| There was a time when books were very important | | | | non-fiction, poetry and young people's literature. The |
| in the lives of most people, a time when reading was | | | | winners receive a cash award and a crystal sculpture. |
| a delight and a useful source for finding out and for | | | | The award for Young People's Literature occurs |
| learning new and exciting things. Nowadays, people | | | | annually in November and it aims at recognizing the |
| rarely have the time to read a book, be it for one's | | | | contribution to children's literature. This category of |
| pleasure or because one has to do it. Unfortunately, | | | | awards appeared for the first time in 1996 and one |
| the wonderful world of books has undergone | | | | should not neglect it, because children should be |
| replacement by that of technology and computers. | | | | aware of the importance of reading. |
| Fewer and fewer people are familiar with the works | | | | Book awards are very useful not only for children, |
| of contemporary artists, with book awards. Perhaps | | | | but also for adults, because they focus on the best |
| these book awards do not mean much for common | | | | writings, fiction and non-fiction. Books are important |
| people, but for the writer who received this | | | | for various reasons: they introduce people to new |
| distinction, they represent the recognition of one's | | | | places and ideas, they enlarge one's vocabulary, and |
| writings, of one's lifetime work. In this manner, we | | | | they keep us informed. Moreover, books help us |
| thank those persons who managed to make us | | | | define who we are, what we want from life and |
| experience wonderful things, to visit new places, and | | | | how we must behave in certain situations. |
| to meet new people, by means of their books. | | | | It is very easy to obtain the summary of a book |
| The major book awards are Booker Prize, Caldecott | | | | from the Internet and it is even easier to scan that |
| Medal, Newbery Medal, and Nobel Prize for Literature, | | | | summary instead of reading a whole book. |
| Faulkner Award, Pulitzer Prize and the National Book | | | | Nevertheless, where is the pleasure in that? Can a |
| Award. The National Book Award takes place once a | | | | quick search on the internet replace books? We |
| year and it honors a variety of literary genres, both | | | | seriously doubt that, because books encapsulate not |
| fiction and nonfiction. Some book publishing groups | | | | only information, but also experiences and feelings |
| sponsored the first National Book Award on March | | | | and, most of all, they comprise different worlds. |
| 15, 1950. Besides the recognition of merits of some | | | | These books make us aware of all the possibilities |
| writers, the goal of this action was to increase the | | | | that we have at our disposal. For some of us, books |
| popularity of reading. | | | | represent a way of escaping real life even if only for |
| This is how the National Book Award became one of | | | | a few hours or minutes, a way of relaxing and |
| the most important literary prizes in the United | | | | forgetting about problems and about daily routine. For |
| States. Nowadays, this book award recognizes | | | | others, books represent a way of getting advice for |
| achievements in four major genres: fiction, | | | | a better life and for the daily problems. |