The Joy of Children's Literature

The 2014 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for promoting and recognizing excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children goes to: A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin written by Jennifer Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet (click here to find the book at your local library).  Honors go to: Locomotive by Brian Floca The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos by Deborah Heiligman, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Melissa Sweet Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore   Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Ston The 2014 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award , recognizing authors, illustrators, and publishers of high quality fictional and biographical children, intermediate, and young adult books that appropriately portray individuals with deve

The Scott O'Dell Award for historical fiction goes to Bo at Ballard Creek written by Kirkpatrick Hill and illustrated by LeUyen Pham (find it at your local library here ). The Charlotte Zolotow Award for best picture book text goes to The Dark written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Jon Klassen (find it at your local library here ). Congratulations to these authors and illustrators!

World Read Aloud Day and Virtual Author Visits Imagine a world where everyone can read... This statement is the campaign call to action by LitWorld, a non-profit literacy organization and sponsor of World Read Aloud Day . Celebrated the first Wednesday of March, World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) advocates for worldwide attention to the human right of literacy and importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.   From the website: World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology. By raising our voices together on this day we show the world’s children that we support their future: that they have the right to read