Young Readers Choice Award

Click here to see quick summaries of the nominated Junior and Intermediate titles in trading card form.

Based on nominations from Grade 4 - 12 students in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Washington, here are the 2013 YRCA Nominees:

Junior Division

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison 

Big Nate: in a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce

Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton

Lone Wolf by Kathryn Lasky 

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan - WINNER

The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger 

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham 

Intermediate Divison 

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Heist Society by Ally Carter

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Second Trial by Rosemarie Boll

Smile by Raina Telgemeier - WINNER

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

Senior Division

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Crazy by Han Nolan - WINNER

Matched by Ally Condie

Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green

Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie

The votes have been calculated and the YRCA 2012 Winners are....

Junior Division:

1st place: 11 Birthdays - Wendy Mass

2nd place: Scat - Carl Hiaasen

3rd place: When the Cherry Blossoms Fell - Jennifer Maruno

Intermediate Division:

1st place: Maze Runner by James Dashner

2nd place: Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman

3rd place: Peace, Love and Baby Ducks - Lauren Myracle

Senior Division:

1st place: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2nd place: Lockdown - Alexander Smith

3rd place: Witch & Wizard - James Patterson

Thank you to the thousands of Edmonton students who voted this year.  We're excited to bring you YRCA 2013 in October!

Below are all of the titles that were nominated for YRCA 2012:

Junior Division: (Grades 4-6)

Happenstance Found - P.W. Catanese

Watching Jimmy – Nancy Hartry

Scat - Carl Hiaasen

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - Jacqueline Kelly

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin

When the Cherry Blossoms Fell - Jennifer Maruno

11 Birthdays - Wendy Mass

Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow - James Rollins

Three Cups of Tea - Sarah L. Thomson

Intermediate Division: (Grades 7-9)

Skeleton Creek - Patrick Carman

The Maze Runner - James Dashner

Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica George

The Reformed Vampire Support Group - Catherine Jinks

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks - Lauren Myracle

The Hunchback Assignments - Arthur Slade

Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld

Thirteenth Child - Patricia Wrede

Senior Division: (Grades 10-12)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - C. Alan Bradley

Going Bovine - Libba Bray

Along for the Ride - Sarah Dessen

Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

Witch & Wizard - James Patterson

Lockdown - Alexander Smith

Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater

The Monstrumologist – Rick Yancey

What does YRCA stand for?

Young Reader's Choice Award

What is the Young Reader's Choice Award?

The YRCA is coordinated by the Pacific Northwest Library Association. Students from Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Montana, and Idaho will determine which author will win this literary award by reading the books and voting for their favourite. This is the oldest children’s choice award in North America and the only award shared by students in two countries. The award was established in 1940 by a Seattle bookseller, the late Harry Hartman, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure. When it started in 1940, there was only the Junior Division. The Senior Division was added in 1990 and the Intermediate Division in 2001. The Junior Division is aimed at students in grades 4-6, Intermediate is 7-9, and Senior is 10-12, but any student can vote in any division as long as they’ve read at least two titles from that division.

Who can vote?

Students in grades 4-12 from Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Montana, and Idaho are all eligible to vote. You need to read at least two titles in a division to vote in that division.

Where do I vote?

In most cases, your teacher will collect your vote and submit it along with your classmates.

However, if your teacher is not offering YRCA voting in your class, you may vote online by clicking here.

Please remember, you only need to read at least two titles in the divisions you want to vote in and decide on your favourite! All votes should be cast before April 12, 2013.

When do I vote?

Each school might have a different way or time that they do the voting, but everyone should be voting in March.

How many people vote each year?

Last March, over 8,800 Edmonton students voted for their favourite title; be sure to participate this year too!

Who picks the books?

You do! If you have a favourite book that you would like to see on the YRCA list, suggest it to the Edmonton Public Library. Students, teachers, parents, and librarians can nominate titles for YRCA. Publishers are not allowed to nominate titles.

Which books qualify to be nominated?

It is very likely that your favourite book could be on the YRCA list!

• Nominated titles must have been published 3 years before the award year (for example, for the 2013 list nominees must have a copyright date of 2010).
• They must be printed in the U.S. or Canada. Books that are a sequel in a series do not qualify (only the first title in a series is eligible for YRCA).
• Nominations can include fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, animae and manga, and poetry so remember to suggest your favourite book, no matter what kind of book it is! Where can I find the books?

Where can I find the books?

The Edmonton Public Library makes sure we have lots of copies of the YRCA titles. They should be in a special display at your nearest branch. Sometimes some of them are hard to find because they’re so popular, so visit our catalogue to place a hold if you can’t find the one you’re looking for! Your school library should also have copies of the YRCA books. Look for a YRCA display in your school!

When will I find out who won?

After the voting happens in March, the good people at the Pacific Northwest Library Association count up all the votes and announce the winners sometime in April. The Edmonton Public Library will make sure your school knows as soon as we hear!

When will I hear what next year’s books are?

Usually, the list of nominees is announced in March or April. When we send the announcement of the winners to your school, we will also send the list of the next year’s nominees. You can visit the Edmonton Public Library through the summer to get a headstart on the next year’s titles!

What books have won YRCA?

The YRCA has existed since 1940 and many classic kids’ books were part of the YRCA competition in the past. Many of them have also been made into movies…have you ever seen Old Yeller, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, or more recently The Hunger Games?

Click on the Past Winners tab for a complete list. 

2012 Winners

• Junior Division: 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
• Intermediate Division: Scat by Carl Hiaasen
• Senior Division: When the Cherry Blossoms Fell - Jennifer Maruno

2011 Winners

• Junior Division: Amulet: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi
• Intermediate Division: Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale
• Senior Division: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010 Winners 

• Junior Division: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
• Intermediate Division: Schooled by Gordon Korman
• Senior Division: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

2009 Winners

• Junior Division: Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillo
• Intermediate Division: Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
• Senior Divison: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

2008 Winners

• Junior Division: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann Martin
• Intermediate Division: Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
• Senior Division: Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Winners from way back. Way way back. Like 1940.

YRCA beyond our borders.

Did you know that YRCA is international? The Pacific Northwest Library Association, the organization who runs the YRCA program, works with students from Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana and Washington.

Visit the official site now to learn more.