YA author Rick Riordan won author of the year at the Children’s Choice Book Awards gala in New York City last night.
More than five hundred thousand votes were cast from kids all across the country. The Children’s Book Council hosted the event to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of Children’s Book Week. We’ve posted the full list of winners below.
Presenters last night included Eloise picture book illustrator Hilary Knight, Goosebumps creator R. L. Stine, and Speak author Laurie Halse Anderson. Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan also won the 5th to 6th Grade Book of the Year for The Red Pyramid.
Lunch Lady series creator Jarrett J. Krosoczka (pictured) hosted the event. Former national ambassador of children’s literature Jon Scieszka (pictured) donned a Snooki costume and offered to read special snippets from the Jersey Shore star’s novel on stage (yes, there were children in the audience).
In a funny turn of events, both editor and author were both nominated in the Teen Book of the Year category. Scholastic editorial director David Levithan won over Suzanne Collins’ Mockingjay with Will Grayson, Will Grayson (a novel he wrote with John Green).
When Levithan accepted the award, he thanked the kids and said: “Wow, it so should’ve been Suzanne!” The night ended with Reading Rainbow host/producer LeVar Burton (pictured) leading a sing-a-long of the show’s theme song with all the guests.
Children’s Choice Book Award Winners
Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year: Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby (Putnam/Penguin)
Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year: Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)
Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year: The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion)
Teen Choice Book of the Year: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan (Dutton/Penguin)
Illustrator of the Year: David Wiesner for Art & Max (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Author of the Year: Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1) (Disney-Hyperion)