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The annual Blue Spruce Awards Nominations have been announced.

According to the Blue Spruce Awards website, every year teenagers, ranging from 6th grade of middle school to Senior year of high school, nominate their favorite book titles that are then compiled into a list of 12-15 titles. After that, the list is then assembled by the Blue Spruce Award committee based on how many nominations the book received.

“I love the Blue Spruce [Awards],” said Kyle Harmon, Smoky Hill’s Library Coordinator. “It’s great to see a program platform strictly for teens in which teens nominate and vote for their favorite books. Teen voices make a difference!”

According to the awards website, the award was created in 1985 by a group of educators who wanted more emphasis on reading. The committee includes representatives from Colorado Chapter of the International reading Association, the Colorado Language Arts Society, the Colorado State Library, and the Colorado Association of Libraries. The … mission of the Blue Spruce award is to stimulate, promote and encourage reading among young adults.

In order for a book to be nominated, students will have to have read at least three of the books to vote. Adults cannot nominate or vote for books, and publishers are not allowed to submit their books for deliberation.

To vote for your favorite book, go to Smoky Hill High School’s homepage and then scroll down to the library link. Scroll down to the bottom and click on the blue circle that says, “Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult.”  The winner will be announced on February 6, 2016.

Nominated Books:

1. “The Impossible Knife of Memory” by Laurie Halse Anderson: Hayley Kincain and her father move around constantly because her father suffers from PTSD after several tours in Iraq. To deal with her experiences, she identifies people as either zombies or freaks.
2. “The Tyrant’s Daughter” by J.C. Carleson: Laila is a teenage girl whom along with her family, flees from her country when her father, the king, is killed. This story is written by a former undercover CIA agent and how Laila’s family deals with the king’s memory living in a foreign country.
3. “The Testing” by Joelle Charbonneau: In a dystopian future, sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale graduates along with her class, and everyone in a place formerly known as The Great Lakes is celebrating. She wanted to be chosen for the Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father gives her some advice based on his experiences on the testing.  On her way to Tous City, she meets a boy and breaks her father first rule of survival, don’t trust anyone.
4. “The Mortal Instruments Series: City of Heavenly Fire” by Cassandra Clare: The 6th and final book of the series.
5. “Eleanor and Park” by Rainbow Rowell: Eleanor comes from an abusive and neglectful home, and meets Park, who comes from a nice family on the bus. After they meet, it is not long before they bond over comic books and music.

*The homepage for the Blue Spruce Awards is a source for this article. Click the following link for more information on the Awards and a complete list of nominated books: http://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org/