The Monarch Award: Illinois' K-3 Readers' Choice Award was established in 2003 by the Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA) to help Kindergarten through 3rd grade readers become familiar with books, illustrators and authors; encourage children to read critically; and to develop a statewide awareness of outstanding literature for children.ISLMA Monarch Award Guidelines
The award name and image was chosen as a symbol of growth, change and freedom and to help familiarize students with the state's insect.
Award Process The award is given annually (beginning in 2005) to a single author and/or illustrator by a collective vote of Kindergarten through 3rd grade students in Illinois. The award is administered by a steering committee that seeks nominations from public librarians, school library media specialist, teachers, and students. A volunteer reading committee then forms a master list of 20 of the nominated titlesMerli, Melissa. "Former storyteller to share story line of her second book", The News-Gazette, 20 April 2008, accessed 1 January 2011. which include a range of interests and reading levels as well as 3 of each of the following types of children's books: Picture books Easy readers Chapter books Students vote in February of each year for their favorite from the master list and the results are announced the following month.
Criteria for nomination Nominator must have read the book Book copyrighted within the past 5 years Be in print at the time of selection Author and/or illustrator must be living at the time of selection of mater list Book must be of interest and appeal to children in grades kindergarten through 3rd grade Must have literary merit May be fiction or nonfiction No title or series may be on two consecutive master lists If a title in a series has been awarded, other books in that series are ineligible for 5 years Book must not be a textbook, anthology, translation, toy, puzzle, pop-up or formula fiction2012 Monarch Criteria
Recipients
Yellow background distinguishes winners from those runners-up that are listed.
YearWriterIllustratorTitleCitation 2005 Shannon Winner 2nd Place Child 3rd Place 2006 Kasza Winner 2007 Winner 2008 Winner 2009 Winner 2010 Watt Winner 2011 Thomas Winner 2012 Winner 2nd Place Stein 3rd Place
References
External links Chicago Public Library Kid's Catalog MacMillan Monarch Award Winners