Beehive Book Award Criteria

Beehive Book Award Criteria 

CLAU members and members of the community may nominate books for long list consideration. CLAU Committee members will select a final short list of nominees. Nominations should follow these guidelines below, and be submitted to the specific committee chair by the end of August
 
Below are the eligibility and selection criteria for nominations in each specific category.
The Children’s Literature Association of Utah does not necessarily recommend that all children read all books. The nominees offer books covering a variety of interests and subject matter, and we encourage parents to read and discuss these books with their children.
 
ELIGIBILITY & SELECTION CRITERIA FOR ALL CATEGORIES
  • Nominees must be published in the three years preceding the award year.
  • Self-published titles are ineligible for nomination.
  • Nominees must be currently in print and available in the United States at the time of nomination.
  • Author and illustrator may be residents of any country.
  • If applicable, both the author and the illustrator of the winning title will receive awards.
  • Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz Award Winners are ineligible for nomination.
  • Each nominee will be favorably reviewed in professionally-recognized review sources or be recommended by three CLAU committee members.
  • A nominee may appear only once on any nomination list of any year. Repeat nominations to a long list are allowed rarely and only at the discretion of the committee chair.
  • Within each category, only one nominee by any one author or illustrator may be included on any annual list in a given award year.
  • To be nominated, titles must be exemplary in its appeal to children and one or more of the following: artistic worth, literary quality, originality, and imagination.
  • To be nominated, titles must be suitable of vocabulary, content, characterization, and comprehension for the intended age levels.
  • Each title will be reviewed by a minimum of five readers to be eligible for the short list.
  • The final short lists attempt to provide a balance in reading levels, genres, subject areas, diversity, inclusion, reader interest, and appeal.
 
PICTURE BOOK
  • Nominees are appropriate for grades kindergarten through third grade (K-3).
  • Nominees have illustrations that create interest and complement the text.
 
CHILDREN'S FICTION
  • Nominees are appropriate for grades three through six (3-6).
  • Nominees are of interest to and deal with relevant issues in the lives of children.
 
INFORMATIONAL
  • Nominees are appropriate for grades three through nine (3-9).
  • Nominees act as a catalyst to the majority of readers, and excite their curiosity in the knowledge area presented.
  • The author’s personal enthusiasm and interest in the knowledge area covered by the book is apparent.
  • Nominees do more than give accurate facts. Relationships of the topic to the larger world are apparent.
  • Illustrations help create excitement and clarify the topic.
 
YOUNG ADULT
  • Nominees are appropriate for grades seven through twelve (7-12).
  • Nominees are of interest to and deal with relevant issues in the lives of teenagers.
 
POETRY
  • Nominees are appropriate for kindergarten through ninth grade (K-9).
  • Nominees have illustrations that create interest and complement the text.
  • Nominees are exemplary in one or more of the following: originality, form, rhyme, rhythm, visual appeal, literary quality, and age appropriateness.
  • Nominees may be collections or single author poems.
 
GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOK
  • Nominees are appropriate for kindergarten through sixth grade (K-6).
  • Nominees have illustrations that create interest and complement the text.