NEWS RELEASE

Kids “Elect” their Favorite Books

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 12, 2020
Celeste Bruno
Communications Director
1-800-952-7403 x208
celeste.bruno@mass.gov

While adults turned out in record numbers for the recent election, kids of all ages were invited to go online and cast their vote for their favorite book. Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) tallied up the votes and winning the top position of #1 is Percy Jackson and the Olympians books.

The MBLC held the election as a fun way to connect kids to the national and statewide elections and to give kids a voice in an election of their own. The kids’ top 25 list is below. All books are available free through the statewide LEA program (Library eBooks and audiobooks) which is e accessed through local libraries, networks and through libraries.state.ma.us

Rank

Book

1

Percy Jackson and the Olympians books

2

Dog Man books

3

Hunger Games books

4

Diary of a Wimpy Kid books

5

Wonder

6

Harry Potter books

7

The Day the Crayons Quit

8

Sisters

9

Because of Winn-Dixie

10

The Book with No Pictures

TIE for 11th

Elephant & Piggie books
Warriors books

12

Pigeon books

TIE for 13th

Charlotte's Web
Dork Diaries books

TIE for 14th

Holes
The Last Kids on Earth books

15

The One and Only Ivan

TIE for 16th

Matilda
New Kid

TIE for 17th

Counting by 7s
Land of Stories books

TIE for 18th

El Deafo
Good Night Moon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

19

Uni the Unicorn

TIE for 20th

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Make Way for Ducklings
Owl Diaries books

TIE for 21st

Brown Girl Dreaming
Magic Tree House books
My Weird School books
Stellaluna

TIE for 22nd

Clementine books
Hello, Universe
Llama Llama Red Pajama
The Invention of Hugo Cabret

TIE for 23rd

A Handful of Stars
Fancy Nancy books
I Want My Hat Back
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Readers Edition)
When You Reach Me
Winnie the Pooh books

TIE for 24th

A Crooked Kind of Perfect
The Graveyard Book
The Snowy Day

TIE for 25th

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The list of “candidate” books for Kids Cast Your Vote came directly from Massachusetts kids. During the statewide summer library program in 2019, kids shared their favorite books with the MBLC which resulted in 500 books, too many for an election. The MBLC narrowed the list down to 52 “candidate” books. Kids can voted for their favorite “candidate” from the 52 or could  write in a “candidate.”

The books are available for checkout through the libraries eBook program and through curbside pickup or in-person check-out, when possible.

“It’s exciting that this all came from Massachusetts kids. It’s about what they like and what they’re reading,” said Patrick Marshall, Director, Jonathan Bourne Public Library, Bourne. "As librarians, we know that one of the best ways to help kids fall in love with reading is to let them choose. The winners and all the candidate books give them some wonderful choices and the great thing about libraries is that we can always help them find more options.”

While libraries have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they continue to find creative ways to serve residents. Over 435,000 children, teens, and adults recently participated in statewide summer library programming and many libraries are experiencing double digit increases in eBook checkouts.

The MBLC has developed a statewide calendar of virtual library events which allows residents to see what events are happening around the state and attend them no matter which library is hosting. First Lady of the Commonwealth joined the MBLC to create a video library with fun and educational videos that parents can use anytime. These are available through mass.gov/libraries

About MBLC

The Board of Library Commissioners (mass.gov/mblc) is the agency of state government with the statutory authority and responsibility to organize, develop, coordinate and improve library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board advises municipalities and library trustees on the operation and maintenance of public libraries, including construction and renovation. It administers state and federal grant programs for libraries and promotes cooperation among all types of libraries through regional library systems and automated resource sharing. It also works to ensure that all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of their geographic location, social or economic status, age, level of physical or intellectual ability or cultural background, have access to essential new electronic information technologies and significant electronic databases.