KIDS AND PARENTS:

A WORD FROM YOUTH SERVICES

 
Have you looked at this year’s crop of award books?  They are favorites with parents, teachers and children.  The Newbery Award is best known, but several other awards honor books in a number of categories.   

The Coretta Scott King Award goes to African American authors and illustrators  whose books “promote the  understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples.”    Vaunda Nelson took the 2010 author’s award for  “Bad News for Outlaws,”  the story of real-life lawman Bass Reeves.   Plenty of pictures will draw younger readers to this old west bio.  (Tip to readers grade 6 up:   Don’t miss “The Legend of Bass Reeves,”  a part-true, part tall-tale version of Reeves’ exploits by novelist Gary Paulsen.)

Langston Hughes’ short, short poem, “My People” provides the text for the CSK Award’s Best Illustrated winner.   Photographer Charles R. Smith enhances almost every phrase in the poem with portraits, joyful and beautiful, of ordinary people.

The Pura Belpre Award goes to the Latino/Latina writer whose work best portrays and celebrates the Latino experience.   In Julia Alvarez’  “Return to Sender,” a family of Mexican immigrants saves a Vermont farmer from bankruptcy only to find themselves deported.   A friendship between 12 year old Mari and the farmer’s son adds hope and understanding to the sad ending.

There’s even an award for the year’s best Beginning Reader.  The Geisel Award was named for Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. This year’s winner, “Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!”  uses the graphic novel format.   The easy words, repetition and expressive drawings lead children to reading success.  The author/artist is Geoffrey Hayes.
All this talk of books reminds us that Hackley Library is a publisher too.    Each spring HPL presents Off the Wall, a creative writing magazine filled with poems and drawings by Muskegon’s most talented teens.    Youth Services also publishes the annual Black History Calendar.    Each calendar page features children’s art celebrating African American achievement.   Both publications are sponsored by the Friends of the Library.   You can pick up a free copy of the Calendar in March.  Off the Wall appears in April.