The Sunshine State Young Readers Award Program (SSYRA) is a statewide reading motivational program for students in grades 3 through 8. The purpose of the SSYRA program is to encourage students to read independently for pleasure and to read books that are on, above, and below their reading level in order to improve their reading fluency. Sunshine State books are selected for their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections, and multicultural representation. The SSYRA committee is comprised of 20 qualified media specialists located throughout the state of Florida, subdivided into two committees–Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-8.
The nominees for the 2024-25 school year are:
The mission of the SSYRA Jr. program (Grades K-2) is to develop student interest in reading for pleasure by exposing them to a wide range of appropriate literature. Sunshine State Jr. books are selected for their wide appeal, literary value, varied genres, curriculum connections, and/or multicultural representation. Students are encouraged to listen to these books read to them, read them in a small group setting, or read independently to develop skills in fluency and comprehension.
The nominees for the 2024-25 school year are: