2010 Garden State Book Awards

2010 AWARDS ANNOUNCED

The Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association announces the following recipients of the 2010 Garden State Children's Book Award:

EASY-TO-READ BOOK
Today I Will Fly
by Mo Willems

EASY-TO-READ SERIES BOOK
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy
by Tedd Arnold

FICTION, GRADES 2 - 5
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
(Juv. K557d)

NON-FICTION, GRADES 2 - 5
Owen and Mzee: The Language of Friendship
By Craig Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumba
Photographs by Peter Greste

(Juv. 599.63 .H364ot)

The Garden State Children's Book Awards were established in 1977 in order to give recognition to books for elementary grade readers. The nominees are selected by a committee of the Children's Services Section of the New Jersey Library Association on the basis of literary merit; the winners are chosen by popularity with readers.

A three-year lapse from the original publication date is allowed in order to determine popularity. The awards are given in three categories, with the option of one additional series category: a work specifically designated as "easy-to-read" by the publisher; a work of fiction for grades 2 - 5; a work of non-fiction for grades 2 - 5.

Awards, presented annually at the NJLA spring conference, are given to both the author and the illustrator. This year's conference will be held at the Ocean Place Conference Center in Long Branch, from April 26 - 28 with the awards presentation on Wednesday, April 28, 2010.

For further information, visit the NJLA website at http://www.njla.org/, or contact Melissa Okerblom, Chair, Garden State Children's Book Awards Committee, by phone at 973-887-5150 ext. 231 or email at Melissa.okerblom@parsippanylibrary.org