Bella and Edward Win “Best Lip Lock” at the First Canada Teen Read Awards

Legions of passionate teenage readers came together in Toronto on September 25th, 2010 to celebrate their favourite authors and books at Indigo Books & Music's first Teen Read Awards. Whether rooting for the "Best Hero" or "Best Lip Lock", teens fervently cast over 334,000 votes at www.teenreadawards.ca and more than 500 excited fans attended the Awards ceremony hosted by Dan Levy and Jessi Cruickshank to witness the winner announcements. The Awards stage welcomed winning authors and entertaining talent including hip hop dance pack Mayhem's Finest, pop sensations Alex Lacasse and Alyssa Reid, and very special guest and Hannah Montana co-star, Emily Osment, to round out the truly memorable evening.

Competition for the most votes was tight within the categories and after 12 weeks of intense online voting at teenreadawards.ca, teen book lovers' top choices are finally revealed:

    1st Annual Teen Read Awards Winners
    -----------------------------------

    -   Best New Writer - Fallen, Kate Lauren
    -   Best Teen Series - Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead
    -   Best Lip Lock - Bella & Edward from Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer
    -   Best Hottie - Jace Waylaynd from Mortal Instruments: City of Glass,
        Cassandra Clare
    -   Best Book-to-Flick, sponsored by Cineplex - Harry Potter & the Half-
        Blood Prince, JK Rowling
    -   Best Hero, sponsored by Indigo Love of Reading Foundation - Percy
        Jackson from The Last Olympian, Rick Riordan
    -   Best Villain - Alice Milthorpe from Prophecy of the Sisters, Michelle
        Zink
    -   Best All Time Fave - Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling
    -   Best Canadian Read - The Reckoning, Kelley Armstrong
    -   Best Read - Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

"As some of our most passionate customers, thousands of teens across the country made their voices heard, and voted everyday, while hundreds more lined up for hours to get their spot at this event" said Trevor Dayton, VP Kids and Entertainment, Indigo Books & Music Inc.. "We're blown away by the excitement and enthusiasm Canadian teens have shown in this celebration of teen reading and books."

The enthusiasm and excitement was also shared by the winning authors, including J.K. Rowling, author of Best All Time Fave winner Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows and Best Book-to-Flick winner Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince.

"Wow. I've just received the news that the Harry Potter books received forty thousand votes in the Indigo Teen Read Awards! And won in two categories! And what is more, the awards went to my two favourite books in the series," said award winner J.K. Rowling. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everybody who voted. I'm thrilled, honoured and humbled to receive the awards, especially from Canada, where I have spent many happy hours with some of Harry's most devoted and knowledgeable fans. ... "

The tremendous voter response and attendance to the first Teen Read Awards confirms that the jump in popularity of teen literature is a phenomenon set to continue. Over the last five years, the category's sales at Indigo and Chapters have increased by 150%. The Teen Read Awards program encouraged teens to share their enthusiasm for reading, support their favourite books and authors while connecting with other fans across the country.

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