Children’s Book Award winners at WLA Fall Conference

Don’t miss meeting the joint winners of the 2008 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award at WLA’s Annual Fall Conference this coming November! That’s exactly one month away!

Author George Shannon, formerly a children’s librarian in Eau Claire, and illustrator Laura Dronzek, a resident of Madison, combined their formidable talents to create Rabbit’s Gift: a Fable from China (Harcourt, 2007). Their book was selected this spring as the most distinguished work in literature for children published in the previous calendar year written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator –in this case, both! Based on a traditional Chinese tale about friendship and giving, the simple language and richly colored illustrations complement each other beautifully in a story that exudes kindness. With its winter setting, it fits snugly into holiday reading lists and book displays for families with young children.

George and Laura will be featured in a conference session on Thursday, November 6, from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. (in Salon F, according to the at-a-glance schedule found on WLA’s website). They will then be signing copies of their book in the Autograph Garden at 3:30 p.m.

Mention should also be made of the seven additional books recognized in 2008 for Outstanding Achievement by the Children’s Book Award committee. Three are novels: Circle the Truth by Pat Schmatz; Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth; and The Silenced by James DeVita. The remaining four, like Rabbit’s Gift, are picture books: Babies Can’t Eat Kimchee! by Susan Roth & Nancy Patz; The OK Book by Amy Krause, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld; The Perfect Nest by Catherine Friend, illustrated by John Manders; and Terrible Storm by Carol Otis Hurst, illustrated by S. D. Schindler. For more information about these seven titles, follow the Outstanding Books link on the YSS Children’s Book Awards page and click on 2008 at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/yss/BookAward/outstandinghome.htm#2008_Selections