Goldfinch Award (K-3)
Purpose of the Goldfinch Award
To encourage children to read more and better books.
To discriminate in choosing worthwhile books.
To provide an avenue for positive dialogue between teacher, parent, and children about books and authors.
To give recognition to those who write books for children.
The Goldfinch Award is unique in that it gives children an opportunity to choose the book to receive the award and to suggest books for the yearly reading list.
Iowa Goldfinch Award Books
2023-2024
Iowa Goldfinch Award Nominees
Order Here by March 31, 2023
Orders received by March 31 will be guaranteed a poster with their order.
Gokld Find Book BINGO
2022-2023 Resources
Voting ENDS Friday, April 21, 2023
Winners will be announced on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at IASL Teacher Librarian Workshop Day in Ames!
Voting Specifications
Nature of award: Engraved plaque
Frequency and/or number of awards given: 1 each year
Funding from sale of posters, bookmarks and label supplies for award books.
Voting Process for selecting winner
Voting Process
Students must read at least five titles to be eligible to vote. It is acceptable for students to read these themselves or have heard them read aloud.
Students may vote for only one title and may not vote for any title they have not read or heard read.
Voting will be conducted on ballots produced by each attendance center. Each participating school will send the results by web ballot unless another method is designated by the Goldfinch Award chair. There will be a voting template available created by the Goldfinch Award chair for those attendance centers who wish to use them. Students can then suggest titles for upcoming Goldfinch reading lists at this same time.
Process for notification
Notification is sent immediately after winner is announced. Winner is contacted through publisher or agent, or through personal contact. Goldfinch Award chair notifies winner.
Requirements of winners, if any, with details as to compliance follow-up procedures
None, although if thank you letters are received from winners, they are included on the Goldfinch Award website.
Goldfinch Selection and Nomination Criteria
SELECTION CRITERIA
Book Criteria
Eligible works must be published for young adults within two years of the list year. (If a list will be released in 2022, then books will be copyright year 20& 21)
Works may be fiction or nonfiction and should represent a wide range of subjects and reading levels.
Twenty works from twenty different authors will be selected.
Books should be written predominately in English and currently in print.
A variety of genres will be selected to as a great extent as is practical.
Works selected will appeal to readers of any gender and to the range of readers in grades K-2.
Works must have at least one positive review from a major library reviewing periodical.
Process for nominations (including dates/time frames)
Books are nominated by students to the Goldfinch Award Committee. Students vote for their favorite book.
The Committee reads and creates a list of books from the nominations.
Books to read for the award are introduced during the spring of the current year by librarians to the students.
Students may read until they vote in the spring of the following year.
Previous Iowa Goldfinch Award Winners
2022
Max Amato
2021
Troy Cummings
2020
Dion Leonard
2019
Chris Gall
2018
Adam Rubin
2017
B.J. Novak
2016
Drew Daywalt
2015
Aaron Reynolds
2014
Major Brian Dennis
2013
Marla Frazee
2012
Vicki Myron
2011
Maranke Rinck
Previous Award Winning Books by Year, University of Northern Iowa Rod Library
Contact Information
Goldfinch Committee
Amy Gardner, Goldfinch Award Chair
This Committee is currently seeking volunteers.
Sarah Staudt- Awards Chair
The Awards Chair is a Board-level position, and oversees all the book and personal awards.