The 1999 Cuffies
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Children's booksellers choose their favorite (and not-so-favorite) books of the year
For PW's 10th annual Off-the-Cuff Awards, we polled booksellers in a variety of categories. The winners (and bookseller comments, where appropriate) appear below.
Favorite Picture Book of the Year (tie)
David G s to School by David Shannon
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester, illus. by Lynn Munsinger
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, illus. by Gail de Marcken Favorite Novel of the Year
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper Most Unusual Picture Book
Sector 7 by David Wiesner
(Honorable mention: Sleeping Boy by Sonia Craddock, illus. by Leonid Gore) Best Sequel
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(Honorable mention: Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary; David G s to School) Funniest book
Captain Underpants series
(Honorable mention: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer; Hooway for Wodney Wat) Best Book Title (tie)
Hooway for Wodney Wat
Zagazoo by Quentin Blake
(Honorable mention: Montezuma's Revenge by Cari Best, illus. by Diane Palmisciano) Most Memorable Character in a Lead Role
Harry Potter
(Honorable mention: Bud in Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis) Most Eye-Catching Jacket
How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
(Honorable mention: Sector 7) Best Opening Line
"They call me a tough cookie. I guess I am. Came from a regular batch. Lots of dough." (Tough Cookie by David Wisniewski) Best Bet to Win the Newbery Medal
Bud, Not Buddy
(Honorable mention: Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine; When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt) Best Bet to Win the Caldecott Medal (tie)
I, Crocodile by Fred Marcellino
Molly Bannaky by Alice McGill, illus. by Chris K. S ntpiet
Sector 7 Best Anthology or Collection
Sylvia Long's Mother Goose Best Book of P try (tie)
The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's P ms, edited by Donald Hall
Spectacular Science, edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illus. by Virginia Halstead Best Pop-Up
The Moveable Mother Goose by Robert Sabuda Best Audiotape
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, read by Jim Dale Favorite New Series
History Mysteries Best Biography
Babe Didriksen Zaharias by Russell Freedman Best Autobiography (tie)
In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke and Jennifer Armstrong
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges Best Novel for Older Teens
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
(Honorable mention: Violet & Claire by Francesca Lia Block) The "For Adults, Not Children" Award (tie)
The Collector of Moments by Quint Buchholz
The Dance by Richard Paul Evans, illus. by Jonathan Linton Most Objectionable Book
The Dance ("designed to bring tears to readers' eyes")
Life's Little Fable by Patricia Cornwell, illus. by Barbara Leonard Gibson ("it made no sense!") Most Disappointing Book by a Favorite Author
The Worst Band in the Universe by Graeme Bas
Honorable mention: Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett: "She left out the line that makes the story work for kids: 'Run, run, run, as fast as you can....' ") Most Overdone Subject
Death; the millennium; the Titanic; "I love you so much" books Biggest Flop, Per Publisher's Expectations
Star Wars books
(Honorable mention: Life's Little Fable)
Hottest Selling Book(s) to Go Out of Stock
Harry Potter Happiest to See Back in Print (tie)
Eloise at Christmastime/Eloise in Paris
Understood Betsy Sorriest to Discover Was No Longer in Print
Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird, illus. by Helen Craig Most Responsive Publisher
Random House ("shipments come like clockwork with no billing hassles"; "they work to make my business better") Most Appealing Marketing Campaign
Eloise ("dumps, posters, masks and an author tour!") Best Publisher Promotional Materials
Candlewick's handselling kit
(Honorable mention: Harry Potter lightning bolt tattoos) Positive New Trend Noticed Among Customers' Habits or Preferences
"Customers discovering series such as The Dark Is Rising and the Prydain Chronicles, and seem more willing to take suggestions from my staff and me."
"They are more willing to purchase hardcover middle-grade and YA novels."
"I saw a book elsewhere but I waited to come here because our family wants to keep your store in our community!" Negative New Trend Noticed Among Customers' Habits or Preferences
"Purchasing online for better discounts."
"They are asking for specific suggestions then leaving (to purchase elsewhere?)"
"People announcing to other customers: 'You can get it cheaper at...Amazon/ B&N/Borders.' " Oddest Request by a Customer
"Someone asked for a tape with the song 'I'm a Little Teapot' so her parakeet could learn it." Most Garbled Title Request
Henry/Happy/Harpy/Harvey Potter
Send in the Clouds (for Sector 7) Most Unusual Complaint About a Book
"A customer returned The Witches by Roald Dahl because it had witches in it."
"Someone returned the Dillons' To Everything There Is a Season because "it d s not reflect good family values."
"The Giving Tree is sexist and dangerous because the tree is a woman and the boy takes everything from her and she lets it happen."
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