1. We give you the top ten books from recent years.
2. You read the books.
3. When voting time comes around, you vote for the best book out of the ten.
4. You sit back and relax, having enjoyed some really good books while you wait for our next list.

Check out the main site here.

I’m on the awards committee, so students of mine should recognize quite a number of these books:

The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz (2009)
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (2008)
Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (2007)
Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande (2007)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (2008)
H. I. V. E: The Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden (2006)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)
London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd (2007)
My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison (2009)
Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2008)

To put it into context for the non-librarians followers of the site, the Grand Canyon Reader Award is a collection of the best books within the past five years. The committee recommends ten books and then students vote on the best book, like an Oscar award for a book. On top of that, places like Phoenix Book Company and Barnes and Noble will designate special places of honor in their displays for the Grand Canyon Awards. Librarians will buy multiple copies of the books, even if they haven’t read them, simply because they’re on the list.

I get to do Griggs Greats for the state. I am very thankful and excited.