Virginia Readers' Choice

Bluestone Middle School is proud to announce that Bailey Lyles, eighth grader, is the first student this year to read all ten Virginia Readers’ Choice books. Bailey has been the first to reach this milestone for the last two years also, so BMS is proud of Bailey's commitment to the VRC program.

Each year, the Virginia State Reading Association sponsors Virginia Readers’ Choice where ten books are selected for each of the following levels: Primary, Elementary, Middle School, and High School.

The specific purpose of the Virginia Readers’ Choice Program is to encourage young readers to become better acquainted with contemporary books with outstanding literary appeal, to broaden students' awareness of literature as a life-long pleasure, to encourage reading aloud in classrooms as a means of introducing reading for pleasure, and to honor favorite books and their authors. To be eligible for selection, a book must be recognized as noteworthy in the field of children/young adult literature, published within five years prior to the ballot on which it appears, and appropriate for the level for which it is nominated. Books are selected by the Virginia State Reading Association based on literary merit.

The goal of the Readers’ Choice Program is for each child to read at least four books from the nominated list of ten. Then, the reader is eligible to vote for a favorite book. Voting deadline for this school year is April 15. Each school is responsible for its voting procedures and for submitting the totals to the State Reading Association.