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 100-year-old Secret by Tracy Barrett

The Magic Half by Annie Barrows

NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell

Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise

Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

How Oliver Olson Changed the World by Claudia Mills

Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford

Dragon's Egg by Sarah L. Thomson

Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee