Guidelines for Participation

The purpose of the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Program is to promote life-long reading habits by encouraging students to read and enjoy quality contemporary literature that broadens understanding of the human experience.

The books selected as nominees for the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award have positive reviews from respected journals and have been read by members of the committees.  However, it is recommended that each school and/or each school system apply its own selection policy and determine whether or not every book is appropriate for the recommended age level, as well as the intended use.

Guidelines:

1. Coordinate the program through the library media specialist or other program coordinator.
2. Obtain the support and authorization of the principal.
3. Provide information about participation in the award program to teachers, students, and parents.
4. Have available a reasonable selection of the nominated books to provide students as broad a choice as possible.
5. To participate, students must read, or have read to them, a minimum of 8 of the 15 picture books nominated. Based on the premise that picture books are for everybody, there are no grade level restrictions.
6. To participate in Grades 4 through 6, students must read, or have read to them, a minimum of three of the nominated books.
7. To participate in Grades 6 through 9, students must read, or have read to them, a minimum of three of the nominated books.
8. To participate at the high school level, students must read a minimum of three of the nominated books.
9. All grades do not have to participate. The coordinator makes that decision in cooperation with teachers and administrators. The time of year in which the program functions is up to each individual school. Older students may read from early in the school year until voting time; younger students do best if reading is done the last few months before voting.
10. Each student has one vote in each of the categories. Many coordinators have used charts or graphs and bulletin board displays to share the results of the program in their schools.
11. Submit the TOTAL votes for each book read on the tally sheet and send to MASL by April 25 of that voting year.

MASL
Black-Eyed Susan Book Awards Committee
P.O. Box 21127, Baltimore, MD 21228

Thank you for participating in the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Program.

Nominations for consideration are welcome and should be sent to the committee by October 1 for consideration. Send nominations to the address listed above.