Bellview library: Reader’s choice award nominees

Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award nominees, 2014-2015
from Cynthia M. Parkhill

The highlight of a recent book order’s arrival at Bellview Elementary School library were Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice and Oregon Reader’s Choice award nominees. I’m encouraging students to start reading titles now, and to cast their votes in March.

Students must read or listen to at least two nominated books to vote for that award.

This year’s nominees in the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Award are Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot by Anna Branford, The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng, The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox, Letters to Leo by Amy Hest, Leopard and Silkie: One Boy’s Quest to Save the Seal Pups by Brenda Paterson and Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli. Voting will take place from March 15 to April 10.

This award is especially good for students who are too young to compete in Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB). The books’ reading levels range from 2.9 to 3.6 (as determined for a quiz database produced by Renaissance Learning, Inc.).

This year’s nominees in the Oregon Reader’s Choice Award are The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Chomp by Carl Hiaasen, Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin, Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker, Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket, Cardboard by Doug TenNapel and Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage. Voting will take place from March 1 to 31.

Among both awards, there is an overlap of titles with OBOB, which means students assigned to read those OBOB selections are already halfway toward being eligible to vote for these awards.

Bellview was represented last year among Oregon’s voting student population, and I’d like to see a turnout by Bellview students that is even larger this year. I’m asking Bellview colleagues to encourage student participation in the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice and Oregon Reader’s Choice awards.