2015 Winners and Honors

"Brown Girl Dreaming,” written by Jacqueline Woodson, and published by Nancy Paulson Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

"Firebird,” illustrated by Christopher Myers, written by Misty Copeland, and published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Group USA.

“The Crossover,” written by Kwame Alexander, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

“How I Discovered Poetry,” written by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Hadley Hooper, and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

“How It Went Down,” written by Kekla Magoon, and published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.

“JOSEPHINE: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker,” illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Patricia Hruby Powell, and published by Chronicle Books LLC.

“Little Melba and Her Big Trombone,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Katheryn Russell-Brown, and published by Lee and Low Books, Inc.

“When I Was the Greatest,” written by Jason Reynolds, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

Deborah D. Taylor (Practioner)

Deborah D. Taylor, coordinator of School and Student Services, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, is the recipient of the 2015 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA) during the ALA Midwinter Meeting, held Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 in Chicago.

“Deborah D. Taylor is an extraordinary youth librarian and literacy advocate,” stated Award Committee Chair Loretta Dowell.

Taylor’s career in public service began more than 40 years ago with the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, where she is currently coordinator of School and Student Services. Her career has been spent as mentor, educator and literacy advocate for young adults.

As an inspiring young adult librarian, leader in national associations and university instructor, she has been distinctly effective in introducing young people and her professional colleagues to the outstanding work of African American authors.