Thursday, April 18, 2013

Connecticut’s Own Book Awards



Children have been stopping in at the Ridgefield Library for a couple of months now, asking “When can I vote for my favorite Nutmeg book?” and we can finally answer:  “Now!”  The Nutmeg Book Awards are Connecticut’s homegrown book awards for children. Each year, committees of librarians, teachers, and students choose lists of ten novels that become Nutmeg nominees. There are award levels for students in grades 4 to 6 (the Intermediate nominees), and students in grades 7 to 9 (the Teen nominees).  Students can read as many nominees as they are able to, then vote for their favorite. Many students vote at their school libraries, but the Ridgefield Library offers a designated voting spot in our juvenile fiction section, so if our younger patrons don’t get a chance to vote at school, they can cast their ballot here at the Library. The winners will be announced on May 15, and a few weeks ahead of that, on May 1, the 2014 batch of nominees will be announced. Voting in April with announcements happening in May is new for the Nutmegs. The schedule has been changed to better align with the school calendar. So if your child has read some Nutmeg nominees, please bring them in to vote before the end of the month!

Contributed by Geri Diorio, Teen Services Librarian and head of Children's Services

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