This children’s choice award was created in 1997. It is named for Patricia Gallagher, a retired Western Oregon professor of children’s literature who is a former president of the Oregon State Literacy Association.
2023-24 Nominated Books
• Download a poster of the nominated titles and a voting ballot
How are the nominated books chosen? A committee of OSLA leaders, school and public librarians, teachers, and school administrators review and select the books. The books must be readily available in paperback, be no more than eight years old, hold an innate appeal to children, and have quality text and illustrations.
How can I get a set of the books? The Portland Reading Council has ten sets of the nominated books to loan to Council members. Request a set by emailing: portlandreadingcouncil@gmail.com
Who may vote? Oregon school children of all ages.
When to vote? Voting will occur between September 1 and May 1. Students vote for their ONE favorite book.
Votes must be reported by May 1st Submit your students’ votes!
Feedback from Teachers and Librarians:
“Thank you for loaning out the Patricia Gallagher book set. The students at Beverly Cleary School truly enjoy evaluating and voting for the best book. What a great way to encourage the love of reading.” ~ Margie Lawler, Librarian, Beverly Cleary School
“The book selections were excellent, and we all took advantage of the democratic process to cast our ballots.” ~ Pamela Kennedy, Teacher, Lewis Elementary
“Having the Patricia Gallagher nominee books added some literature to my reading intervention groups. It was a great way to break up our routine. Our librarian read the books to the kids, k-4. They loved that only kids got to vote! After reading If I built a Car, 2nd graders wrote to the prompt ‘If I built a playhouse’ “. ~ Michelle Schardt, Bridger K-8 School
Classroom Projects Using the Books Sets
• Second Graders Chart Their Votes Using a Book Cover Ballot
Kindergartners Vote for Their Favorite Books
