Nene

Nene Award

Photo Caption:
Cornelia Funke (pronounced FOON-ka), a multiple award-winning German author of children’s fiction including 2009 Nene Award winner “Inkheart,” was a special guest at the 45th Annual Nene Award Presentation Ceremony held recently at Kamehameha Schools’ Princess Keelikolani Auditorium. Funke announced “Found” by Margaret Peterson Haddix as the 2010 Nene Award winner. The Nene Award is presented to the favorite fiction book based on a vote by Hawaii’s children in grades 4-6. Winners and honorable mentions of student contests celebrating “Inkheart” in persuasive and interpretive essays, and the ceremony emcees are (L-R) Row 1: Bryan Kau, Isaac Taguchi, Christine Lee, Cambrie Motooka (emcee), Ariana Kitts, Misha Chun. Row 2: Emily Tashiro, Eileen Roco, Maile Griffin, Wendy Mun, Nathaniel Colman, Alison Wu (emcee), Cristen Kramer, Taylor Takimoto. In Row 3 are author Cornelia Funke, State Librarian Richard Burns, Virginia Koo, 2009-2010 Nene Award Committee co-chairperson; and Nalani Naluai, Nene Award Committee member.
Photo by Paul H. Mark, HSPLS

Each year, Hawaii's elementary and middle school children vote for their favorite fiction book and present the author with the prized Nene Award. This is an exciting time filled with reading and sharing, and voting for the best.

The award began in 1959 when third graders at the University Elementary Lab School decided to create a book award. The Nene Goose, Hawaii's State Bird, was chosen for the award's motif. That year, the children selected The Blue Mountain by Beth Lewis as the first winner of the fledgling Nene Award.

The guidelines for nominated titles were designed by the children themselves:

What is the best book you have read? Would many children enjoy reading this book?
Does the book have an interesting story (plot), good writing (style) to help in the enjoyment of the reading and memorable characters (people or animals)?
Does the book have something important to say (theme)?
Is the author living?

By 1963, the idea had spread to other schools throughout Hawaii and the first state-wide Nene Award was presented in 1964 to author Scott O'Dell for Island of the Blue Dolphins. Ever since that time more children participate each year. Children in public and private schools and in public libraries read and vote. The award is sponsored by the Hawaii Library Association's Children and Youth Section, the Hawaii Association of School Librarians, the Hawaii State Public Library System, and the Department of Education.

The winning authors have been visiting Hawaii since 1994 -- Phyllis Naylor (Shiloh), Bruce Coville (My Teacher is an Alien), Jerry Spinelli (Maniac Magee), Constance Hiser (Ghosts in Fourth Grade), Graham Salisbury (Under the Blood-Red Sun and Barbara Robinson (Best School Year Ever.) The authors meet with the children who voted for their books and announce the next year's Nene Award winner. In 2003, Christopher Paul Curtis entertained the children of Hawaii by sharing stories about his 2002 Nene Award winner, Bud not Buddy.

Nominees for the Nene Award were initially submitted by the children themselves. Selection now consists of the top "votegetters," from the previous voting, and additional titles suggested by public and school librarians. Approximately 30 titles comprise the Suggested Reading List printed each year.

Teacher and librarian resources, and feedback, are available online at http://nene.k12.hi.us/ For more information, contact the Nene Award Committee c/o Hawaii State Library, Children's Section at 478 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 or call 808-586-3510. (Revised by Janet Yap, 2004).

Nene Award Winners:

1964: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
1965: Mary Poppins by Pamela Travers
1966: Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
1967: no award given
1968: Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
1969: The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
1970: Henry Reed's Babysitting Service by Keith Robertson
1971: Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
1972: Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
1973: Sounder by William Armstrong
1974: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
1975: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
1976: How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
1977: Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers
1978: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl
1979: Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
1980: The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger
1981: My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slote
1982: Superfudge by Judy Blume
1983: Bunnicula by Deborah & James Howe
1984: Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements
1985: Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith
1986: Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes
1987: Karen Kepplewhite is the World's Best Kisser by Eve Bunting
1988: You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes
1989: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
1990: Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber
1991: There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar
1992: The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
1993: Fudge-a-mania by Judy Blume
1994: Shiloh by Phyllis Naylor
1995: My Teacher is an Alien by Bruce Coville
1996: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
1997: Ghosts in Fourth Grade by Constance Hiser
1998: Under the Blood-Red Sun by Graham Salisbury
1999: Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson
2000: Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone by J. K. Rowling
2001: Holes by Louis Sachar
2002: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
2003: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
2004: Double Fudge by Judy Blume
2005: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
2006: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
2007: Boy at War by Harry Mazer
2008: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
2009: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
2010: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix