Every spring, ReadBoston visits libraries all over the city looking for engaging picture books that were published the previous year. We consider books that engage children ages 4-8 with a theme that strongly resonates with them. We want illustrations that draw the reader in and help tell the story. We look for a storyline that is interesting; children should be eager to see what happens. The book can be funny, it can be serious, it can be fiction or nonfiction. Overall, we are looking for a book that is unique and takes children somewhere they’ve never been before.
This year ReadBoston staff narrowed the choices down to three and then we took the show on the road. We shared Sloth Slept On by Frann Preston-Gannon, Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña (illustrated by Christian Robinson), and Leo: A Ghost Story by Mac Barnett (also illustrated by Christian Robinson) with kids all over the city.
With help from our friends at BostonCares, Barnes & Noble at the Prudential Center, the Boston Children’s Museum, the Roosevelt K-8 in Hyde Park, and the Haynes Early Education Center in Roxbury, we came up with a winner. Everyone had a chance to fill out a ballot and vote for their favorite.
Leo: A Ghost Story is the winner of ReadBoston’s 2016 Best Read Aloud Book Award!