本書榮獲1997美國紐伯瑞大獎 (The Newbery Medal for Best Children\’s Book)紐伯瑞大獎是由美國圖書館學會(American Library Association - ALA)的分支機構 -- 美國圖書館兒童服務學會(Association for Library Service to Children)於1922年創設的獎項。該獎項是為紀念十八世紀的英國書商,約翰‧紐伯瑞(John Newbery)而設置,得獎者必須是對美國兒童文學有傑出貢獻者,並以美國公民及永久居民為限,自1922年起每年頒發給前一年度最傑出的美國兒童圖書作者。http://www.ala.org/alsc/newbery.html
Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.