We launched our Panda Book Awards in October and we’re encouraging students to check out as many of the Panda Book nominees as they can in the next few months so they can make informed decisions when they vote on them in February.

I’m grateful to the Panda Book Awards steering committee for all the work that goes into reading and choosing the books and keeping us informed through the process. Our students truly love seeing themselves represented in many of the nominees. As it’s hard for all the students to read all the books, I also record myself reading them, and share with families so they can hear as many stories as possible. Of course, that’s only possible for the Early Years and Younger Reader Reader categories. The full powerpoint is here.

We look forward to reading many of these books over the coming months before voting season in February. It’s a highlight of our year and so many kids feel heard when they book THEY’VE chosen wins the Panda Book Award in a category they’ve voted in.