Editorial-Offstage or Upstaged?

Awards for Children's books played center stage and offstage at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in San Francisco in June. Front and center was the banquet for the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder Awards, a gala affair with much fanfare paid to the winners, who gave provocative speeches.

But the theater was dark for the presentation of the Coretta Scott King (CSK) Awards, sponsored by the Social Responsibilities Round Table of ALA. The celebratory breakfast was cancelled by the CSK Task Force due to an unresolved labor dispute (not a strike) that resulted in a picket line at the headquarters' hotel, where the event had been under contract. Pressures from various sectors polarized and politicized the hugely popular event, which led to the last-minute cancellation. (See News )

When children's book awards become political pawns, the original purpose of recognizing excellence becomes upstaged by the players in the drama who push personal and partisan agendas. Their actions, albeit unintentionally, cast a pall over the awards ceremony, resulting in a lose-lose situation, instead of one of celebration, which it should have been.

The CSK Awards honor African-American authors and illustrators who have created books that promote an understanding and appreciation of black culture and experience. Given annually since 1970, the awards designate books that are outstanding, inspirational contributions to literature for children and young people. Nothing should diminish the merit of these awards or upstage the winners' moments of glory.

SLJ is proud to spotlight the winner of this year's CSK Author Award, Jacqueline Woodson (for Miracle's Boys ,Putnam), by publishing her acceptance speech . It is a tribute to the power of the written word and the miracle of the CSK Awards themselves. SLJ applauds all of the awardees and congratulates the CSK Awards for honoring, for more than 30 years, the universality of the black experience. Bravo.