Kid Picks: Stephenie Meyer, Jon Muth

It was vampire love over the trials and tribulations of a wimpy kid when it came to kids choosing their favorite author of the year at the Second Annual Children Choice Book Awards.

Stephenie Meyer, author of Breaking Dawn (Little Brown, 2008), beat Jeff Kinney, Christopher Paolini, James Patterson and Rick Riordan, the four other finalists in the annual competition, sponsored by the Children’s Book Council. Breaking Dawn also won in the Teen Choice category.

Meanwhile, the Illustrator of the Year award went to Jon J Muth for Zen Ties (Scholastic, 2008), a disarming story of compassion and friendship. “There is nothing I like more than drawing and telling a story for children,” Muth told SLJ after receiving the award.

Whoopi Goldberg 9right) and Al Roker at the awards ceremony.

Today Show’s Al Roker was also on hand to present the organization’s Impact Award to Whoopi Goldberg in recognition of her vast contribution to the promotion of literacy and the love of reading among young people.

Author Lauren Myracle, whose book Thirteen (Dutton, 2008) won in the 5^th -6th Grade category, traveled with her family from Colorado to attend the event.

“I’m unabashedly excited, thrilled and delighted,” she said, adding that readers everywhere deserved a high-five.

Well-known nominee Jeff Kinney—author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Amulet, 2008) was the rock star of the evening, being mobbed by children and adults alike.

The Children’s Choice Book Awards—which doles out awards in five age categories—was launched last year by the Children’s Book Council to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate kids to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

The Teen Choice Book Award was added this year.

This year’s Children’s Choice Book Award winners are as follows:

 Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year
The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! (Hyperion) written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year
Spooky Cemeteries (Bearport) by Dinah Williams

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year
Thirteen by (Dutton) Lauren Myracle

Teen Choice Book of the Year
Breaking Dawn (Little, Brown) by Stephenie Meyer

Author of the Year
Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) for Breaking Dawn

Illustrator of the Year
Jon J Muth (Scholastic) for Zen Ties