Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

 Soon all grade levels will begin reading Black-Eyed Susan nominated books. Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Program sponsored by the Maryland Educational Media Organization (MEMO).  This reading program is designed to feature outstanding books published within the last three years.  A state committee of school library media specialists selects books of various ability levels.  When possible, they try to select titles from different types of fiction such as adventure, science fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction, mystery, historical fiction, sports, school stories, romance and sometimes non-fiction.  Through the years the committee also tries to select nominees that depict characters and situations with multicultural representations.  The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to read and enjoy quality, contemporary literature and to promote lifelong reading habits. 

Students in grades 4 & 5 who have read (or have been read to) three titles from the Grades 4 – 6 selections by late March will be entitled to vote for the book they think is the best.  Students in grades K - 3 who have read (or have been read to) eight of the fifteen titles from the Picture Book selections will be entitled to vote.  And yes, older students may read, and vote for, the picture books and younger students may also read and vote for the chapter books.  

The ballots from across the state will be tallied, and in late April the winner will be announced.  Unlike other book awards, such as the Newbery, students determine the Black-Eyed Susan book award winner.  

For more information, please visit the Maryland Association of School Librarians.

To view a list of the 2008-2009 Black-Eyed Susan book nominations, click here.