Bangkok Book Awards

One of my favorite types of book awards is one where the books' audience get to vote for the winner. While the Newbery is a great honor and all that, it is not chosen by children!

Back in the states, every state has it's own children's book award, and, here in Thailand, there is no difference. Welcome to the Bangkok Book Awards 2020!

This book award was started by librarians at the many international schools in Bangkok; it now includes schools throughout Thailand. Only students/children may vote for the winner.

Nominees are selected with the following criteria:

Books first published, or published in English, over the past 5 years (at the point when the books are long/shortlisted). 

Only the first book in a series was considered.

FICTION — Unrealistic, Fantasy, Sci-Fi.

FICTION — Realistic (variety of genres).

NON FICTION — both narrative and traditional, along with memoirs, autobiographies etc.

Format variety (graphic, verse, poetry, short stories, etc.)

Geographical connection (by author’s origin, country of publication, setting of story, etc.)

Diversity (gender, race, culture, ability, etc.)

Translation.

Social/global issues.

Books with a Thailand or Asian connection.

The nominees for picture books:

• The Night Gardner by The Fan Brothers
• Jerome by Heart by Thomas Scotto
• Lucie Goose by Danny Baker
• Drawn Together by Minh Le
• Marwan's Journey by Patricia de Arias
• Oi Dog or Dog on a Frog by Kes and Claire Gray

Junior Reader Book Nominees:

• Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
• Iguana Boy Saves the World with a Triple Cheese Pizza by James Bishop
• Natural Born Loser by Oliver Phommavanh
• Rising Water: The Story of the Thai Cave Rescue by Marc Aronson
• Boy Underwater by Adam Baron
• Front Desk by Kelly Yang

And a category that I am happy to see for students who are beyond picture books and not quite ready for the longer Junior category: Young Readers!

• Ninja Kid: From Nerd to Ninja by Anh Do
• Bad Nana by Sophy Henn
• Sydney & Simon: To the Moon by Paul A. Reynolds
• Peter & Ernesto: a Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable
• The Quest for Z by Greg Pizzoli
• My Wounded Island by Jacques Pasquet

Lest our older readers feel left out, there is a Young Adult category as well in our senior school. Most of the books are checked out, so it is difficult to have a picture of the (practically) empty display.

• Thornhill by Pam Smy
• The Beast Player byNahoko Uehashi
• The Traitor and the Thief by Gareth Ward
• Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
• The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
• Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong about the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling

I have one book left to finish from all of these, and I am glad I do not have to choose a favorite in any category for voting! Voting is truly left to the students! It will be interesting to see which books win.