Get Lit! was also asked to participate in judging for the first Page Ahead Book Award. The categories were picture books in nonfiction, read-aloud, and multicultural. I learned about snowflakes and the boy who actually invented television and discovered many great titles to add to my collection. Each one had something to offer, so it was hard to choose the winners. Below is an insider's look at our book discussion by guest blogger Cecilia Goodnow.
"Does anyone have any thoughts about the next category?" Susan Waller, development coordinator for the Page Ahead, scanned the faces of the judges ranged around the conference table high above downtown Seattle. We were there to select the winners of Page Ahead's Best Books for Kids, the literacy group's inaugural children's book contest.
I bit. With the confidence of conviction, I pulled my favorite multicultural book from the stack of nominees and argued its merits.
"Clearly," I concluded, "this is the standout title in the category."
A head nodded, and I prepared to take a victory lap. But then another judge spoke up:
"I hated that book."
"I did, too," said another.
Huh?
It was a graphic demonstration of what we all know in the abstract -- that reading tastes are highly personal and individualistic. They also can be quite passionate, as we learned from fellow judge Cecilia McGowen, head children's librarian of the King County Library System. McGowen, who has served on other awards committees, said tears and angry words can spill out in the heat of rhetorical battle. She even heard of one disagreement that was punctuated by a slap.
Fortunately, we were a congenial and collegial group, and we had a lot of fun this afternoon discussing the pros and cons of the titles under consideration. It went kind of like this:
Judge A: "I'm sorry none of your favorites was chosen. I don't want you to feel your opinion isn't being heard."
Judge B: (chuckling) "That's okay. It's not about me."
In addition to McGowen and yours truly, the "deciders" included Rene Kirkpatrick, former buyer at All for Kids and now a buyer at Third Place Books; Stephanie Dunnewind, who reviews kids' books for The Seattle Times, and (via speakerphone from Spokane) Dani Ringwald of Get Lit! Programs, which sponsors an annual literary festival. Waller and Jacki Crowther, Page Ahead's book program manager, rounded out the selection committee.
The scene was a 48th-floor conference room inside the Washington Mutual Tower, in the sprawling offices of Perkins Coie, the Northwest's oldest and largest law firm. We had a great view of the misty city and kept ourselves stoked with a tempting array of snacks from Trader Joe's, so it was well nigh impossible to be cranky about anything. And it was all for a good cause.
Page Ahead launched the contest, which is planned as an annual event, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its literacy outreach. Since 1990 the organization has donated some 2 million new books to more than 600,000 low-income and at-risk children. Through its Family Involvement Program, it works to encourage parents to read aloud to their children. In fact, Read-Aloud was one of the categories in this year's contest, along with Nonfiction and Multicultural titles.
Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in late April, so I can't divulge the outcome of our vote, but I can share the list of nominees. Feel free to jump in with your opinions, pro or con, on the titles we considered.
Nonfiction
Butterflies and Moths, by Nic Bishop
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, by Brian Floca
The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth, by Kathleen Krull
The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder, by Mark Cassino
Boy, Were We Wrong About the Solar System! by Kathleen V. Kudlinski
Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Maybe a Bear Ate It! by Robie Harris
Thunder-Boomer! by Shutta Crum
The Three Little Tamales, by Eric A. Kimmel
One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, by Katie Smith Milway
14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy
The Beckoning Cat, by Koko Nishizuka
Our Children Can Soar, by Michelle Cook
Book Fiesta! by Pat Mora
Cecelia Goodnow has been writing about children's books for two decades, initially as a reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Her newspaper career has led her to many topics, including education, politics, lifestyle trends, health and pop culture, but some of her most rewarding stories have been about the world of children's books, whose talented creators too often go unsung. Read more about news, reviews, and dialog about books for children and teens from the Cover to Cover blog here.
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