California Young Reader Medal
The California Young Reader Medal is a set of literary awards conferred upon fiction books elected by California school children from a ballot prepared by committee. From 2002 there are five medal categories, which annually cover books published two to five years ago. The program was established in 1974 with Intermediate, Primary, and Young Adult Medals inaugurated 1975, 1976, and 1977 and conferred biennially.[a]
The program is intended to encourage recreational reading and is sponsored by four organizations that promote reading and literacy: the California Association of Teachers of English, the California Library Association, the California Reading Association, and the California School Library Association.[1]
There are five medal categories: Primary (grades K-3), Intermediate (grades 3-6), Middle School/Junior High (grades 6-9), Young Adult (grades 9-12), and Picture Books for Older Readers (grades 4 and up) —roughly, age 10 and up.[b] Both author and illustrator receive the Primary and Picture Book Medals, where applicable.[1]
2012 Medals were announced May 1. They will be presented separately at the next annual meetings of the sponsoring organizations (November to February 2013).[1]
Ballots for the 2013 Medals were announced in February and voting is open for fourteen months to April 1, 2013.[2] Children may vote in each category where they have experienced all of the candidates. They cast one paper ballot in a classroom or library monitored by an adult.[3][c]
Rules and process
Young readers, their parents, educators, librarians, and "anyone who works with young people" may recommend books. Candidates must be original works of fiction by living authors, available in English, published during the four preceding years and still in print.[4]
Nominations are made by medal category and the books should be "often read or requested" and have "strong appeal for the age group".[4] A committee of the sponsoring organizations selects "a well-balanced list of nominees", considering merit and appeal.[1]
2012 Medals
This year's Medals will be presented at the next annual meetings of the sponsoring organizations (November to February 2013).[1][5]
- Primary
- I Need My Monster, written by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam (Flashlight Press, 2009)
- Intermediate
- Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, by Danette Haworth (Walker & Co., 2008)
- Middle School/Junior High
- Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown & Co., 2008)
- Young Adult
- Graceling, by Kristin Cashore (Harcourt, 2008)
- Picture Books for Older Readers
- Henry's Freedom Box, written by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Scholastic Press, 2007)
Winners
CYRM maintains complete lists of annual finalists as well as winners.[5]
1970s
1975
- Intermediate: How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell
1976
- Primary: How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head, by Bill Peet
1977
- Intermediate: Freaky Friday, by Mary Rodgers
- Young Adult: Watership Down, by Richard Adams
1978
- Primary: Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth, by Lucy Bate, illustrated by Diane De Groat
1979
- Intermediate: Danny, the Champion of the World, by Roald Dahl
- Young Adult: The Late Great Me, by Sandra Scoppettone
1980s
1980
- Primary: Big Bad Bruce, by Bill Peet
- Middle School/Junior High: The Pinballs, by Betsy Byars
1981
- Intermediate: Summer of the Monkeys, by Wilson Rawls
- Young Adult: A Summer to Die, by Lois Lowry
1982
- Primary: Miss Nelson is Missing, by Harry Allard, illustrated by James Marshall
- Middle School/Junior High: Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood, by Ellen Conford
1983
- Primary: Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp, by Mercer Mayer
- Intermediate: Superfudge, by Judy Blume
- Middle School/Junior High: Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
- Young Adult: Summer of Fear, by Lois Duncan
1984
- Primary: Bagdad Ate It, by Phyllis Green, illustrated by Joel Schick
- Intermediate: The Trouble with Tuck, by Theodore Taylor
- Middle School/Junior High: There's a Bat in Bunk Five, by Paula Danziger
- Young Adult: Stranger with My Face, by Lois Duncan
1985
- Primary: Herbie's Troubles, by Carol Chapman, illustrated by Kelly Oechsli
- Intermediate: The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks
- Middle School/Junior High: Taking Terri Mueller, by Norma Fox Mazer
- Young Adult: The Truth Trap, by Frances Miller
1986
- Primary: Space Case, Edward Marshall, illustrated by James Marshall
- Intermediate: Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade, by Barthe DeClements
- Middle School/Junior High: Girl with the Silver Eyes, by Willo Davis Roberts
- Young Adult: The Darkangel, by Meredith Pierce
1987
- Primary: The Napping House, by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
- Intermediate: The Dollhouse Murders, by Betty Ren Wright
- Middle School/Junior High: You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye, by Patricia Hermes
- Young Adult: Pursuit, Michael French
1988
- Primary: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond
- Intermediate: Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days, by Stephen Manes
- Middle School/Junior High: The Root Cellar, by Janet Lunn
- Young Adult, Interstellar Pig, by William Sleator
1989
- Primary: What Happened to Patrick's Dinosaurs?, by Carol Carrick, illustrated by Donald Carrick
- Intermediate: The Castle in the Attic, by Elizabeth Winthrop
- Middle School/Junior High: The Stalker, by Joan Lowery Nixon
- Young Adult: The Face at the Edge of the World, by Eve Bunting
1990s
1990
- Primary: Eyes of the Dragon, by Margaret Leaf, illustrated by Ed Young
- Intermediate: The War with Grandpa, by Robert Kimmel Smith
- Middle School/Junior High: The Other Side of Dark, by Joan Lowery Nixon
- Young Adult: Izzy, Willy Nilly, by Cynthia Voigt
1991
- Primary: Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn M. Munsinger
- Intermediate: Harry's Mad, by Dick King-Smith
- Middle School/Junior High: December Stillness, by Mary Downing Hahn
- Young Adult: Night Kites, by M.E. Kerr
1992
- Primary: Never Spit on Your Shoes, by Denys Cazet
- Intermediate: All About Sam, by Lois Lowry
- Middle School/Junior High: Sniper, by Theodore Taylor
- Young Adult: A Sudden Silence, by Eve Bunting
1993
- Primary: Julius, the Baby of the World, by Kevin Henkes
- Intermediate: Fudge-a-Mania, by Judy Blume
- Middle School/Junior High: Something Upstairs, by Avi
- Young Adult: The Silver Kiss, by Annette Curtis Klause
1994
- Primary: High-Wire Henry, by Mary Calhoun, illustrated by Erick Ingraham
- Intermediate: Scared Stiff, by Willo Davis Roberts
- Middle School/Junior High: There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, by Jerry Spinelli
- Young Adult: We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier
1995
- Primary: Martha Speaks, by Susan Meddaugh
- Intermediate: Stonewords, by Pam Conrad
- Middle School/Junior High: Rescue Josh McGuire, by Ben Mikaelsen
- Young Adult: Downriver, by Will Hobbs
1996
- Primary: Stellaluna, by Jannell Cannon
- Intermediate: Time for Andrew, by Mary Downing Hahn
- Middle School/Junior High: Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick
- Young Adult: Shadow of the Dragon, by Sherry Garland
1997
- Primary: Don't Fidget a Feather, by Erica Silverman, illustrated by S. D. Schindler
- Intermediate: Jennifer Murdley's Toad, by Bruce Coville
- Middle School/Junior High: Sparrow Hawk Red, by Ben Mikaelsen
- Young Adult: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher
1998
- Primary: Dog Breath, by Dav Pilkey
- Intermediate: The Junkyard Dog, by Erika Tamar
- Middle School/Junior High: The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, by Christopher Paul Curtis
- Young Adult: Ironman, by Chris Crutcher
1999
- Primary: Livingstone Mouse, by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illustrated by Henry Cole
- Intermediate: The 13th Floor, by Sid Fleischman, illustrated by Peter Sis
- Middle School/Junior High: Under the Blood Red Sun, by Graham Salisbury
- Young Adult: The Only Alien on the Planet, by Kristen Randle
2000s
2000
- Primary: Lost, by Paul Brett Johnson and Celeste Lewis
- Intermediate: Riding Freedom, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
- Middle School/Junior High: Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
- Young Adult: Breaking Bones, by A. M. Jenkins
2001
- Primary: Grandpa's Teeth, by Rod Clement
- Intermediate: Honus and Me, by Dan Gutman
- Middle School/Junior High: Among the Hidden, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
- Young Adult: Armageddon Summer, by Jane Yolen and Bruce Coville
2002
- Primary: Hooway for Wodney Wat, by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn M. Munsinger
- Intermediate: The Million Dollar Shot, by Dan Gutman
- Middle School/Junior High: Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, by Jack Gantos
- Young Adult: Bad, by Jean Ferris
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Weslandia, by Paul Fleischman
2003
- Primary: I Will Never, Not Ever, Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child
- Intermediate: Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
- Middle School/Junior High: Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen
- Young Adult: Define "Normal", by Julie Anne Peters
- Picture Books for Older Readers: The Babe and I, by David A. Adler
2004
- Primary: A Fine, Fine School, by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Harry Bliss
- Intermediate: The School Story, by Andrew Clements
- Middle School/Junior High: Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen
- Young Adult: Ties that Bind, Ties that Break, by Lensey Namioka
- Picture Books for Older Readers: And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, by Janet Stevens
2005
- Primary: Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
- Intermediate: Ruby Holler, by Sharon Creech
- Middle School/Junior High: Things Not Seen, by Andrew Clements
- Young Adult: Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Mr. Lincoln's Way, by Patricia Polacco
2006
- Primary: Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook, by Michael Garland
- Intermediate: The Good Dog, by Avi
- Middle School/Junior High: 12 Again, by Sue Corbett
- Young Adult: After, by Francine Prose
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Boxes for Katje, by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen
2007
- Primary: My Lucky Day, by Keiko Kasza
- Intermediate: Christopher Mouse, by William Wise
- Middle School/Junior High: Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
- Young Adult: Shattering Glass, by Gail Giles
- Picture Books for Older Readers: The Cats in Kransinski Square, by Karen Hesse, illustrated by Wendy Watson
2008
- Primary: Superdog: The Heart of a Hero, by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner
- Intermediate: Each Little Bird That Sings, by Deborah Wiles
- Middle School/Junior High: The Schwa Was Here, by Neal Shusterman
- Young Adult: Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Mr. Maxwell's Mouse, by Frank Asch, illustrated by Devin Asch
2009
- Primary: Stanley's Wild Ride, by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin
- Intermediate: Sheep, by Valerie Hobbs
- Middle School/Junior High: Heat, by Mike Lupica
- Young Adult: Sold, by Patricia McCormick
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Mystery at the Club Sandwich, written and illustrated by Doug Cushman
2010s
2010
- Primary: Millie Waits for the Mail, by Alexander Steffensmeier
- Intermediate: No Talking, by Andrew Clements
- Middle School/Junior High: Alabama Moon, by Watt Key
- Young Adult: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch, by Mona Kerby, illustrated by Lynne Barasch
2011
- Primary: Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Michael Austin
- Intermediate: Zorgamazoo, by Robert Paul Weston
- Middle School/Junior High: Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam, by Cynthia Kadohata
- Young Adult: The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
- Picture Books for Older Readers: John, Paul, George, and Ben, written and illustrated by Lane Smith
2012
- Primary: I Need My Monster, by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam
- Intermediate: Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, by Danette Haworth.
- Middle School/Junior High: Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass.
- Young Adult: Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
- Picture Books for Older Readers: Henry's Freedom Box, by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Notes
- ^
The Middle School/Junior High Medal was added in 1980 and all four became annual in 1983. The fifth medal category, Picture Books for Older Readers, was inaugurated in 2002.
("Winners" at CYRM) - ^ U.S. school children commonly turn six years old during kindergarten (K), nine years old in grade 3, and so on.
- ^
Presumeably children may cast ballots at school and once for each public library or after-school program they join.
("Vote!" at CYRM)
References
- ^ a b c d e
"(Home page)". California Young Reader Medal (CYRM). Retrieved 2011-05-08.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Nominees 2012–2013". CYRM. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
- ^ "Vote!". CYRM. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
- ^ a b "Nominate!". CYRM. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
- ^ a b "Winners". CYRM. Retrieved 2011-05-08.