The Sunshine State Young Readers Award (SSYRA) Program is a statewide reading motivational program for students in grades K through 8, sponsored by the Florida Department of Education (DOE) and Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME). The purpose of the SSYRA Program is to encourage students to read independently for pleasure and to read books that are on, above, and below their reading level in order to improve their reading fluency. Sunshine State books are selected for their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections, and/or multicultural representation. The SSYRA committee is comprised of 20 qualified school librarians located throughout the state of Florida.
For more information on the Sunshine State Young Readers Awards, click here.

Sunshine State Young Readers Junior Award Books
2023-2024 

Picture Books

The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett

Knight Owl by Denise Christopher

A Mouthful of Minnows by John Hare

Bug on the Rug by Sophia Gholz

Maybe…by Chris Haughton

Tomatoes in my Lunchbox by Costantia Manoli

Not That Pet by Smriti Prasadam-Hall

When Glitter Met Glue by Karen Kilpatrick

Big Truck, Little Island by Chris Van Dusen

Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie

Doggo and Pupper by Katherine Applegate

Cornbread and Poppy by Matthew Cordell

 

 

Independent Readers

Beak and Ally: Unlikely Friends by Norm Feuti

Sir Ladybug by Corey Tabor

Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy Rory and the Magical Mix-Ups by K. George

Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books
2023-2024 List for Grades 3-5

The Area 51 Files by Julie Buxbaum

Bedhead Ted by Scott SanGiacomo

Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek

The Curse on Spectacle Key by Chantel Acevedo

Glitch by Laura Martin

Good Dogs on a Bad Day by Rachel Wenitsky and David Sidorov

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn

Fright Nights: The Haunted Mustach by Jo McGee

Odder by Katherine Applegate

The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Strangeville School is Totally Normal by Darcy Miller

Stuck by Jennifer Swender

Swim Team by Johnie Christmas

Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books
2023-2024 List for Grades 6-8

96 Miles by J. L. Esplin

Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman

A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

Escape by K. R. Alexander

Hush-A-Bye by Jody Lee Mott

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Linked by Gordon Korman

Long Lost by Jacqueline West

The Monster Missions by Laura Martin

Scout is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman

Treasure Tracks by S. A. Rodriguez

Valentina Salazar is NOT a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Cordova

Wayward Creatures by Dayna Lorentz

Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao