Announcements Finalist Books for the 2009 Extensive Reading Foundation Language Learner Literature Award Announced The 14 finalist books for the 2009 Extensive Reading Foundation Language Learner Literature Award were announced at the IATEFL Conference in Cardiff at the beginning of April. Being selected as a finalist was a greater feat than ever before as a record number of graded readers published in 2008 had been nominated by publishers in five categories: Young Learners, and four Adolescent and Adult categories (Beginner, Elementary, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, & Advanced). The big winner this year was Oxford University Press, with 5 finalists chosen. The attention of the Award jury was caught by two OUP reader series. The new Oxford Bookworms Library World Stories gathered no less than three finalists: Cries from the Heart: Stories from Around the World retold by Jennifer Bassett; Dancing with Strangers: Stories from Africa retold by Clare West; Land of my Childhood: Stories from South Asia also retold by West. For the latter book, the jury noted that "the touching, engaging stories open up other worlds while making you think more about your own." OUP's perennial Classic Tales for young learners received two finalist nods for Amrita and the Trees ("A compelling, realistic story, nicely balancing learner-friendly text with attractive artwork") and Big Baby Finn, both written by Sue Arengo. Cambridge University Press and ILTS/Hueber had three finalists apiece, and all were original stories. Cambridge English Readers were recognised for Why? by Philip Prowse, One Day by Helen Naylor, and Nelson's Dream by J. M. Newsome. The jury called Why? "pioneering" for dealing with serious issues "in excellent prose, understandable for beginners." ILTS (International Language Teaching Services) repeated its surprising success in last year's Award. Three titles available under the Hueber Lektüren imprint were chosen, with the jury especially noting their exciting, page-turning qualities: Planespotting by James Bean, Road to Nowhere by Pauline O'Carolan and The Art Show by Paula Smith. ("The kind of simple, fast-moving story that will make our students want to read more books.") Three other publishers had one finalist each: Heinle's Farley the Red Panda in the Footprint Reading Library series, Black Cat Easyreads The Story of Coffee by Jennifer Gascoigne ("A fact-filled, well-illustrated book with a stylish magazine-like format"), and Macmillan Readers' White Fang retold by Rachel Bladon, chosen because it shows just how good an adaptation can be. "Jack London's gripping story remains gripping," noted the jury, "and the technical skill of structural and lexical control is first class." All finalist books are available for online order from the independent Cambridge International Book Centre www.eflbooks.co.uk/reader_finalists.php Through July, teachers and students can vote for their favourite books on the ERF website www.erfoundation.org The ERF jury will then choose the 5 winning books, taking into account public votes and comments, to be announced on the ERF site on August 31, 2009, followed by Award presentations at language teaching conferences worldwide. (Note: No member of the Extensive Reading Foundation jury may judge an Award category in which books they wrote or edited were nominated.) The Extensive Reading Foundation 2008 LANGUAGE LEARNER LITERATURE AWARD WINNERS The Extensive Reading Foundation (ERF), an unaffiliated, not-for profit organization that supports and promotes extensive reading in language education, takes pleasure in announcing the winners of the 5th Annual Language Learner Literature Award for books published in 2007.  An international jury chose the winning book in four categories, taking into account the Internet votes and comments of students and teachers around the world. Young Learners: Winner Dorothy by Paola Traverso. Illustrated by Alida Massari. Earlyreads Level 1 (Black Cat Publishing). ISBN: 9788853007094 In choosing this book, the jury noted the captivating quality of this dreamlike fantasy. Voters commented, "intelligent and beautiful" (Italy); "a great and lovely book. I get lost in the illustrations" (Belgium). Adolescents and Adults--Beginners: Winner Horror Trip on the Pecos River by Paul Davenport. Illustrations by Niels Roland. Teen Readers Level 2 (Egmont Easy Readers Aschehoug/Alinea). ISBN: 9780850484007 Author Paul Davenport was a 2007 Language Learner Literature Award finalist, and this year takes the prize with a thriller that the jury found engaging and fun. Voters commented, "a very good story that is easy and fun to read" (Denmark); "Great plot" (Taiwan). Adolescents and Adults--Intermediate: Winner Billy Elliot by Melvin Burgess. Retold by Karen Holmes. Penguin Readers Level 3 (Pearson Longman). ISBN: 9781405850001 The jury noted the sensitive handling of strong adult themes in this story. Voters commented, "It leaves a deep impression" (Canada); "I felt that we must strive for our dreams" (Japan). Adolescents and Adults--Advanced: Winner Body on the Rocks by Denise Kirby. Illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. Hueber Lektüren Level 6 (Hueber Verlag). ISBN: 9783192029714 A story you can't put down, spiced by an exotic locale and varied characters, noted the jury. Voters commented, "I couldn't stop reading" (Korea); "so thrilling and suspenseful. Thumbs up for this book" (Malaysia). In addition to the winners, the following books were selected as the shortlisted "finalists" in each category: Young Learners: Finalists Escape from the Fire by Richard Brown. Illustrated by Mike Spoor. Macmillan English Explorers 3 (Macmillan Education). ISBN: 9781405060189 The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen. Retold by Sue Arengo. Illustrated by Andy Catling. Classic Tales Beginner 1 (Oxford University Press). ISBN: 9780194225526 Adolescents and Adults—Beginners: Finalists Grizzly by Sue Murray. Illustrated by Sarah Davis. Hueber Lektüren Level 1 (Hueber Verlag). ISBN 9783190029716 Tim Burton’s The Nightmare before Christmas by Daphne Skinner. Retold by Coleen Degnan-Veness. Artwork by Mikel Santos ‘Belatz’ and Javier Gomez. Penguin Active Reading Level 2 (Pearson Longman). ISBN: 9781405852104 Adolescents and Adults—Intermediate: Finalists River of Dreams by Philip Voysey. Illustrated by Elizabeth Botté. Hueber Lektüren Level 5 (Hueber Verlag). ISBN: 9783191229719 Stories for Reading Circles Retold by Margaret Naudi et al. Bookworms Club Gold Stages 3 & 4 (Oxford University Press). ISBN: 978 0 1947 2002 1 Adolescents and Adults—Advanced: Finalist How's the Weather? Contributing writers: Colleen Sheils, John Chapman. Production and Design Services: Studio Montage. Footprint Reading Library Upper Intermediate (Cengage). ISBN: 97814240112 6 Ripley's Game by Patricia Highsmith. Retold by Kathy Burke. Penguin Readers Level 5 (Pearson Longman). ISBN: 9781405850025 The winning books and shortlisted finalists are available for online purchase at the Cambridge International Book Centre: www.eflbooks.co.uk/reader_finalists.php The ERF thanks the publishers who nominated books, the members of the Award Jury, and all those who voted in this year's Award. The nomination and voting procedures for the 2009 Language Learner Literature Award will be posted on the ERF website (www.erfoundation.org) later this year. Language Learning and Technology We would like to invite you to check out RFL's sister journal, Language Learning & Technology, which seeks to disseminate research to foreign and second language educators in the US and around the world on issues related to technology and language education. LLT is currently published three times per year (January, May, September). LLT is available free of charge to all readers and subscribers. Both RFL and LLT are sponsored by the NFLRC at the University of Hawai‘i. 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