WLA Burr Worzalla Children's Book Awards Announced

From the Wisconsin Library Association: 

WLA Announces 2024 Children's Book Awards

 

The Children’s Book Awards and the Literary Awards Committees of the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) have announced the recipients of their annual awards for 2024.   Many thanks to both committees for the many hours they spent reading to arrive upon these great lists of titles and authors. The time and expertise you shared is much appreciated! 

 

Children's Book Awards

The Children’s Book Awards recognize outstanding books for youth by Wisconsin-connected authors and illustrators. This year’s recipients are:

• The Elizabeth Burr/Sheridan Worzalla Award to What Happened to Rachel Riley by Claire Swinarski.  Named for notable Wisconsin librarian Elizabeth Burr (1908-1996) and made possible by Sheridan Worzalla, this annual award is bestowed upon the most distinguished work in children’s and young adult literature written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator.
•  The Wisconsin Notable Children's Author/Illustrator Award to author Miranda Paul.  This annual award honors Wisconsin authors, past and present, for their literary contributions.

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski 

Anna Hunt is an eighth grader and is the “new kid” at East Middle School. She is into podcasts, and she has stumbled on to a mystery within the school walls. Last year the most popular girl was Rachel Riley, but this year she is not. Anna decides to investigate interviewing various classmates including Rachel herself. Rachel was blamed for a barn fire from the year before, but Anna believes that Rachel didn’t do it. Anna follows the evidence, and the story is told through notes, emails, texts, voice recordings, and Anna’s podcast episodes. This all leads to a mysterious website created by some of the boys at school. Anna finds the truth elusive but follows her instincts to the surprising conclusion. Primarily a middle-grade mystery that shines an important light on peer pressure, the power of silence, body image, and harassment.

About the Author

Claire Swinarski is the author of multiple books for both kids and adults. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Seventeen, Milwaukee Magazine, and many other publications. She lives in small town Wisconsin with her husband and three kids, where she writes books, wears babies, and wrangles bread dough. You can follow her on Instagram @claireswinarski.

 Honor Titles

Ten noteworthy honor titles written and/or illustrated by Wisconsin book creators were selected for Outstanding Achievement Award in children’s literature:

• How to Catch a Polar Bear - Stacy DeKeyser
• The Wishing Machine - Jonathan Hillman
• Dogs: A History of Our Best Friends - Lita Judge
• How Mr. Silver Stole the Show - Kate Klise & M. Sarah Klise
• Starlings - Amanda Linsmeier
• Team Meena - Karla Manternach
• Full Moon Pups - Liz Garton Scanlon
• Always the Almost - Edward Underhill
• What Rosa Brought – Eliza Wheeler (illustrator)
• The Cartographers - Amy Zhang

Notable Wisconsin Author - Miranda Paul
Miranda Paul is an award-winning children’s author of One Plastic Bag and Water is Water, both named Junior Library Guild selections. 365: How to Count Your Year, released in September 2023, was named a CCBC Choices pick. In 2020, the CBAC recognized her and her husband’s book, I am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon as one of its Outstanding Books of the year.

Her titles have received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly in addition to being named to several recommended and “best of” reading lists.  10 Little Ninjas also was named an Amazon Best Book of the Month (August 2016).

Miranda makes regular appearances at schools, libraries, and bookstores, and has been a guest presenter at the Library of Congress Young Readers Center along with environmental activist Isatou Ceesay. Miranda also serves as Mentorship chair for We Need Diverse Books™ (www.diversebooks.org), volunteers for Books for Africa, and is a regional advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers (Wisconsin Chapter). She believes in working hard, having fun, and being kind. Learn more about her current and forthcoming titles at www.mirandapaul.com.

You can read the full information with press releases here at the WLA  Children's Book Award page at the WLA website

COMMITTEE MEMBERS | 2024

Chair - Murray Johnson

Hanna Collins, Youth Services Librarian, Slinger Community Library
Dawn Tevis, Youth Services Coordinator, La Crosse County Library 
Katrina Wulff, Youth Services Manager, Neenah Public Library
Ann Vickman, Portage Public Library
Sarah French, Irvin L Young Memorial Library

You can read more about this committee's work here at the WLA website.