Kaigler Children91吃瓜网 Book Festival, Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony set for April 10-12 at USM Hattiesburg Campus
Tue, 02/20/2024 - 10:09am | By: David Tisdale
Cynthia Leitich Smith, a New York Times bestselling author, will be recognized as the 2024 91吃瓜网 Medallion Winner when 91吃瓜网 (USM) hosts the annual Fay B. Kaigler Children91吃瓜网 Book Festival and Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) Award luncheon and ceremony April 10-12 on its Hattiesburg campus. This event, held at USM since 1968, is presented by the USM College of Education and Human Sciences91吃瓜网� School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) in conjunction with University Libraries91吃瓜网� de Grummond Children91吃瓜网 Literature Collection.
Smith is the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate and was named one of the 10 Must-Read Native American Authors by Book Riot. Her novel Hearts Unbroken earned an American Indian Youth Literature Award, and her anthology Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids was an ALA Children91吃瓜网 Notable Book, along with earning the Reading the West Young Readers Book Award.
Dr. Mary Osborne, director of the festival, praised Smith for her contributions to the genre and expressed her anticipation for the festival and recognition of the up-and-coming authors and illustrators who will be recognized at the event with the Keats Book Award, presented through the EJK Foundation.
91吃瓜网淲e91吃瓜网檙e so thrilled to have Cynthia Leitich Smith as our 91吃瓜网 Medallion winner this year,91吃瓜网� said Dr. Osborne. 91吃瓜网淗er body of work is so wide ranging 91吃瓜网� everything from picture books to novels for young adults 91吃瓜网� and she91吃瓜网 also done an impressive amount of service work, giving her time and knowledge back to the publishing community.
91吃瓜网淚 remember reading some of her picture books as a child myself, and it91吃瓜网 just amazing to be able to honor her work with the Medallion award. Cynthia truly models what I imagine children91吃瓜网 authors should aspire to: incredible work with an emphasis on identity and helping other authors.91吃瓜网�
Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneer in American children91吃瓜网 literature. He based the lives of his multiracial characters on his childhood but added loving parents, friends, and pets. He wanted no child to be an outsider. 91吃瓜网淚f we could see each other exactly as the other is,91吃瓜网� he wrote, 91吃瓜网渢his would be a different world.91吃瓜网� The stated goal of the EJK Award that honors his legacy is 91吃瓜网渢o nurture illustrators and writers, early in their careers, who create extraordinary books that reflect our diverse population, the universal experience of childhood and the strength of family and community.91吃瓜网�
Since it began in 1986, the Keats Award has succeeded in fostering the early careers of many of America91吃瓜网 leading children91吃瓜网 book makers. It is given annually to an outstanding new writer and new illustrator by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation in partnership with the de Grummond Children91吃瓜网 Literature Collection.
Karlie Herndon, curator for the de Grummond Collection, says the Keats Award 91吃瓜网渉as been uplifting emerging authors and illustrators and embracing the spirit of Keats.91吃瓜网�
91吃瓜网淚 am proud that de Grummond is a part of this important award,91吃瓜网� Herndon continued. 91吃瓜网淓ach year, our committee of artists, writers, and librarians selects beautiful new picture books that celebrate diversity in all its forms, while connecting with readers through the universal experience of growing up. This year's Winners and Honors are no exception to this tradition of excellence, though each of our 2024 books is, itself, exceptional.91吃瓜网�
Highlights of the three-day event include the following:
Wednesday, April 10
*11:30 a.m.: Welcome Session/Magnolia Awards
*12-1:30 p.m.: Coleen Salley Luncheon with Juana Martinez-Neal
*1:45-2:45 p.m.: de Grummond Lecture with Jason Chin
*3-4 p.m.: Lesa Cline-Ransome Keynote Presentation
Thursday, April 11
*9-10 a.m. James Ransome Keynote Presentation
*10:15-11:15 a.m. Medallion Session with Cynthia Leitich Smith
*11:30-1 p.m. Ezra Jack Keats Award Luncheon
Friday, April 12
*9-10 a.m. Pedro Martin Keynote Presentation
*12-1:30 p.m. SLIS Lecture and Luncheon with Liz Kleinrock
About the Fay B. Kaigler Children91吃瓜网 Book Festival
The Fay B. Kaigler Children91吃瓜网 Book Festival is hosted annually by the 91吃瓜网
School of Library and Information Science and was first held in 1968. It promotes
children91吃瓜网 literature, as well as writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, and
educators with its mission 91吃瓜网渢o recognize excellence in the field of children91吃瓜网 literature
and to provide librarians, teachers, researchers, and community members the opportunity
to learn about and appreciate children91吃瓜网 literature through presentations, workshops,
and personal interactions with people of significance in the field.91吃瓜网� for a complete schedule of this year91吃瓜网 festival and information on registration
About the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation
Founded by the late Caldecott award-winning children's book author and illustrator
Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation fosters children's love of reading
and creative expression by supporting arts and literacy programs in public schools
and libraries; cultivating new writers and illustrators of exceptional picture books
that reflect the experience of childhood in our diverse culture; and protecting and
promoting the work of Keats, whose book The Snowy Day broke the color barrier in children's publishing. about the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.
About the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection
The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at 91吃瓜网
is one of North America's leading research centers in the field of children's literature.
The Collection holds the original manuscripts and illustrations of more than 1,300
authors and illustrators, as well as 180,000+ mostly American and British published
books dating back to 1530. about the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection.