The Moorhead Public Library, a branch of Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL), will host a Voting Gala for area youth to vote on the 2014-2015 Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award nominees on Monday, March 23.
The Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award is a national children’s choice award established in 1980, named after the American author of the same name, best known for writing the “Betsy-Tacy” series. Each year, a group of nominated titles are chosen in two divisions: grades 3–5 and grades 6–8. Children who have read at least three books in the relevant category can cast a vote for their favorite.
The Moorhead Library will partner with Moorhead Public schools to host this Gala. Elementary-aged students from across the area are invited to the library for social time, voting, and refreshments. A lively book discussion lead by the school Media Specialists will allow students to debate the merits of their favorite titles with their peers. At the end of the night, the votes will be tallied and the top titles announced. Based on previous years experience, the media specialists and librarians expect several hundred children and their families to attend this event.
One parent attendee in the past remarked, “Our daughter never speaks up. I’ve never heard her talk in front of a group like this, or with such conviction.” Jenna Kahly, LARL Youth Services Librarian states, “The students become very passionate about their favorites and the media specialists expertly guide the discussion eliciting thoughtful responses and opinions about the various nominees.”
The official Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winner will be announced on Maud Hart Lovelace’s birthday, April 25.