Book Lists:
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8

The Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Award is a reading enrichment program of the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana underwritten by Capital One with additional support from Perma-Bound Books. The program was established in 1999 with the first award given in 2000. The purpose of the program is to foster a love of reading in the children of Louisiana by motivating them to participate in the selection and recognition of outstanding books.

Each year two ballots of 15 titles are compiled by a committee of school and public librarians: one for students in grades 3-5 and one for students in grades 6-8.

New Orleans Public Library is inviting every public and private school in the city to participate in the 2008 LYRCA vote. Schools that produce summer reading lists for incoming and returning students may include three or more LYRCA titles on those lists in the summer of 2007. The two lists are directed at young readers in grades 3-5 and grades 6-8.

During the school year, schools can qualify their students by including three titles in required reading. School libraries can provide copies of the books and plenty of encouragement to students to qualify to vote on a voluntary basis. Few students will read all fifteen titles, but many students can read three titles between June and the vote in January 2008, if their school supports them.

The Louisiana Election Commission is supporting LYRCA by offering official voting machines to schools that request them. Nothing will teach democracy better than getting these young Louisianans to cast a vote early in life. Votes do not need to be cast with the state machines to count for LYRCA. It is always possible to vote in classroom sessions using school-made ballots and ballot boxes or raising hands.

Individual students can participate by voting through the New Orleans Public Library, which will make ballots available in January of 2008. These students should be prepared to show that they have read three of the nominated titles at the time of voting. This can be done by presenting either a 2007 “Book a Trip” Summer Reading Program log or a LYRCA 2008 Reading Log printed from the links on this page or available at the Main Library Children’s Room.

Further information on the LYRCA program can be found online at www.state.lib.la.us/la_dyn_templ.cfm?doc_id=83.

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5/5/2007