 What is the WAW Book Award?  Who was William Allen White?  How does it work?  Who selects the books?  Who votes?  Then what happens?  History of the Award  Book List William Allen White Award

What is the WAW Book Award?  It is a Children’s Book Award for the state of Kansas.  This award is directed by Emporia State University. Source:

 He was the editor of the Emporia Gazette newspaper in Emporia, Kansas.  In 1896, he became well known because of an editorial he wrote in that newspaper about a political issue of the time.  He was NOT the author of these books. Who was William Allen White? Source:

 Each year books are selected for 2 groups: 3 rd – 5 th grades & 6 th –8 th grades.  There is one winner for each group.  Students across the state are encouraged to read as many books as possible from the list. How does it work?

 There is a selection committee who represents Kansas educational and professional organizations concerned with children.  They create a master list of titles.  Books can be fiction, non-fiction, or poetry and were published during the previous year.  Anyone can nominate a book and submit it to the committee. Who selects the books?

 Students who have read at least two books from the Master List for their grade level are eligible to vote for their favorite.  Ballots are sent to all Kansas schools in February or March.  Schools turn their voting results in to Emporia State University in April. Who can vote?

 The authors of the winning books are invited to a reception in the fall where they’ll receive a bronze “White Award Medal” at an awards ceremony.  Students and teachers are encouraged to attend the award ceremony to meet the authors and listen to their acceptance speeches.  This year’s celebration will be October 3, 2015, in Emporia, Kansas. Then what happens?

 The book award was began in 1952 by the late Ruth Garver Gagliardo, to honor the memory of William Allen White.  It was established to encourage the boys and girls of Kansas to read and enjoy good books. History of the Award

2015 – 2016 Book List 3rd – 5th Grades

The Great American Dust Bowl Don Brown Reprinted by permission of publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Copyright 2013 Great American Dust Bowl

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin Jen Bryant Reprinted by permission of publisher, Random House Children’s Books. Copyright 2013 Splash of Red

The Boy on the Porch Sharon Creech Reprinted by permission of publisher, Harper Collins. Copyright 2013 The Boy on the Porch

Locomotive Brian Floca Reprinted by permission of publisher, Simon and Schuster. Copyright 2013 Locomotive

Gingersnap Patricia Reilly Giff Reprinted by permission of publisher, Random House Children’s Books. Copyright 2013 Gingersnap

Words with Wings Nikki Grimes Reprinted by permission of publisher, Boyds Mills Press/ Wordsong. Copyright 2013 Words with Wings

Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero Cheryl Harness Reprinted by permission of publisher, Albert Whitman and Company. Copyright 2013 Mary Walker Wears the Pants

White Fur Flying Patricia Maclachlan Reprinted by permission of publisher, Simon and Schuster. Copyright 2013 White Fur Flying

Sugar Jewell Parker Rhodes Reprinted by permission of publisher Little, Brown and Company. Copyright 2013 Sugar

Parrots over Puerto Rico Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore Reprinted by permission of publisher, Lee and Low Books. Copyright 2013 Parrots over Puerto Rico

Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse Tamera Will Wissinger Reprinted by permission of publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Copyright 2013 Gone Fishing

Malcolm at Midnight W. H. Beck LAST YEAR’S WINNER  When Malcolm the rat arrives as the pet at McKenna School, he revels in the attention. He also meets the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that keeps the nutters (kids) safe. There’s just one problem…rats have a terrible reputation! So when the Academy’s iguana leader is kidnapped, Malcolm must prove his innocence— and that even rats can be good guys. Malcolm at Midnight Reprinted by permission of publisher, Roaring Book Press. Copyright 2012