It's over!

Our second Pimp my Bookcart contest was even more successful than the first! We worried that it was just a passing fad, but we got 129 entries, 25% more than last year! They came from across the U.S. They came from schools and libraries. They were made by children, by teenagers, and by adults. And they rocked.

Judging this year was insanely hard. We argued for hours over the relative merits of each entry. The top four were incredibly good, each a great idea executed with obvious craft. It's probably no consolation to hear that they were all just a few percent apart from one another on our incredibly scientific rating system. So we wimped out and added two third prizes, with corresponding awards.

And so, without further ado:

The Winners

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  First Prize What Can (Mr.) Brown Do For You? by Timberland High School, Wentzville, MO

  The iconic appeal of a UPS truck is undeniable. Add on an incredible attention to detail (including working shelf doors and working lights) and you're almost there. But when you realize that the school librarian's name is Mr. Brown... well, that sealed the deal for this year's winner. Timberland High School wins a Smith System Book Truck with Dividers (retail value $314) from our sponsor Highsmith, plus a $250 gift certificate to the Unshelved Store.

• 

  Second Prize Oloch by Othmer Library of Chemical Heritage, Philadelphia, PA

  Oloch (named after his library) had the highest huggability factor. Like last year's winner it was a simple design lovingly executed - the fur fenders were a special favorite. Oloch's creators win a Highsmith Double-sided Book Truck (retail value $223) from our sponsor Highsmith, plus a $100 gift certificate to the Unshelved Store.

• 

  Third Prize (tie) Big Bertha by Pikes Peak Library District’s Briargate Branch Library, Colorado Springs, CO

  Big Bertha's is a tale of renewal. She was a down-and-out bookcart, literally consigned to a dumpster, when the Briargate Branch librarians heard about our contest. They retrieved it and carefully applied custom aged-wood panelling, then photographed it perfectly. They win twin $50 gift certificates from Highsmith and the Unshelved Store and a complete set of Unshelved books.

• 

  Third Prize (tie) Mystery Machine by Welding Class, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL

  This Mystery Machine was created with obvious enthusiasm by the welding class at Harlem High School and returned to its bemused librarian. As such it wins the "most irrevocably changed" award, plus twin $50 gift certificates from Highsmith and the Unshelved Store and a complete set of Unshelved books.

• 

  Runner Up Pig Out On Reading by Suwannee River Regional Library, Live Oak, Florida

  Not only do we agree with the sentiment Pig Out On Reading, but we loved how a pig, a giant book, and a bookcart were all seamlessly combined. Suwannee River Regional Library wins a $50 gift certificates from Highsmith and a complete set of Unshelved books.

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  Runner Up Penelope by Bloomington Public Library, Bloomington, IL

  We don't know why A pig named Penelope is flying in the library, but we love her airplane a lot. Bloomington Public Library wins a $50 gift certificates from Highsmith and a complete set of Unshelved books.

• 

  Runner Up The Yellow Submarine by Sherratt Library, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT

  In the town where I was born nobody made anything half as well as this yellow submarine. I certainly want to live in it. Sherratt Library wins a $50 gift certificates from Highsmith and a complete set of Unshelved books.

If your entry wasn't listed above then you still get a 15%-off coupon from Highsmith - we'll be mailing these out shortly. Our most humble thanks to everyone who participated. We're especially grateful to this year's sponsor Highsmith for raising the stakes by providing two real bookcarts. Please enjoy all 129 entries here! And to prove that no webcomic is more technologically savvy than we, we tagged the entries and provided this cutting-edge Web 2.0 tag cloud:

Animals Books Halloween Harry_Potter Nancy_Pearl Pirates Pop_Culture Regional Vehicles

Next Year

Well we can't stop now. So look for an announcement about Pimp My Bookcart 2008 in time for summer!