Eighth Annual Children's Choice Book Awards Winners Announced During the 96th Annual Children's Book Week
New York, NY — May 4, 2015 – The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader announced the winners of the eighth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBA) at a ceremony benefitting Every Child a Reader in New York City this evening. The announcement is an annual highlight of Children’s Book Week (May 4-10, 2015) as the Children’s Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens. Young readers across the country voted in record numbers for their favorite books, authors, and illustrators at bookstores, schools, libraries, and at ccbookawards.com, casting more than 1,300,000 votes.
For those who were unable to attend the Awards Ceremony in person, full video coverage will be available at ccbookawards.com/ceremony.php in the coming days. Catch exclusive coverage from the event, including red carpet author and illustrator interviews, at KidLit TV.
The 2015 Children’s Choice Book Awards winners are:
KINDERGARTEN TO SECOND GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR
Eva and Sadie and the Worst Haircut EVER! by Jeff Cohen, illustrated by Elanna Allen (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
THIRD GRADE TO FOURTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR
Kali’s Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear Rescue by Jennifer Keats Curtis, illustrated by John Gomes (Arbordale Publishing)
FIFTH GRADE TO SIXTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic)
TEEN BOOK OF THE YEAR
The One by Kiera Cass (HarperTeen)
CHILDREN’S CHOICE DEBUT AUTHOR
J.A. White, The Thickety: A Path Begins (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books)
TEEN CHOICE DEBUT AUTHOR
Jennifer Mathieu, The Truth About Alice (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
CHILDREN’S CHOICE ILLUSTRATOR
Chris Appelhans, Sparky! by Jenny Offill (Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)
About the Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBA)
Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, the CCBA program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading. More at ccbookawards.com/about.php.
About Children’s Book Week (CBW)
Established in 1919, CBW is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Each year, official events – which give kids the opportunity to connect with their favorite authors and illustrators in person – are held from coast to coast. In 2014, official events were held in all 50 states for the first time in the initiative’s history. Learn more at bookweekonline.com.
About Every Child a Reader (ECAR)
Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. Every Child a Reader creates and supports programs that strive to make the reading and enjoyment of children’s books an essential part of America’s educational and social aims; and enhance public perception of the importance of reading. ECAR’s programs include Children’s Book Week, a nationwide celebration of books and reading, and the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country; The Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens of all ages; and The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Program, the country’s “Children’s Literature Laureate”. Please visit www.ecarfoundation.org for more information.
About the Children’s Book Council (CBC)
The Children’s Book Council is the national nonprofit trade association for children’s book publishers. The CBC offers children’s publishers the opportunity to work together on issues of importance to the industry at large, including educational programming, literacy advocacy, and collaborations with other national organizations. Our members span the spectrum from large international houses to smaller independent presses. Membership in the CBC is open to U.S. publishers of children’s trade books, as well as in some cases to industry-affiliated companies. The CBC is proud to partner with other national organizations on co-sponsored reading lists, educational programming, and literacy initiatives. Please visit www.cbcbooks.org for more information.
About Kid Lit TV
KidLit TV: Helping authors, illustrators, educators, and parents explore the world of children’s literature. Launched just over five months ago, KidLit TV is a community that caters to creators and consumers of children’s literature. KidLit TV’s mission is manifold: support authors and illustrators, and help parents and educators explore the world of children’s literature. KidLit TV champions diversity and embraces technology as driving forces in kid lit’s new era. The first-of-its-kind kid lit talk show “StoryMakers” is KidLit TV’s secret weapon. Every two weeks KidLit TV’s founder Julie Gribble rolls out a new episode jam packed with fun, insight, and inspiration. Gribble enlisted retired librarian, School Library Journal contributor, and Empire State Center for the Book director Rocco Staino to host. Guests include Paul O. Zelinsky, Hervé Tullet, Betsy Bird, Sergio Ruzzier, Pat Cummings, Emily Jenkins, Sophie Blackall, Dan Yaccarino and many more! Please visit www.kidlit.tv for more information.
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Contact:
Nicole Deming
Communications Director
The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader
212/966-1990
nicole.deming@cbcbooks.org
