The State Library of Louisiana announces the winners of the 2017 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Awards and Louisiana Teen Readers’ Choice Award.  Winners were selected by 22,000 Louisiana students who read over 64,000 books.

The winners of the 2017 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Awards are Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by G. Brian Karas, for third through fifth graders and The Crossover by Kwame Alexanderfor middle school students. The Louisiana Teen Reader’s Choice Award Winner is To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han chosen by students in grades 9 through 12. Voting day is an exciting time in many schools and libraries throughout Louisiana as some students cast their votes using voting machines supplied by the Secretary of State’s Voter Outreach Division.

The Louisiana Readers’ Choice Program is an important element of one of the core missions of the State Library of Louisiana—to foster a love of reading in Louisianans.

“Children who read tend to achieve more in school and learn the value of literacy as a result,” State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton said. “The Louisiana Readers’ Choice Program encourages reading by motivating students to participate in the recognition of outstanding books, and often the young readers are able to meet winning authors at the recognition ceremony held at the Louisiana Book Festival.”

“I encourage our students to pick up a good book and read!” said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. “Reading year round, even when not in school, keeps young minds primed and ready for the next grade and helps build lifelong readers and learners, and it is an exciting way to discover the world, all within the pages of a book. Plus, the lesson in democracy with the voting and the use of voting machines is great lagniappe.”

An awards ceremony for winners and honored book authors will be held at the Louisiana Book Festival on October 28, 2017.  For information about the program including how to participate in next year’s awards, visit www.state.lib.la.us.

– www.LouisianaTravel.com –

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