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Why We Read & Awards for Books

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Why do we read?

There are basically two kinds of reading:

• Immediate: the text draws us in

• Long term: has accumulated benefits

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Jim Trelease says:• More you read, the more you know• More you know, the smarter you’ll grow• Smarter you are, longer you’ll stay in school• Longer you stay in school, the more diplomas

you earn and the longer you are employed – thus the more money you’ll earn in a lifetime

• The more diplomas you earn, the higher your children’s grades will be in school

• More diplomas you earn, the longer you’ll live.

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There are 2 basic reading categories:

• Unengaged reading: done by necessity, work or school – called Aliterate Reading

• Engaged reading: when you connect with a book, get pleasure or satisfaction from reading.

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There are two kinds of engaged reading:

• Informational reading: to find an answer is called efferent reading

• Aesthetic reading: involves images and feelings – a craftsmanship of the words.

The act of reading can’t be both ways – it is either engaged or unengaged.

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So, how do we judge a good book?

1. Style and language 8. Design & layout2. Character 9. Mood3. Plot 10. Accuracy4. Illustrations 11. Tone5. Pacing 12. Point of view6. Setting 13. Theme7. Tension

The three most important are style& language, character and plot.

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Awards for Children’s Books

The four major awards we will examine are :

• Newbery Award• Caldecott Award• Geisel Award• Nutmeg Award

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Newbery Award

• Was named for John Newbery (1713 – 1767)• Was the first publisher to take children’s

literature seriously• In 1921, Frederick Melcher proposed to

the ALA that a special award be given annually for the “most distinguished” book.

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The Newbery goes to:

• The author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature.

• The award is restricted to authors who are citizens or residents of the U.S.

• Only the committee can decide who gets the award.

• “Author” can mean co-authors.• “Original Work” means by the author and no

one else.

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Criteria for book selection:Committee members focus on:• Interpretation of theme or concept• Presentation of information including accuracy,

clarity and organization• Development of a plot• Delineation of characters• Delineation of setting• Appropriateness of styleMembers can serve only once every four years.

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Most recent Newbery winners:

• Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except that he has been raised by ghosts and other denizens of the graveyard.

• A collection of short one-person plays featuring characters, between ten and fifteen years old, who live in or near a 13th century English manor.

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Caldecott Medal

• Was named for Randolph Caldecott• Illustrator best known for his nursery

rhyme books• In 1937, Frederick Melcher suggested

establishing a medal to honor the artist who had created the most distinguished picture book of the year. Meaning, marked by excellence in quality and marked by conspicuous eminence and individually distinctive.

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Criteria for Caldecott Award

• Excellence in execution in the artistic technique employed.• Excellence of pictorial interpretation of

story, theme or concept.• Appropriateness of style, of illustration

to the story, theme or concept.

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Geisel Award

• Geisel Award is given to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished beginning reader published in English in the U.S. during the past year.

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Criteria for Geisel Award

• Must be an original work• Must be a citizen or resident of the U.S.• Can be co-authors and illustrators• Must be directed at a K-2nd grader• “Distinguished” is defined as a need for

significant achievement , individually distinct, a successful reading experience for beginning reader.

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Nutmeg Award

• Only award chosen by the children of CT.• Encourages students to read quality literature

and then choose their favorite from the 10 nominated titles.

• Began in 1993 as an award for 4-6th graders.• In 2006, due to it’s popularity, the Nutmeg

award was expanded to include older children with the Teen Nutmeg Award.

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Nutmeg nominated books must be:1. Works of fiction, with appeal to 4-6 or 6-8

graders.2. Copyrighted in the U.S.3. Available in paperback as well as hardcover.4. Well written with strong characterization,

vivid settings, striking language, well constructed plots and plausible conclusions.

The selection committee is comprised of children’s librarians, school media specialists, teachers and two students.

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For next week:

• Reading: Chapters 2-4 and Appendix D in your textbook.

• Read Book Made Into Movie• Writing Assignment # 2: Hollywood is Calling• Sign up for Wikispaces: ILS300STOKES