June 30, 2003

Choices Booklists posted with comments from schooliblit

Children's Choices. I see that the preliminary lists for the Choices booklists are posted on the International Reading Association website. These annotated lists -- Children's Choices, Teachers' Choices and Young Adult Choices -- are cosponsored by the Children's Book Council and are published in the fall in IRA publications. I was thinking that these lists are based on popularity, which does not necessarily mean quality. An interesting study -- for an article, maybe -- would look at the differences between lists like these, and perhaps some of the state choice awards, and the Award books, supposedly chosen for literary or artistic or some other merit. How often do award-winning books end up as readers' favorites? A look at the IRA webpage that explains the Choices lists, shows, however, that these lists at least ARE chosen on merit. The YA and Children's lists are based on recently published books that have received at least two positive reviews, and the Teachers' list specifically targets books that might not be discovered or fully appreciated by children without introduction by a knowledgeable educator or other adult; reflect high quality in style, content, structure, beauty of language, and artistic presentation; have potential for enriching the curriculum. [From The Teachers' Choices Project] [Schooliblit] 2:31:32 PM  [Permanent Link]    comment []

© Copyright 2003 Johan Ragetli.