Each year quality selections are chosen by teachers throughout the state of Florida and comprise a list of books students in grades 3-5 are encouraged to read. Students then vote on their favorites and a state book award is given to the winning book. My students who choose to read all 15 books and pass the AR test for each, are awarded extra credit (an additional 100% averaged into the assessment grade) during the 9 weeks in which they complete the assignment.

I have one copy of each of the books in my classroom library, and there are multiple copies in the school library and public libraries as well. Local bookstores are aware of this program and often have special displays of the books. If you choose to purchase copies of the books for your child and would like to donate/loan them to the class after your child has finished reading the books, this would be extremely helpful in giving many students the opportunity to enjoy these terrific reads!

 The following books are on the Sunshine State Young Reader's list for the year:

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Cerlin

Middle of Somewhere by J. B. Cheaney

The Lemonade Wars by Jacqueline Davies

The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School by Candace Fleming

Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Defiance by Valerie Hobbs

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlene Kennedy

Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

Highway Cats by Janet Taylor Lisle

Punished by David Lubar

Night of the Howling Dogs by Graham Salisbury

Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban