Ask any parent what they want their children to eat and you will often get answers like, "vegetables," "fruits" or, "balanced meals." But ask any kid what they want to eat and you will get an enthusiastic, "Pizza!" or "Hot dogs!" or "Candy!" We see this often at the Youth Services Desk at the library when children are choosing their prizes for the summer reading program. If given a choice between a sweet treat and a healthy option, you can often guess what the parent wants is different than what the kid wants.
Ask any parent what they want their children to eat and you will often get answers like, “vegetables,” “fruits” or, “balanced meals.” But ask any kid what they want to eat and you will get an enthusiastic, “Pizza!” or “Hot dogs!” or “Candy!” We see this often at the Youth Services Desk at the library when children are choosing their prizes for the summer reading program. If given a choice between a sweet treat and a healthy option, you can often guess what the parent wants is different than what the kid wants.
Deciding on which book to read can often mirror deciding on what’s for dinner. Kids are often drawn to books based on familiar characters from television or movies. Parents and teachers, on the other hand, often want their kids to be reading “good” books that are considered quality writing and educational, which often exclude the popular character books. We as librarians often try to find that balance between providing the books that kids want to read and get excited about while encouraging them to branch out and try something new.
Lucky for all of us, then, that Iowa has an organization that combines both of these desires. Since 1979, the Iowa Association for School Librarians (IASL) has hosted the Iowa Children’s Choice Award competition which starts with a teacher and librarian-endorsed list of books and ends with the children themselves deciding on a winner. For 35 years, teachers and librarians have read, rated, commented and submitted books for inclusion on the year’s master list. Each spring, the IASL announces the final selections for the master list for the next school year. Then, all year long, kids and classrooms read through the books and vote for their favorites. In the 2012-13 school year, more than 230 public, private and home schools participated with over 20,000 students in grades 3-6 voting for “Runaway Twin” by Peg Kehret as the winner. This was the sixth time that Peg Kehret has won!
If anyone is struggling to find a good book to read, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award (ICCA) list is the perfect place to start. The ICCA criteria states that the list should be well-balanced with a wide range of reading levels and interest represented which most certainly is the case for this year’s list.
If historical fiction is a favorite, try Anne Ylvisaker’s “The Luck of the Buttons” about an Iowa girl in 1929 who is fighting for her independence and trying to turn the family luck streak around. Another Iowa connection can be found in “Here Lies Linc” by Delia Ray. Set in a modern-day Iowa City graveyard, Linc must research one of the grave stones for a school project. Of course he chooses the grave rumored to be haunted which causes all kinds of problems and adventures.
“Plunked” by Michael Northrop will appeal to all the sports enthusiasts out there and is about sixth-grader Jack Mogens. Jack gets hit by a pitch one day and has to dig deep within himself to avoid giving up the sport he loves.
Every well-rounded list must include a good mystery or two and the ICCA list is no different. A favorite on the list is by Doreen Cronin. “The Trouble with Chickens: a J.J. Tully Mystery” is about J.J. Tully, a retired search and rescue dog who just wants to live out the rest of his days relaxing on the farm. He could do it, too, if it wasn’t for those darn chickens that keep pestering him. Another great mystery is “Belly Up” by Stuart Gibbs about Twelve-year-old Teddy who decides to perform his own investigation when a popular Texas zoo’s star attraction—Henry the hippopotamus — is murdered.
Although children and adults don’t always agree on many things, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award list is a great way to bring everyone together. With books that have been vetted by local teachers and librarians, parents can know their kids are reading quality material while the kids can find something interesting and engaging to read. Check out IASL’s website (www.iasl-ia.org/) for more information about this list and other Iowa awards.
Additional titles from the 2013-14 list:
“The Familiars” by Adam jay Epstein
“Wild Girl” by Patricia Reilly Giff
“Turtle in Paradise” by Jennifer Holm
“Ghost Dog Secrets” by Peg Kehret
“Love, Aubrey” by Suzanne LaFleur