The Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national award chosen by children, were presented by the Children’s Book Council in a ceremony on Tuesday night in New York City, hosted by Mo Willems. The winners were: for Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year, Lulu the Big Little Chick by Paulette Bogan (Bloomsbury); for Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year, Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf); for Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year, Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell (Aladdin); and for Teen Choice Book of the Year, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press). Little, Brown won both top honors at the ceremony: James Patterson was chosen Author of the Year for Max (A Maximum Ride Novel), and Peter Brown was named Illustrator of the Year for The Curious Garden. And Kyle Zimmer, co-founder and president of the nonprofit literacy organization First Book, was given the Impact Award, for her contribution to children and to books.
Children’s Book Council executive director Robin Adelson said of the event, “The program is unique because it is the only national awards program for books where young people not only select the winners but also the finalists. The awards gala has become a highlight of Children’s Book Week and the grandest of celebrations. It was a real thrill on Tuesday to see starstruck kids connecting with and collecting autographs from their favorite authors and illustrators, and to see so many authors and illustrators excited and delighted to see one another.”
