The Texas State Reading Association has announced nominees for the Golden Spur award in the children’s literature (K-3) and intermediate divisions. The nominees are:

Children’s Literature: Ima and the Great Texas Ostrich Race by Margaret McManis of Angleton (Eakin Press, 2002); Bats Around the Clock by Kathi Appelt of College Station (HarperCollins, 2000); The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair by Dotti Enderle of Houston (Pelican, 2005), Finding Daddy – A Story of the Great Depression by Jo & Josephine Harper (scroll) of Houston (Turtle Books, 2005); Isabel and the Hungry Coyote by Keith Polette (scroll) of El Paso (Raven Tree Press, 2004); Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree by Jan Peck of Fort Worth (Simon & Schuster, 2005); Phoebe Clappsaddle and the Tumbleweed Gang by Melanie Chrismer of Houston (Pelican, 2004).

Intermediate Nominees: Angel of the Alamo – A True Story of Texas by Lisa Waller Rogers of Austin (Eakin Press, 2000); Lorenzo’s Secret Mission by Lila and Rick Guzman of Round Rock (Arte Publico Press, 2001); Katherine Stinson – The Flying Schoolgirl by Debra Winegarten of Houston (Eakin Press, 2000); Tofu and T. Rex by Greg Leitich Smith of Austin (Little Brown, 2005), Crown Me! by Kathryn Lay of Arlington (Holiday House, 2004).

Cynsational News & Links

Texas Authors’ Newest Endeavors are Child’s Play by Glen Drumgoole from The Bryan-College Station Eagle. Features The Alley Cat’s Meow by Kathi Appelt (Harcourt, 2002), a nominee for Bats Around The Clock, as well as two nominated books, Phoebe Clappsaddle and the Tumbleweed Gang by Melanie Chrismer and Ima & the Great Texas Ostrich Race by Margaret McManis.

A Series of Fortunate Events: an Interview With Lois Gresh, author of Eyeballs, Leeches, Hypnotism and Orphans: The Truth Behind A Series Of Unfortunate Events (St. Martin’s Press, 2005) by Susan VanHecke from Authorlink.com.