Middle school students read young adult (YA) literature for a variety of reasons. Some read YA books during Reader's Workshop while others participate in Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) programs. Some middle school teachers require students to read silently when they are done with their class work, and other teachers require monthly book reports or quarterly book projects. And some students read YA literature simply because they love to read. Although students' reasons for reading may be vastly different, many students share a similar problem: they don't know how to find good books. The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award is given to outstanding literature for young people, and it provides a way for students and teachers alike to find excellent YA literature.
Students in grades 4-8 nominate books to be eligible for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award. A master list of 20 titles is developed from these nominations. Since this award is an Illinois award, many schools and public libraries in Illinois create programs to encourage students to read the Caudill nominees and then vote for their favorites to ultimately choose the winning title. Past winners of the annual Caudill Award include Eragon, Hoot, Stormbreaker, Fever 1793, and Holes. Although the list of nominated titles and eventual winner are selected by students in Illinois, the master list of nominees is very useful for teachers and students everywhere. The list-generated by young people-can serve as a guide for other young people as they choose new YA literature to read, and it can help teachers select class novels, read-aloud books, and titles for their own bookshelves.
Outstanding young adult literature has been recognized with the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award since 1988. A list of 20 nominees has been generated every year since its inception, including the year 2007; thus, there are 400 titles available from which middle school students and teachers can discover excellent YA books. The Rebecca Caudill website provides all of the information teachers and students need to start reading new books now. The website provides background about the award; lists of all nominated titles, which include annotated bibliographies for each title; a list of all the winners; teacher resources; student reviews; and a forum in which students can submit their own reviews. The website can be added to a Favorites folder and referred to early and often throughout the school year to keep everyone reading and enjoying outstanding young adult literature.
