Newbery Award: This award is presented annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in the United States in the preceding year.
Caldecott Award: This award is presented annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Sasquatch Reading Award: Students are given the opportunity to read and vote on selected books each year. The book receiving the most votes statewide by students receives the Sasquatch Reading Award.
Washington Children’s Choice Award This picture book award is selected annually by Washington State's K-3 students. We read all of them during library class and have student’s vote on their favorite.
Young Reader's Choice Since 1940 young readers in the Pacific Northwest have been participating in the Young Reader’s Choice Award (YRCA). The award was established in 1940 by Harry Hartman, a Seattle bookseller, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure. The Young Reader’s Choice Award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association and continues to be the longest-running children’s choice book award. Our library has the Junior list of book nominees.
OTTER (Our Time To Enjoy Reading) For transitional readers in grades K-5, open nominations, committee selected, student voted. The idea for this award was born at nErDCamp Bellingham in February of 2015. The original OTTER co-chairs, Arika Dickens and Monica Hodges, met at the free book table and started chatting about the need for a good list of new transitional chapter books with maybe an award, like the Sasquatch Award, but for younger students. They exchanged Twitter information, piloted the program in their own districts, and applied for the award through WLMA (now WLA School Library Division).
The Towner Award The Towner Award is the Washington state award for nonfiction picture books written for 2nd-6th grade students. In the spring, all Washington State students in public and independent schools, from second through sixth grades, are invited to vote for their favorite book if they have listened to or read a minimum of two titles. Student votes can be submitted by school and public librarians only. In addition, we will recognize an Educators' Choice. This is your chance to share with other educators which book you found most useful in the classroom.
