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National Council of Teachers of English · award year

NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children 2012

The 2012 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children went to Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. 5 books were Honor Books and 8 books were selected.

Winner

  1. Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweetsource (opens in a new tab)

Honor Books

  1. Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart by Candace Flemingsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons by Harold Holzersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown and Julie Paschkissource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Terezin: Voices from the Holocaust by Ruth Thomsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumboresource (opens in a new tab)

Selections

  1. Billions of Years, Amazing Changes: The Story of Evolution by Laurence Pringle and Steve Jenkinssource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Far from Shore: Chronicles of an Open Ocean Voyage by Sophie Webbsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas and Laura Jacquessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Harry Houdini: The Legend of the World's Greatest Escape Artist by Janice Weaver and Chris Lanesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Inkblot by Margaret Peotsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnellsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Thunder Birds: Nature’s Flying Predators by Jim Arnoskysource (opens in a new tab)

About the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Winner, Honor Books and Recommended Books from NCTE's past-winner lists (PDFs for 2000-2010, 2010-2014, 2015-2021 and 2022-2026); this file covers 2006-2025. Year is the award year NCTE uses (books published the prior calendar year). Recommended Books are recorded at level Selection. Author field names the writers, then illustrators or photographers when different, as credited.

Organization: National Council of Teachers of English. Years are award years, which can differ from publication years. Official site (opens in a new tab)

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