Voting for the Georgia Children's Book Award

The votes are in for our student's favorite books from the GCBA nominees! The numbers are submitted from schools all over the state, and the winner will be chosen soon. I like this particular award, as the student's choose....not a wise scholarly panel of older folks.

Last year, the winner of the middle grade nominees was Wonder, one of our summer reads from 2013.

This year, several of our more popular student votes included: Counting by 7's, Three Times Lucky (also a 2013 Summer Read) and Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25.

The American Library Association has announced their annual awards! Newbery, Caldecott and more! Visit the media center to read some of them!

Newbery 2015 Winner:

Crossover by Kwame Alexander

From School Library Journal

Gr 6–10—Twins Josh and Jordan are junior high basketball stars, thanks in large part to the coaching of their dad, a former professional baller who was forced to quit playing for health reasons, and the firm, but loving support of their assistant-principal mom. Josh, better known as Filthy McNasty, earned his nickname for his enviable skills on the court: "…when Filthy gets hot/He has a SLAMMERIFIC SHOT." In this novel in verse, the brothers begin moving apart from each other for the first time. Jordan starts dating the "pulchritudinous" Miss Sweet Tea, and Josh has a tough time keeping his jealousy and feelings of abandonment in control. Alexander's poems vary from the pulsing, aggressive beats of a basketball game ("My shot is F L O W I N G, Flying, fluttering…. ringaling and SWINGALING/Swish. Game/over") to the more introspective musings of a child struggling into adolescence ("Sit beside JB at dinner. He moves./Tell him a joke. He doesn't even smile….Say I'm sorry/but he won't listen"). Despite his immaturity, Josh is a likable, funny, and authentic character. Underscoring the sports and the fraternal tension is a portrait of a family that truly loves and supports one another. Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heart and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk.—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal.