NEW BOOKS📚

TREASURE STATE AWARD NOMINEES 2026

About the Treasure State Award

Carole Monlux, Missoula County Schools Librarian, and Bette Ammon, Missoula Public Library (now Director of the Coeur D'Alene Public Library), established Montana's picture book award, The Treasure State Award, in 1990. They wanted an award program for younger children because for over 50 years, students in grades fourth through eighth have been participating in the Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award. Their purpose was and continues to be to foster reading for pleasure, encourage critical reading skills, and expose readers and listeners to a variety of authors and illustrators.

• The k-5 students at Parkview wait for this all year!  It is the first thing they ask about when we begin school.  We usually begin in January, continuing through February.   Kindergarten through 2nd grade usually start later than the bigger kiddos, because we learn about Caldecott and Newbery Awards.  These awards, along with other American Library Association Awards are awarded the last Monday in January.  So, yeah, Mrs. Bockting and I are kinda Book Nerding out, as we tell the kiddos!