What is the Black Eyed Susan Book Award?

Each year the Maryland Association of School Librarians nominates outstanding chapter books and graphic novels, "...that broaden the human experience and provide students with new insights into their own lives." (MASL)

Students that read at least three of the books from any one category may vote on the book they feel is the most outstanding.

Novel Nominees  Grades 6-8

• Attack of the Black Rectangles by A.S. King

• The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

• Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tola Okogwu

• Pony by R.J. Palacio

• Rivals by Tommy Greenwald

• The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

• Troublemaker by John Cho

• Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee

• When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler

• Yonder by Ali Standish

Graphic Novel Nominees Grades 6-8

• Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Book 1 by Kanehito Yamada, illustrated by Tsukasa Abe

• Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega, illustrated by Rose Bousamra

• The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

• Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Gabriela Epstein

• Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

• Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case

• M is for Monster by Talia Dutton

• Treasure in the Lake by Jason Pamment

• Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, illustrated by
  Dawud Anyabwile

• The Well by Jake Wyatt, illustrated by Choo

Novel Nominees High School

• The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

• All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir

• Call Me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith

• Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos

• Golden Boys by Phil Stamper

• House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

• Mamo by Sas Milledge

• Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

• Messy Roots: a graphic memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao

2023-2024 BES Winners!!!

Grade 6-8 Novel:

Grade 6-8 Graphic Novel:

High School Novel: