North High School Student Serves as State Reader for Abraham Lincoln High School Book Award

The following is a press release from District 99.

Senior Mandy Winslow was selected to serve as one of six official state readers for the Abraham Lincoln Award: Illinois’ High School Readers’ Choice Award.

On Saturday, March 5, she traveled to Normal, Ill., and served on a committee with five other students and librarian sponsors statewide to make recommendations for titles to the 2012 nominee list. By the end of the day, the committee finalized the 2012 nominee list. 

“It was a really enjoyable experience, but the last hour was intense. Everyone was really vying for certain titles to get on the list and we only had five spots left,” says Winslow. As part of the negotiations, Winslow said she had to “swallow her pride” and agree to put Tweak by Nic Sheff on the list in order to encourage the other readers to put Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, one of her favorites, on the list.

To serve as a reader, Winslow was required to read at least ten books from the 75 titles that were on the preliminary 2012 list. Surpassing the requirement, Winslow read 30 books.

In addition to developing the 2012 nominee list, the reading program also designates an Abe Award Winner from the 2011 nominee list. In February, 146 schools and libraries submitted 2,980 votes for the Abe Award Winner. The book Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins took first place, Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles took second place and Graceling by Kristin Cashore took third place.

In addition to Winslow, 29 other North High students served as official voters, meaning that those students read at least four of the 2011 nominated titles.

“I’m thrilled that our number of readers has gone up every year. In 2009 we had 17 and in 2010 we had 23,” says Librarian Rebecca Scott. “In addition, another 25 students read three books on the list, almost making the cut to be an official reader. We are on a reading roll!”