The Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award, sponsored and selected by the Youth Services Community of Interest (YSCI), is presented annually to the author and illustrator of the picture book voted most popular by preschool children in Missouri’s public libraries and is designed to encourage reading aloud to children from birth through kindergarten age.
Designed to encourage reading aloud to children from birth through kindergarten age, the award was first given in 1996. Parents and other caregivers are encouraged to read aloud to children from a list of ten titles selected annually by a group of Missouri children’s librarians. Colorful posters, bookmarks, activity sheets, and a manual of great ideas add to the fun.
See the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award Procedures and the Missouri Building Block Picture Book Award Committee Handbook in Appendix G of the MLA Handbook MLA Handbook for details.
The winner of the 2016 Building Block Award is…Bunnies!!! by Kevan Atteberry.
Members of the Building Block Award subgroup of YSCI are listed on the YSCI page.
2017 Nominees and Activity Sheets
How To Nominate a Book for 2018
Have you found an excellent read-aloud book for young children (birth-kindergarten)? The committee is seeking both fiction and non-fiction titles with the qualities of a great read-aloud, such as a rich vocabulary, flowing language, and engaging illustrations.
All nominations must be published within the last two years (December 2015-November 2017). Holiday books do not qualify.
Nominations of books for 2018 can be made through this online form.
How To Vote
Individuals and groups may vote using the 2017 online ballot.
Polls will be open September 1, 2017 through January 15, 2018.
Previous Winners and Nominees
Building Block Award Winners, 1996-2015
Building Block Award Nominees, 1996-2016
Promotional Materials (free downloadable files):
- 2016 Bookmarks
- Spine labels for Building Block Nominees and Winners
- Clip art:
- Alphabet of building blocks: A-M, N-Z
- Other teddy bear logo clipart
Is there not a way to send in votes for the Building Block Picture Book Award by class or school? I do not want to enter each student in individually!
Jerilyn the Awards Chair says: “Yes. People can e-mail me jhahn@dbrl.org or Deb Barry deborah.d.barry@gmail.com.”
Would it be possible to see the total number of votes per title? I would like to see how the state totals compare to my library totals.
I’ve asked Jerilyn to respond. I don’t know if this is public information or not; you might try her email above if you’d like to ask her directly. -Rachel, Webmaster
I am new to this process, how is the voting process handled in the library? Is there a form the parents fill out? Do we mail these in? Do they vote online???
From Jerilyn Hahn:
“How libraries present the Building Block Award nominees varies. At some libraries, ballots are produced by the community/public relations department. Then the ballots are placed by a voting box (container of some
kind.) Parents may read the books to their children in the library or at home and vote in the library. Many libraries hold voting during a story time—read 5 books, then vote. (We understand you can’t read all 10 during one story time.) Some libraries read one or two nominees a week for 5-10 weeks (using the activity guides) and vote after all the books have been shared. Hopefully those who vote had a chance to hear at least 5 books.
In September this website will include a link to a paper ballot that parents and teachers may print out and an online link for individual votes. Those who submit multiple votes for schools and libraries may count all the ballots and submit the results via e-mail to ronfreeman@kclibrary.org.”
I found the links for activity sheets for each 2015 Building Block nominees, but I was wondering if there is a link for the whole activity packet.
I would like save and print out it as a whole packet. Please email me back to let me know. If not I can save each one individually, but having a link to the whole packet would be very helpful.
Thanks…
Marcia Rhinehart
PK-12 Librarian
Sturgeon R- V School District
Jerilyn has created this PDF, which is now linked from the page with the current nominees: http://molib.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Activity-sheets-2015-all-books.pdf
Are any of these books available in Spanish?
When will the 2016 preliminary nominees be available? I would like to order them as soon as possible. Thank you !
On January 22 the committee will come up with a list of our favorite 30 books . On January 29 the list will be narrowed down to 10.
Is there any kind of social media image or blurb we can send out? Thanks for your response in the matter.
Since the Building Block Award is managed by the Youth Services Community of Interest, I would contact the current Youth Services CI Awards Committee Chair. Here’s her information:
Michelle Ballard
michelleb@thelibrary.org
Hope this helps!
We have sent out the following statement to groups so they can nominate titles:
The Missouri Building Block Award Committee is seeking nominations for the
2016 Building Block Picture Book Award. The Building Block Award,
administered by the Youth Services Community of Interest of the Missouri
Library Association, is presented annually to the author and illustrator of
the picture book voted most popular by preschool children in Missouri’s
public libraries. We need your input to ensure that we continue to have
high quality, enjoyable picture books on our list of nominees.
Here are some of the criteria:
– Must be an original picture book, age appropriate (birth through
first-grade) with child appeal.
– Copyright must be within the last two years (2014-2015).
– Must be a great read-aloud: rich vocabulary, flowing language and
accurate grammar.
– May be fiction or nonfiction.
– Can *not* be a holiday book.
Everyone is encouraged to nominate picture books. Please submit the titles
directly to me at: haid@dbrl.org. I would really appreciate it if you
would send the title, author, illustrator, publisher and publication date.
If you would like to know more about the Building Block Award, please visit
the Missouri Library Association’s handbook starting on page 169:
http://molib.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Handbook-REVISION-2_2015.pdf
Deadline for submissions is November 30.
Our Pinterest page is: https://www.pinterest.com/mobuildingblock/
Re: Spanish language availability of the books – probably the best way to check would be to go to worldcat.org’s advanced search, and search for the author and title, while limiting language to Spanish. This site may also have some resources: https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/spanishdist.asp
I was forwarded the question about whether the Building Blocks were available in Spanish. I Checked Amazon.com. I did general Google searches, and I checked Barnes and Noble. Here is what I found:
Digger Dog was on a downloadable website: librosespanol.org
I do not know if you have to join.
This Book Just Ate My Dog! is available on Amazon.com in Spanish ISBN-10: 8469601415
Oh So Brave Dragon was available from Amazon.com but it looks like they are only listing it.
I have not checked WorldCat. I hope this helps.
Has anyone on the committee received the long list? I’ve not & it’s two days before the meeting…
Hello! I was wondering when the bookmarks for the 2016 MO Building Block Picture Book Award would be available?
Thanks in advance!
Marlana
Hi Marlana, The person to contact is Jerilyn Hahn from the Callaway County Public Library. She is the chair of the Building Block Subcommittee. Her e-mail is jhahn@dbrl.org.
I hope this helps!
Amy
I was wondering when the 2017-18 list will be posted. I am trying to spend the last of my budget money so the next librarian won’t have to worry about what to order (I get to retire!!!). Thanks!
The list has been posted! Webmaster’s still waiting for activity sheets & other material, but the actual list is linked from this page now.
I don’t remember receiving an email announcement for the BB winner, but I see it has been announced. Would you please email me a breakdown of the votes. My students are always interested in knowing which books won 2nd and 3rd place. Thanks!
It’s been a heated battle to the end. In fact, we believe this may have been one of the tightest races in Missouri Building Block Award history! At the final hour, Bunnies!!! snuck past Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups by Tadgh Bentley and Rex Wrecks It! by Ben Clanton.