Award of the Week: Nene Award

The Nene Award is Hawaii’s Children’s Choice Book Award. Each spring Hawaii’s fourth through sixth-grade students vote for the best book they have read from a list of 30 nominees compiled by a group of public and school librarians. The purpose of the award is to help children become acquainted with the best contemporary writers of fiction for children, recognize the qualities that make a good book and honor an author whose book has been enjoyed by the children of Hawaii. This year’s winner, along with winners from 2015-2018, is listed below.

2019
	The Terrible Two By: Jory John and Mac Barnett Illustrated by: Kevin Cornell When master prankster Miles Murphy moves to sleepy Yawnee Valley, he challenges the local, mystery prankster in an epic battle of tricks but soon the two join forces to pull off the biggest prank ever seen.
2018
	El Deafo By: Cece Bell In this cleverly illustrated graphic novel, Cece Bell re-imagines her childhood self as a superhero bunny with deafness. Cece is only four years old when she becomes deaf. Her doctor gives her a Phonic Ear to help her hear. From then on, her life changes dramatically. The Phonic Ear, a box that hangs around her neck with cords and earbuds attached, makes Cece feel very insecure. Eventually, she realizes that the earbuds, buried deep in her long rabbit ears, give her the superpower of hearing others, even from far away. This superpower leads to the creation of Cece’s new secret identity: El Deafo.
2017
	Roller Girl By: Victoria Jamieson A graphic novel adventure about a girl who discovers roller derby right as she and her best friend are growing apart.
2016
	Smile By: Raina Telgemeier Anyone who has gone through middle school can attest that this is a most complicated time because of both physical and emotional changes. Being an adolescent is just plain hard, and this is true even when everything goes right. However, in this autobiographical story, there is one massive issue that Raina must deal with that her friends do not, and that is losing her two front teeth due to an accident.
2015
	Wonder By: R.J Palacio Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.