The 2013 Monarch Award
Illinois’ Grades K-3 Readers’ Choice Award
     Sponsored by the Illinois School Library Media Association

                                 Naomi Mellendorf
                       Library Information Specialist
                    Robert Crown Elementary School
                                   Wauconda, Illinois
Ant and Grasshopper
     by Luli Gray
                      While he stocks up for the
                      winter, Ant is annoyed by
                      Grasshopper's singing and
                      dancing all summer long, but
                      soon realizes there is value in
                      having fun.




  Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes
           by Margie Palatini
Retells the fable of a
frustrated fox that, after
many tries to reach a
high bunch of grapes,
decides they must be
sour anyway.




                 Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Where in the Wild? Camouflaged Creatures
        Concealed…and Revealed
                          by Nic Bishop




  Poems with clues prompt readers to guess the identities of
  ten camouflaged animals, revealed in gatefolds, and fact
  pages present information on each species, discussing
  their camouflage and life cycles.
                 Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum
       by Meghan McCarthy


                                 A collection of amusing
                                 historical facts on the
                                 invention of bubble gum.




         Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Clemente!
  by Willie Perdomo and Bryan Collier
A little boy named Clemente is
proud to learn about the life,
career, and charitable work of
his namesake, baseball great
Roberto Clemente, the first
Latin American player inducted
into the Hall of Fame.




                Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Bink & Gollie
by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

                     Two roller-skating best friends--
                     one tiny, one tall--share three
                     comical adventures involving
                     outrageously bright socks, an
                     impromptu trek to the Andes,
                     and a most unlikely marvelous
                     companion.




       Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
The Big Fat Cow that Goes Kapow
         by Joanne Ryder


                            Ten funny rhyming stories
                            for beginning readers.




         Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
How Rocket Learned to Read
        by Tad Hills
A little yellow bird
teaches Rocket the
dog how to read by
first introducing him
to the alphabet.




             Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
That Cat Can’t Stay
 by Thad Kramesky
                                 A dad's patience is pushed to the
                                 limit by his cat-loving wife and her
                                 penchant for adopting stray cats,
                                 but after he gives in to the first
                                 one, four more take over his
                                 favorite chair and he decides it is
                                 time to adopt a puppy from the
                                 pound.




  Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
                 by Andrew Clements


Pete the cat moves,
grooves, and sings
while exploring the
different parts of
school.




            Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Even Monsters Need Haircuts
        by Matthew McElligott
At night under a full moon,
a boy operates a barber
shop full of monsters.




                Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
A Sick Day for Amos McGee
          by Philip C. Stead
Zookeeper Amos McGee,
who is adored by all the
animals, gets some
unexpected guests while
home sick one day.




                Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
The Circus Ship
by Chris Van Dusen
                         A circus ship has an accident
                         off the coast of Maine which
                         leaves the animals stranded,
                         but they are soon taken in by
                         the citizens of a small island
                         who grow fond of the new
                         residents and fight to protect
                         them.




  Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Art & Max
              by David Wiesner
Max wants to be an artist
like Arthur, but his first
attempt at using a
paintbrush sends the two
friends on a whirlwind trip
through various media, with
unexpected consequences.




                Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
                  Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
We Are in a Book!
                 by Mo Willems
Piggie realizes that she and Gerald
the elephant are in a book and that
she can make the reader say words,
but when Gerald comes to
understand the danger of the book
ending, Piggie comes up with a
solution to get the reader to keep
reading.




                   Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom
                  Eric Wight
                                     Frankie Piccolini has a vivid
                                     imagination when it comes
                                     to cleaning his disastrously
                                     messy room, but eventually
                                     even he decides that it is
                                     just too dirty.




           Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Blackout
               by John Rocco
Neighbors gather on the roof
after the power goes out on
a hot night in the city and
start having so much fun not
everyone is happy when the
lights go back on.




               Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
Night Flight : Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic
      by Robert Burleigh with paintings by Wendell Minor


An account of Amelia
Earhart's dangerous 1932
flight across the Atlantic
Ocean from Newfoundland
to Ireland, in which she
survived bad weather and
a malfunctioning airplane.
Includes a brief biography
of the aviator.




                 Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred
          by Samantha R. Vamos and illustrated by Rafael López


A cumulative tale of a farm
maiden who, aided by a group
of animals, prepares "Arroz con
Leche," or rice pudding.
Includes recipe and glossary of
the Spanish words that are
woven throughout the text.




                      Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012

2013 Illinois Monarch Award

  • 1.
    The 2013 MonarchAward Illinois’ Grades K-3 Readers’ Choice Award Sponsored by the Illinois School Library Media Association Naomi Mellendorf Library Information Specialist Robert Crown Elementary School Wauconda, Illinois
  • 2.
    Ant and Grasshopper by Luli Gray While he stocks up for the winter, Ant is annoyed by Grasshopper's singing and dancing all summer long, but soon realizes there is value in having fun. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 3.
    Lousy Rotten Stinkin’Grapes by Margie Palatini Retells the fable of a frustrated fox that, after many tries to reach a high bunch of grapes, decides they must be sour anyway. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 4.
    Where in theWild? Camouflaged Creatures Concealed…and Revealed by Nic Bishop Poems with clues prompt readers to guess the identities of ten camouflaged animals, revealed in gatefolds, and fact pages present information on each species, discussing their camouflage and life cycles. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 5.
    Pop! The Inventionof Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy A collection of amusing historical facts on the invention of bubble gum. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 6.
    Clemente! byWillie Perdomo and Bryan Collier A little boy named Clemente is proud to learn about the life, career, and charitable work of his namesake, baseball great Roberto Clemente, the first Latin American player inducted into the Hall of Fame. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 7.
    Bink & Gollie byKate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee Two roller-skating best friends-- one tiny, one tall--share three comical adventures involving outrageously bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 8.
    The Big FatCow that Goes Kapow by Joanne Ryder Ten funny rhyming stories for beginning readers. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 9.
    How Rocket Learnedto Read by Tad Hills A little yellow bird teaches Rocket the dog how to read by first introducing him to the alphabet. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 10.
    That Cat Can’tStay by Thad Kramesky A dad's patience is pushed to the limit by his cat-loving wife and her penchant for adopting stray cats, but after he gives in to the first one, four more take over his favorite chair and he decides it is time to adopt a puppy from the pound. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 11.
    Pete the Cat:Rocking in My School Shoes by Andrew Clements Pete the cat moves, grooves, and sings while exploring the different parts of school. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 12.
    Even Monsters NeedHaircuts by Matthew McElligott At night under a full moon, a boy operates a barber shop full of monsters. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 13.
    A Sick Dayfor Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead Zookeeper Amos McGee, who is adored by all the animals, gets some unexpected guests while home sick one day. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 14.
    The Circus Ship byChris Van Dusen A circus ship has an accident off the coast of Maine which leaves the animals stranded, but they are soon taken in by the citizens of a small island who grow fond of the new residents and fight to protect them. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 15.
    Art & Max by David Wiesner Max wants to be an artist like Arthur, but his first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various media, with unexpected consequences. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012 Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 16.
    We Are ina Book! by Mo Willems Piggie realizes that she and Gerald the elephant are in a book and that she can make the reader say words, but when Gerald comes to understand the danger of the book ending, Piggie comes up with a solution to get the reader to keep reading. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 17.
    Frankie Pickle andthe Closet of Doom Eric Wight Frankie Piccolini has a vivid imagination when it comes to cleaning his disastrously messy room, but eventually even he decides that it is just too dirty. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 18.
    Blackout by John Rocco Neighbors gather on the roof after the power goes out on a hot night in the city and start having so much fun not everyone is happy when the lights go back on. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 19.
    Night Flight :Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic by Robert Burleigh with paintings by Wendell Minor An account of Amelia Earhart's dangerous 1932 flight across the Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland to Ireland, in which she survived bad weather and a malfunctioning airplane. Includes a brief biography of the aviator. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012
  • 20.
    The Cazuela thatthe Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos and illustrated by Rafael López A cumulative tale of a farm maiden who, aided by a group of animals, prepares "Arroz con Leche," or rice pudding. Includes recipe and glossary of the Spanish words that are woven throughout the text. Naomi Mellendorf, District #118, December 2012

Editor's Notes

  • #17 Teacher of the year