The Top Ten Best Books for the Kids' Choice Award 2014

One of the new things introduced in the recent NCBA Best Reads of 2014 awards ceremony was the Kids' Choice Award. This is not the first time kid judges were picked to choose books they deem as the "best" of the year. The Filipino ReaderCon staged a similar reading award last year. What makes this award giving activity interesting is that, books for children are read by kids and they get their say on what is good and well written literature.

Rafa Valera announces the Top 10 Best Kids' Books of 2014

Writers of children's books often claim that their intended audience are children. But adult writers sometimes miss the whole point of hitting the target audience they write for. Mea Culpa. Parents and teachers pick books for their children and students with all the good intention of instilling values and "morals". But parents and teachers often make the mistake of choosing books for their kids as boring and too far off from the young readers' experience and context. Mea Culpa. Librarians would look at catalogs, circulation statistics and inventory reports and use data from these cold instruments to decide on book acquisitions for young readers. Mea Culpa.

Yes. I do make mistakes.

But. The good thing of being involved in the PBBY and in this industry is that, I am fortunate enough to witness thinking that is outside the box.

So if we adults claim to be concerned with our children's well being, particularly in their thinking skills (which is synonymous to READING), we should trust them enough to express themselves and voice out their opinions on the choices they make. Giving them the opportunity to choose the books they think is the best of the year is a liberating exercise and one where we can learn from.

Reading is a shared endeavor.

And that, my friends, is my take away from last Saturday's NCBA Best Reads of 2014 awards ceremony. In many of my reading and library workshops on developing a reading culture, I often speak of reader feedback. Librarians can provide services and programs that must be contextualized to the readers' experience. To do this, librarians need to be open to feedback and to listen to what their readers are saying. Mechanism should be in place. In fact, staging a Kids Choice Award in the school through the library's program is one mechanism.

Of course, librarians can check out the books that made it to the NCBA Best Reads and Kids Choice Award, but wouldn't it be fun to test these books in your own learning community? Or, pick the books that adults claim as children's books and have it validated by kids who can read them too. The whole idea is for readers to come together, to listen, to discuss and build on a stronger reading culture in the community.

Alon Cristobal announces The Day of Darkness the Kids' Choice Award

And now, for the Top Ten Best Books for the Kids's Choice Award 2014 (in no particular order or ranking):

Berting ang Batang Uling by Christopher Rosales
May Darating na Trak Bukas by Virgilio Almario
Pintong Maraming Silid by Eugene Evasco
A Girl in A Box by Felinda Dang Bagas
Pages (Bookmark)
Sine Madyika by Lauren Macaraeg
Ang Bongang Bongang Batang Beki by Rhandee Garlitos
Ang Ikaklit sa Aking Hardin by Bernadette Neri
Sandwich to the Moon by Jaime Bauza
The Day of Darkness by Zig Marasigan - Kids Choice Award 2014

Congratulations to authors, illustrators and publishers of these "best books"! This a big compliment and affirmation from children who read!