2019 JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD’S WINNING AUTHORS RETURN TO THE AWARD
Winning titles demonstrate the power of sharing stories to break down barriers and, for older children, explore fear-based violence against black men & boys and the possibilities of healing.
WINNER IN THE BOOKS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN CATEGORY.
The Day You Begin, written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López, and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, is the Winner in the Books for Younger Children category. The Day You Begin demonstrates the power of sharing stories to break down barriers and build community. The Selection Committee noted that “the lovely, lyrical lilt of Woodson’s unrhymed verse cradles young readers as they bear witness to explicit othering.”
Previous titles by Jacqueline Woodson:
WINNER IN THE BOOKS FOR OLDER CHILDREN CATEGORY.
Ghost Boys, written by Jewell Parker Rhodes and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette, is the Winner in the Books for Older Children category. Ghost Boys is a timely and haunting depiction of two African American boys who die before reaching manhood, victims of violence. Drawing on traditions that view ancestors as guides to the living, author Parker Rhodes imagines these dead boys as healers righting the wrongs of this world. This complex work of magical realism leaves readers wondering about what might have been if these ‘ghost boys’ and others had lived to adulthood. The book imagines a young Emmett Till as a guide to one of these boys and provides the reader with a context to understand the historical nature of the fear-based violence against black men and boys. Previous titles by Jewell Parker Rhodes:
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THESE CHILDREN’S BOOKS FEATURING ADOPTED OR FOSTER KIDS PROVE LOVE MAKES A FAMILY
Thankfully, there are many children’s books featuring adopted or foster kids that can teach both kids and adults how to have thoughtful conversations about adoption and foster homes, tackling subjects like grief, sadness, confusion, adaptation, and love.
Ahead, we’ve gathered ten books suitable for young children and teens centered around adoption and foster care that open up discussions and let kids know that they’re not alone in their feelings or experiences.
(Among the ten: The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson)
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GOOD NEWS IN THE DISTRICT
Lincoln High School will host the Northeast Philadelphia Schools’ third annual Family Reading Extravaganza, co-sponsored by the School District of Philadelphia, Scholastic and Children’s Literacy Initiative on May 2.
The event will feature Carmen Agra Deedy, a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing and traveling around the world telling stories for more than twenty years. Her books, including “14 Cows for America,” “The Library Dragon,” “The Yellow Star,” and “Martina the Beautiful Cockroach,” have received numerous awards and honors.
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100 ANNUAL CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK IN PHOTOS
Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan, authors of Watch Us Rise, discuss characters Jasmine and Chelsea and finding their voice, on the set of KidLit TV’s “Creator Corner” in New York City.
