Third American Indian Youth Literature Awards announced
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Contacts: Lisa Mitten
Social Sciences Review Editor
Choice Magazine
American Library Association
860-347-6933, ext.122
Miguel A. Figueroa
Director
Office for Diversity
American Library Association
(312) 280-5295
NEWS
For Immediate Release
January 20, 2010
CHICAGO - The American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the American Library Association, has selected “A Coyote Solstice Tale” written by Thomas King and illustrated by Gary Clement; “Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma” by Genevieve Simermeyer, and “Between the Deep Blue Sea by Me: A Novel” by Lurline Wailana McGregor as recipients of the third American Indian Youth Literature Awards.
The Awards are given for three categories: Best Picture Book, Best Middle School Book, and Best Young Adult Book. The winners of the 2010 awards are:
The recipient for Best Picture Book is “A Coyote Solstice Tale,” written by Thomas King and illustrated by Gary Clement, published by Groundwood Books, 2009.
For Best Middle School Book, the winner is “Meet Christopher: An Osage Indian Boy from Oklahoma,” by Genevieve Simermeyer, with photographs by Katherine Fogden, published by the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution in association with Council Oak Books, 2008.
“Between the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Deep Blue Sea and Me: A Novel,” the recipient for Best Young Adult Book, was by Lurline Wailana McGregor and published by Kamehameha Publishing, 2008.
The AILA awards recognize excellence in books by and about American Indians. By identifying and honoring outstanding writing and illustrations in the field of children’s literature, AILA encourages authors, illustrators, editors, publishers and tribal entities to create materials that present Native Americans in the fullness of their humanity in present and past contexts.
The winners will each receive a cash award and a beaded medallion featuring the AILA awards logo. The awards presentation will take place from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 28 during the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. .
The first AILA American Indian Youth Literature Awards were presented during the first Joint Conference of Librarians of Color, October, 2006.
Publishers interested in submitting books for the 2012 awards should contact Lisa Mitten, Jury Chair, at ailabookawards@yahoo.com or visit the AILA Web site at www.ailanet.org for information on the awards.
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