From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 1996 18:09:00 -600

Excerpted from Roger Sutton's posting 2/28/96:

but I understand that there has recently been a move to award some kind of
"Elderberry" medal for YA writing. If I remember right, the funding for the award has been offered as a bequest in Amelia Elizabeth Walden's will, but she is not dead yet, and I believe wanted something in the terms to limit the award to books that offered "hope."

KT Horning responds:

If this is the case, that's quite an odd condition to place on young adult literature, don't you think? I once heard a distinction between children's and young adult literature as being that children's books always had to end on a note of hope, whereas young adult books didn't necessarily have to. Look at Cormier's books, for instance. Would they be ineligible for an award with this condition?

And who would define "hope" anyway -- the Republicans or the Democrats? Sounds trickier than the definition of "distinguished," if you ask me! Whatever the conditions and terms, we know one thing for certain: there would only be two r's in "Elderbery," Roger.
Received on Wed 28 Feb 1996 06:09:00 PM CST