Published: May 07, 2008 11:13 am            

The Library Shelf 05-07-08

Oklahoma has one of the oldest state book awards for children’s literature.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Library Association, the first Sequoyah Children’s Book Award was given in April 1959, making the award the third oldest children’s choice award in the nation. In 1988, the first Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award was given.

Each year, a committee of librarians from public libraries and public schools read many volumes of age-appropriate literature to create a master list of 12-15 books. Children in third through fifth grades read books on the children’s master list, and young adults in grades six through eight read from their master list.

In April, students who have read at least three books may vote for their favorite. The authors of the winning selections are invited to attend the Sequoyah Award Ceremony at the Annual OLA Conference.

School children from across the state attend the ceremony and have the opportunity to hear the author of the Sequoyah Award. The ceremony is followed by an autograph session.

The 2008 Sequoyah Children’s Book Award winner is “Angus and Sadie” by Cynthia Voigt. “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan won the 2008 Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award.

Appearing this April at the OLA Conference were the 2007 winners Betty Birney for “The World According to Humphrey” and Priscilla Cummings for “The Red Kayak.”

Stillwater Public Library has copies of all of the Sequoyah Award winning books.

The 2009 master list books are now available in both the children’s and young adult collections.

        

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