Children’s Book Week Festivities
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 5/16/2008 10:33:00 AM
Brian Selznick, Jon Scieszka, and more than 200 authors, illustrators, and publishers gathered in New York this week to celebrate the 89th Children’s Book Week. The event, which was moved from November to May this year, unveiled two new awards: the Children’s Choice Book Award and the Impact Award.
The Impact Award, which honors an individual whose actions or programs have significantly promoted the joy of reading and the love of books, went to Al Roker for his book club for kids. The program, which originally appeared on NBC’s Today Show during the summer months, now appears year-round.
The award was presented to Roker by 2008 Caldecott Medal-winner, Brian Selznick, who called Roker “The Oprah of children’s books”.
The Children’s Choice Book Award was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about books written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read. Children across the country voted for their favorite books, author, and illustrator at bookstores, school libraries, and online. There were more than 55,000 votes received for 25 nominees in five categories.
The winners are:
Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year
Frankie Stein (Marshall Cavendish) by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Kevan Atteberry
Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year
Big Cats (Enslow) by Elaine Landau
Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year
Encyclopedia Horrifica (Scholastic) by Joshua Gee
Illustrator of the Year Award
Ian Falconer for Olivia Helps with Christmas (S & S)
Author of the Year Award
J.K. Rowling for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Scholastic)
