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

2024-2025

Iowa Goldfinch Award Nominees

Supply Order Form

Book Award Resources

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.