Reed Business Information, the publisher of Variety, Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, and NBC television, has founded a new book award: the Quills Awards. The Quills Awards is sort of like a People's Choice Awards for books. There are 19 categories, and there will be a short list of five finalists in each category. Readers can go to the website to cast their vote in each category, as well as for book of the years. The
event will be televised by NBC on October 22, 2005. NBC news anchor Brian Williams will preside. Tables for the event (which organizers promise will be star-studded) will be sold, with the proceeds going to charity.
The finalists for the Children's Chapter Book/Middle Grade category are:
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, Anthea Bell (translator)(Chicken House/Scholastic Books)
You can see a full list of the finalists here and vote for your favorite books
here. Voting will take place from August 15 - September 15 online and in your local Borders bookstore.
It's a smart idea, really. There are plenty of prestigious book awards, with the winners selected only by committee. This could help give book awards a bit of the glamour and excitement that is usually associated more with television and film awards.
