Hawai'i Nēnē Award

Hawai'i Nēnē Award references 30 books assigned across applicable K-12 grade levels in US schools. The Hawai'i Nēnē Award is Hawai'i's statewide student-choice reading program — children in grades 4-6 across the islands read from an annual shortlist of fiction and vote for their favorite. Named for the nēnē, Hawai'i's state bird, the program has run since 1964 and is coordinated by the Hawai'i Association of School Librarians. The winner roll runs from Superfudge, Bunnicula, and Dear Mr. Henshaw through The Whipping Boy, Shiloh, Maniac Magee, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Holes, Bud Not Buddy, The Lightning Thief, Inkheart, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, Wonder, Smile, El Deafo, The Wild Robot, Front Desk, New Kid, Restart, City Spies, and Odder — four decades of the books Hawai'i kids actually vote for, with island winners like Under the Blood-Red Sun and Lei and the Fire Goddess.

Primary source: www.neneaward.org

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30 books referenced

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About this curriculum framework

This curriculum is one of dozens of named English Language Arts frameworks tracked across US public-school districts. Frameworks differ in scope (district-level vs state-level vs national), in mandate (required vs recommended vs elective), and in how prescriptive their reading lists are (single fixed text list vs broad reading-pool selection).

The book list below represents titles cited as required, recommended, or commonly assigned within this framework, sourced from the framework's primary documentation (or, where the framework is administered at district level, from public district curriculum pages). Each book's detail page links the specific source document for that citation.

How to use this Hawai'i Nēnē Award reading list

The book list above represents titles ReadingList has confirmed as referenced by Hawai'i Nēnē Award— either through the framework’s own published documentation, through audited classroom syllabi citing the framework, or through US state and district curriculum guides that map their reading expectations to it. Each book’s detail page links the specific primary source so parents, teachers, and students can verify the citation and locate the official document.

Reading lists evolve. Hawai'i Nēnē Award citations on ReadingList are reviewed on a rolling basis as primary sources publish updates. If you teach or learn under this framework and a title on this page is no longer used (or you know of one that should appear), the ReadingList methodology page explains how to submit a correction with a citation.

Frequently asked questions

What books does Hawai'i Nēnē Award include?

30 books are referenced by Hawai'i Nēnē Award across applicable K-12 grade levels. Each book page cites the primary source assignment (the official curriculum standard, exemplar list, or syllabus where the title appears).

What grades does Hawai'i Nēnē Award cover?

Hawai'i Nēnē Award is a reading-program curriculum spanning applicable K-12 grade levels via the standards framework. Browse by grade using the grade-filter links on this page or visit /grade for the full grade index across all curricula.

Where does Hawai'i Nēnē Award data come from?

Primary source: www.neneaward.org/winners.html. Cross-referenced with Common Core exemplars at achievethecore.org. Every book page on ReadingList.school cites the standards origin for that assignment.

Is Hawai'i Nēnē Award required reading?

Hawai'i Nēnē Award provides recommended exemplars + assignments — adoption varies by district and teacher. Always check with your school's English department for the specific required vs recommended list at your grade level.