State Library Announces 2011 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award Winners and New Program for Teens
Nearly 28,000 elementary and middle school students across the state have chosen the winners of the 2011 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award. Two Bobbies by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery and illustrated by Jean Cassels was the top choice of third through fifth graders. Found by Margaret Paterson Haddix received the most votes from middle school students. The second place winners, or Honor Books for 2011, are Molly the Pony: A True Story by Pam Kaster for third through fifth grades and Boys Are Dogs by Leslie Margolis for sixth through eighth grades.
Next year’s awards will include a new category, the Louisiana Teen Readers’ Choice Award program for students in grades nine through 12.
The Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award, now in its 12th year, is a reading enrichment program of the State Library of Louisiana underwritten by Capital One with additional support by PermaBound Books. It is a model collaborative reading program involving students, teachers and public librarians in all regions of the state.
“The State Library of Louisiana’s expansion of the Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice program allows our state’s high school students to have a voice in the recognition of great literature,” Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne said. “Students can now participate in this literacy program from elementary school through graduation, taking those skills of independent reading with them.”
Students who participate in the Readers’ Choice Award programs are encouraged to read the books that are on carefully selected, age appropriate lists. In 2010, the program saw an increase in participation of more than 10,000 students. Voting day is an exciting time in many schools and libraries throughout Louisiana as students cast their votes, sometimes using voting booths supplied by the Secretary of State’s Voter Outreach Division.
State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton is pleased with the continued success of the program. “We began this program 12 years ago in an effort to pursue one of the core missions of the State Library of Louisiana – to foster a culture of literacy in our citizens. Our children had a relatively low national reading rate,” Hamilton said. “But, once our children become readers, we find that everything else falls into place: they achieve much more throughout their formal education and grow into adults who do indeed value that culture of literacy.”
For information about the program as well as a list of books nominated for next year’s awards visit www.state.lib.la.us and click on Literacy and Reading, then on Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award.
Previous winners of the award include: Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan (2010), Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (2010), The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine (2009), Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita (2009), Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O’Malley (2008) and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2008).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 21, 2011
Contact:
Paulita Chartier
State Library of Louisiana
225.342.9713
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Jacques Berry
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
225.342.8607
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