The Arkansas Department of Education, the Arkansas State Library, and the Arkansas Reading Association are pleased to announce the results of the voting for the 2003 Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award and the 2003 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award. More than 57,000 ballots have been cast and the results have been tabulated. The choice of the voting students is as follows:
CHARLIE MAY SIMON CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD
BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo is the winner of the 2002-2003 Charlie May Simon Children’s Book Award. It was published by Candlewick Press.
A YEAR DOWN YONDER by Richard Peck is the Honor Book for 2002-2003. It was published by Dial Books for Young Readers.
ARKANSAS DIAMOND PRIMARY BOOK AWARD
SALT IN HIS SHOES: MICHAEL JORDAN IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM by Deloris Jordan is the winner of the 2002-2003 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award. It was published by Simon & Schuster.
KISS THE COW! by Phyllis Root is the Honor Book this year. It was published by Candlewick Press.
Both awards are under the sponsorship of the Arkansas Department of Education, the Arkansas State Library, and the Arkansas Reading Association, with support from other cooperating organizations.