Peter Vanderwall
Author, Screenwriter
Mac's Big Wish wins the 2024 Patricia Gallagher
Children's Choice Picture Book Award
Dear Mr. Vanderwall: Your book, Mac's Big Wish, has won the Patricia Gallagher Children's Choice Book Award for 2024. The purpose of the award is to promote a love of reading with high quality children's literature. Thank you for your wonderful contribution to children's literature.
​​-- Cara Miller, Patricia Gallagher Book Award Committee Chair, Oregon State Literacy Association
Children vote for their favorite book
Founded in 1997, the award is named for Patricia Gallagher, a retired Western Oregon University professor of children’s literature, who is a former president of OSLA. By awarding high quality children's literacy, and involving children in the process, the Oregon State Literacy Association fulfills its goal to promote literacy and a love of reading.
How are the nominees selected?
A committee including Oregon State Literacy Association (OSLA) leaders, school librarians, public librarians, teachers, and school administrators review and select five nominees out of a field of books that are readily available in paperback, be no more than eight years old from original copyright date, hold an innate appeal to children, and have quality text and illustrations, and be good read alouds.
What is the voting process for students?
The students' school checks out the set of five nominated books from their Local OSLA Councils. After reading or listening to the books, each student votes for their one favorite title. Each student's vote is reported, as this is not a class vote. School staff report the students' votes on a form by May 1st and email the total number of votes for each title, as well as the school and grade levels that voted (or ages and libraries participating.)