Kids’ votes count for books

Author Rick Riordan

Stephenie Meyer might be mom's favorite author. But it's children who have the last word in the Children's Choice Book Awards and they picked Rick Riordan, as the author of the year, Monday night.

The Children's Choice Book Awards Gala in New York City was hosted by the Children's Book Council and represented the votes of 524,000 young readers. Riordan was honored for his adventure book, “The Lost Hero” (Hyperion). David Wiesner won illustrator of the year for "Art and Max" (Clarion Books).

"I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want-a

fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises,

and mystery," said a statement by Riordan, who also won top honors in the best fifth- to sixth-grade category. "A good book always keeps you asking questions and makes you keep turning pages so you can find out the answers."

Best known for his "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series, Riordan joked that his son, noting the competition, which included Suzanne Collins ("The Hunger Games") and Jeff Kinney ("The Diary of a Wimpy Kid"), had told him not to worry about preparing an acceptance speech, according to a USA Today report. All of the nominees for author of the year along attended the fan-friendly event, which hands out laurels but not loot.

"It's relaxing. There's not any pressure," said Kinney, while cheerfully signing the pocket-sized autograph books handed out to the attendees. "It's just a lot of fun."

The fourth annual Children's Choice Book Awards Gala kicks off Children's Book Week (May 2-8), which is the oldest national literary event in the U.S. 

Listed below are the other winners announced Monday night:

Kindergarten to Second Grade 

Book of the Year

"Little Pink Pup" by Johanna Kerby (Putnam/Penguin)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade 

Book of the Year

"Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown" by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year

"The Red Pyramid" by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion)

Teen Choice Book of the Year

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan (Dutton/Penguin)

TODAY'S MUSE

Children want to do what grownups do. Children should learn that reading is pleasure, not just something that teachers make you do in school -- Beverly Cleary.