 Past Florida Teens Read Winners
Fifth Annual Winner May 2010
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the 2009-2010 Florida Teens Read award winner. The story is set in a futuristic America. A boy and girl from each of 12 provinces are chosen lottery style each year to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised reality show where only 1 will emerge alive to earn wealth and extra food for their providence. When 17-year-old Katniss Everdeen's little sister is selected, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. This is the story of her struggle to survive. The first in the series, The Hunger Games is followed by Catching Fire and Mockingjay (8/10 release date). Collins is also the author of the award winning series, The Underland Chronicles.
Fourth Annual Winner May 2009
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is the 2008-2009 Florida Teens Read award winner. The story takes place after the suicide of a teenage girl and takes the unique perspective of the girl. Hannah’s story is revealed in tapes she has recorded that are sent to the thirteen young people who have influenced her actions. Narrated by Clay Jenson, one of the thirteen, teens will be challenged to consider the effect of their own actions and words on others.
Third Annual Winner May 2008
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is the winner of the 2007-2008 Florida Teens Read award. Uglies is the first in a series of books by Westerfeld that explore such themes as the nature of beauty and conformity vs. rebellion. Set in a future world that is eerily close to our own in some ways, the fast-action plot will engage most teens. The other books in this series are Pretties, Specials and Extras. Westerfeld has written other books for young adults including So Yesterday which was on the Florida Teens Read 2006-2007 list, Peeps, and a trilogy called Midnighters.
Below is the acceptance letter from Scott Westerfeld whose book Uglies was chosen by high school students in Florida as their favorite from the Florida Teens Read 2007-2008 list. A special thank you to Nick Glass, founder of TeachingBooks.net, for his help in contacting the author.
Sent via email on September 22, 2008
I'm so pleased to have Uglies selected for a Florida Teens Read Award. There's nothing better than the prizes bestowed by teens themselves. They know what they like!
Of course, I realize that awards like this don't organize themselves. They become real thanks to hard work and infectious enthusiasm--just as teens become readers thanks to the right book handed to them at the right time. So for all that hard work and enthusiasm, and for that very important book handing, I thank all of you sitting here.
At a bookstore signing a few months ago, I saw something that reminded me of the importance of the work you do. A young girl brought up a well-read stack of books for me to sign. As I scribbled, she picked up my new book and looked at her mother hopefully. But the answer came, "We just got you some new books last week, honey!" The mother then looked at me and sighed. "She just reads too fast. I wish she'd learn to slow down."
I winced at first, because I also used to be a too-fast reader, and I wish I still was. And I hated to think that anyone would have to learn to read slower.
But a moment later I realized the obvious: that girl doesn't have to slow down—not one bit. Because of you. Thanks to the work all of you do every single day, she can read all the books she wants, as fast as she wants. She can fill her mind with the whole world, and go any place that books can take her.
So, thanks from me today for hosting the Florida Teens Read Award, and thanks each and every day from us "too-fast" readers everywhere.
Scott Westerfeld
Second Annual Winner May 2007
The teens in Florida have spoken! With a landslide vote, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer has been chosen the favorite book of high school readers throughout Florida.
First Florida Teens Read Winner May 2006
The Florida Teens Read Award committee is proud to announce that high school students in Florida have cast their votes and chosen Eragon by Christopher Paolini as the winner of the inaugural Florida Teens Read! Award.
Paolini began to write Eragon when he completed high school at age 15. Self-published at first and then published by Knopf in 2003, Eragon is the tale of a poor farm boy in Alagaesia who finds a mysterious blue stone that appears out of nowhere. When a dragon, Saphira, hatches from the stone, beast and boy connect in a tale of destiny, magic, and power peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.
Below is the acceptance letter from Christopher Paolini whose book Eragon was chosen by high school students in Florida as their favorite from the Florida Teens Read 2005-2006 list.
Dear Students,
Greetings from Montana, where snow caps the mountain peaks. Thank you for choosing Eragon to receive the Florida Teens Read Award!
I am delighted to know that you’ve discovered the joy of reading. When you read a book, you are transported into strange new worlds where anything is possible. You can battle Icelandic warriors from Njal’s Saga, stand upon Venus, as imagined by Robert Heinlein, or watch enormous space worms plow through the cinnamon-scented sands of Frank Herbert’s planet, Dune. You can learn how Native Americans made horns and antlers into bows. And you can read the words of Benjamin Franklin as he wrote them in his autobiography, and see the world as he did. A good book makes you think. I hope that reading becomes a lifelong habit, an ongoing quest for knowledge and adventure.
I invite you to follow Eragon and Saphira’s adventures in Eldest. You might be interested to know that I am currently writing the final volume of the Inheritance trilogy. No release date is set, as I have many plot points to explore. The book is still unnamed. John Jude Palencar, the artist who painted the artwork for Eragon and Eldest, is working on a green dragon for the cover.
Once again I thank you. May you soar on dragon wings, and, as my hero, Eragon, would say…
May your sword stay sharp!
Christopher Paolini November 27, 2006
Florida Teens Read titles from previous school years to download.
School year 2009-2010 [docx. 1 page, 4K]
School year 2008-2009 [.pdf, 1 page, 4K]
School year 2007-2008 [.pdf, 1 page, 4K]
School year 2006-2007 [.pdf, 1 page, 35K]
School year 2005-2006 [.pdf, 1 page, 35K]
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