Just-Anybody Family
by Betsy Cromer Byars
Nutty Can't Miss
by Dean Hughes
Paul's Volcano
by Beatrice Gormley
Quentin Corn
by Mary Stolz
Racso and the Rats of NIMH
by Jane Leslie Conly
The Remembering Box
by Eth Clifford
A Royal Pain
by Ellen Conford
Soup on Fire
by Robert Newton Peck
Stinker from Space
by Pamela F. Service
This is Your Captain Speaking
by Ivy Ruckman

1989


Winner
The Return of the Indian
by Lynne Reid Banks


First runner-up
Red Dog
by Bill Wallace


Second runner-up
Nighty-Nightmare
by James Howe

Other Nominees
Black Suits from Outer Space
by Gene DeWeese
The Great Mom Swap
by Betsy Haynes
Halfback Tough by Thomas J. Dygard
Janet Hamm Needs a Date for the Dance
by Eve Bunting
Kevin Corbett Eats Flies
by Patricia Hermes
Love, from the Fifth Grade Celebrity
by Patricia Reilly Giff
The Magic Book
by Willo Davis Roberts
Me and My Veggies
by Isaac Whitlatch
Mostly Michael
by Robert Kimmel Smith
On My Honor
by Marion Dane Bauer
Rabble Starkey
by Lois Lowry
Ramona Forever
by Beverly Cleary
The Secret Life of Dilly McBean
by Dorothy Haas
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You
by Barthe DeClements
Valentine Rosy
by Sheila Greenwald
The Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
Who's Reading Darci's Diary?
by Martha Tolles

1988


Winner
The Dollhouse Murders
by Betty Ren Wright


First runner-up
The Castle in the Attic
by Elizabeth Winthrop


Second runner-up
The Witches
by Roald Dahl

Other Nominees
Back Yard Angel
by Judy Delton
Christmas with Ida Early
by Robert Burch
The Cuckoo Sister
by Vivien Alcock
Daphne’s Book
by Mary Downing Hahn
Devil’s Race
by Avi
Invisible Lissa
by Natalie Honeycutt
Just Tell Me When We’re Dead!
by Eth Clifford
Nutty and the Case of the Mastermind Thief
by Dean Hughes
Oh Honestly, Angela!
by Nancy K. Robinson
The Oscar J. Noodleman Television Network
by Stephen Manes
Pets, Vets, and Marty Howard
by Joan Davenport Carris
Rich Mitch
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Soup on Ice
by Robert Newton Peck
Trapped in the Slickrock Canyon
by Gloria Skurzynski
Who Put That Hair in my Toothbrush?
by Jerry Spinelli
Wordchanger
by Mary Haynes
Yesterday’s Horses
by Jean Slaughter Doty

1987


Winner
The Hot and Cold Summer
by Johanna Hurwitz


First runner-up
The Great Rescue Operation
by Jean Van Leeuwen


Second runner-up
Monster's Ring
by Bruce Coville

Other Nominees
Babe
by Dick King-Smith
Behind the Attic Wall
by Sylvia Cassedy
Blair's Nightmare
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Building Blocks
by Cynthia Voigt
Come Sing, Jimmy Jo
by Katherine Paterson
Cracker Jackson
by Betsy Cromer Byars
The Dancing Cats of Applesap
by Janet Taylor Lisle
The Haunting
by Margaret Mahy
Lenny Kandell, Smart Aleck
by Ellen Conford
Omega Station
by Alfred Slote
One-Eyed Cat
by Paula Fox
Prairie Songs
by Pam Conrad
Raising a Mother Isn't Easy
by Elisabet McHugh
The Song of Pentecost
by W. J. Corbett
The Terrible Truth
by Stephen Roos
Tink in a Tangle
by Dorothy Haas
Your Former Friend, Matthew
by LouAnn Bigge Gaeddert

1986


Winner
Naya Nuki
by Kenneth Thomasma


First runner-up
The Indian in the Cupboard
by Lynne Reid Banks


Second runner-up
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade
by Barthe DeClements

Other Nominees
4B Goes Wild
by Jamie Gilson
Anastasia, Ask Your Analyst
by Lois Lowry
Banana Blitz
by Florence Parry Heide
The Celery Stalks at Midnight
by James Howe
The Curse of the Blue Figurine
by John Bellairs
Dear Mr. Henshaw
by Beverly Cleary
The Girl with the Silver Eyes
by Willo Davis Roberts
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
by Bette Lord
Jelly Belly
by Robert Kimmel Smith
Night of the Twisters
by Ivy Ruckman
Sarah, Plain and Tall
by Patricia MacLachlan
Save Queen of Sheba
by Louise Moeri
The Sign of the Beaver
by Elizabeth George Speare
Summer Switch
by Mary Rodgers
Toad Food and Measle Soup
by Christine McDonnell
Turn Homeward, Hannalee
by Patricia Beatty
The Wild Children
by Felice Holman

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Members

Co-Chair Whitney Luciano (2023)

Co-Chair Rebecca Jones (2025)

Amy Preston (2022)

Becky Davis (2022)

Daniel Primich (2024)

Linda Herget (2025)

Kennedy Penn-O'Toole (2023)

Michelle Humber (2024)

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Award Guidelines

The Indian Paintbrush Book Award is jointly sponsored by the Wyoming Library Association (Children’s/YA Section and the School Library/Media Personnel Section) and the Wyoming State Literacy Association. 

The Wyoming Library Association established this award in 1985 to promote literacy and encourage conversations around quality literature among Wyoming youth.

Voting

Wyoming fourth, fifth, and sixth graders are encouraged to read or listen to as many of the nominated books as possible (a minimum of three) and vote for their favorite. Librarians, teachers, and parents are encouraged to promote these titles and read some of the books aloud to their students.

Books on the list will be accessible to students with a range of reading abilities, and will represent a diversity of characters and experiences. Each spring the students vote, at school or at the public library, for their favorite book from the list. Sponsoring adults collect and submit the votes online through WYLA.org. The committee announces winning titles through the WLA and Wyoming State Literacy Association listservs. Teachers and librarians also share this information directly with students and patrons.

Nominating Criteria

  • Books may be fiction or nonfiction, and in any format (e.g. novel in verse, graphic novel).

  • Each book’s U.S. copyright date must be within the past 5 years.

  • Books must be in print at the time of nomination. 

  • Books must be nominated by Wyoming students in grades 4-6. 

  • Only one title per author will be included on the nominations list. 

  • No author can be on the list for two consecutive years. 

  • No title can be on the nominees list more than once.

Committee Guidelines

The Indian Paintbrush Book Award Committee begins compiling a list of nominations in January and reads as many of the nominated titles as possible. The committee meets in April to finalize a list of 10 titles. This list becomes the ballot for the next school year, and is shared widely with teachers and librarians.

Considerations for Nominated Books

1.  Book meets all nominating criteria for award.

2.  Committee takes into account the number of individual and school nominations a book receives state-wide.

3.  Committee members use professional knowledge of children’s literature to determine the value a book will add to the list. 

4.  Book must have at least two published reviews, or be considered on its own merit if a book is of local interest or by a Wyoming author.

5.  Books in a series may be considered if it’s the first in a series, or if the title stands alone.

6.  Books should be designated by publishers or in reviews as appropriate for middle-grade readers (not YA).

7.  If possible, at least 50% of nominees should be available in paperback.

8.  Committee will consider representing a variety of genres and a diversity of experiences in terms of gender, socio-economic status, race, etc. when building the list of nominated titles.

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Committee Composition & Responsibilities

Committee Members

The committee of 8 is composed of 4 members of the Wyoming Library Association (2 school or academic, 2 public), and 4 members of the Wyoming State Literacy Association.

Each member will serve a 3-year term, with the option to serve a second term. If a member leaves the committee, they are allowed to serve another term if an opening becomes available and they’re willing to do so.

Committee members are responsible for reading widely from the nominations list and contributing insight when building the next year’s list during the annual meeting. The meeting will take place either as a conference call, Zoom, or another online meeting format.

Members may choose to serve as co-chair at any time during their term.

Co-Chairs

Co-chairs will serve for 2 years; one incoming and one outgoing. Outgoing co-chair serves as the lead, and trains the incoming co-chair.

Responsibilities include:

  • Help to recruit and inform new committee members of responsibilities.
  • Ensure committee members are current paying members of their respective organizations.
  • Tally student votes and announce winners.
       Promote with posters and bookmarks.
       Update website information.
       Contact winning author via social media or e-mail to inform of win and get address for award.
       Have award plaque made (see sample below) and ship to author.
  • Create and manage nominations spreadsheet.
  • Remove titles that don’t meet criteria.
  • Organize titles alphabetically and fill in additional information (level, MC, etc.).
  • Communicate with committee members about reading and meeting.
  • Before committee meeting, check with the Soaring Eagle committee to ensure books don’t overlap on final nomination lists.
  • Update Committee Guidelines and By-Laws as needed, but at least every 5 years. Last updated in 2020 by Mary Borthwick and Melissa Snider.

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Wyoming Library Association

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Ballwin MO 63021

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