Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Pedro Martín and Ari Tison win Pura Belpré Awards

BALTIMORE — Pedro Martín, illustrator and author of “Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir,” and Ari Tison, author of “Saints of the Household,” are the 2024 recipients of the Pura Belpré Youth Illustrator Award, Children’s Author Award and Young Adult Author Award, honoring Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books. The awards were announced today during the American Library Association’s (ALA) LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, held Jan. 19–22 in Baltimore.

2024 Batchelder Award honors ‘Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore’

BALTIMORE — The 2024 Mildred L. Batchelder Award honored “Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore,” published by Amulet, an imprint of Abrams. The award was announced today by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), at ALA's LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, held Jan. 19–22 in Baltimore.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (PA) will host Rita Williams-Garcia on April 17 for the 2024 Children’s Literature Lecture

CHICAGO - The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is pleased to announce that the 2024 Children’s Literature Lecture, featuring Rita Williams-Garcia, will be hosted by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

Poudre River Public Library District Receives 2023 Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award

CHICAGO - The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced that the Poudre River Public Library District is the recipient of the 2023 Maureen Hayes Author/Illustrator Award. Established with funding from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, in honor of Maureen Hayes, this award provides up to $4,000 to an ALSC member’s library to fund a visit from an author/illustrator to speak with children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to hear from a nationally known author/illustrator. 

ALSC Supports 2023 Bound to Stay Bound, Melcher Scholarships

CHICAGO – The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has awarded a total of 6 students the Bound to Stay Bound and Melcher Scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Kenosha Public Library Receives 2023 ALSC/Candlewick Press Light the Way Grant

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has announced that the Kenosha Public Library is the recipient of the 2023 ALSC/Candlewick Press Light the Way Grant. As the recipient of the grant, the library will receive $3,000 to expand its impactful KPL Family Night outreach program and to establish library collections at local emergency shelters.

Drake Community Library Awarded 2023 Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant

CHICAGO — The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has awarded the 2023 ALSC/Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant to Drake Community Library in Grinnell, Iowa.

Robert Bittner elected ALSC vice-president/president-elect

Robert Bittner, independent consultant and educator, Langley, British Columbia (BC), has been elected vice president/president-elect of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). He will become president-elect in July 2023 and assume the presidency in July 2024.

Amina Luqman-Dawson, Doug Salati win Newbery, Caldecott Medals

NEW ORLEANS — Amina Luqman-Dawson, author of  “Freewater,” and Doug Salati, illustrator of “Hot Dog,” are the 2023 recipients of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott Medals, the most prestigious awards in children’s literature.

James E. Ransome wins 2023 Children’s Literature Legacy Award

NEW ORLEANS – James E. Ransome, illustrator and author is the winner of the 2023 Children’s Literature Legacy Award honoring an author or illustrator, published in the United States, whose books have made a significant and lasting contribution to literature for children. His numerous works include “The Bell Rang” (Atheneum, 2019), “Before She Was Harriet'' (Holiday House, 2017), and “Uncle Jeb’s Barbershop” (Simon & Schuster, 1993).