CCBC-Net Archives
[CCBC-Net] Pura Belpre Award
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Cassie Wilson <cwilson2>
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 00:53:02 -0500
We as librarians can, and should, do our part to make the Belpre and King awards better known to the public by publicizing them, using them as choices for book discussion groups (the mock Belpre awards are an excellent idea), booktalking them, and mentioning these award winners with the same enthusiasm that we use in mentioning Newbery or Caldecott winners. The Belpre and King, like their better known sibling awards, will surely spur the recognition of, the respect for, and purchases of this excellent literature so that publishers will be more willing to take a chance with writers from minority ethnic groups and more will be published, the effect the award was intended to produce. Maybe there will come a day when no special distinction will even need to be made, and all works will be eligible for all awards.
Furthermore, with such widespread dissatisfaction with the Caldecott and Newbery Award winners this year, even with the effort and expertize that was put into the granting of those awards, perhaps we should realize that it is no longer possible---if it ever was---to pick a one winner fits all, with the wide variety of tastes, opinions, and standards that have arisen in our profession. Since God neglected to leave rules for judging adolescent literature, there may simply not be a "best" book; there are too many aspects of literature to consider, too many possible standards to measure by. Moreover, art is simply not quantitative because to be objective enough to try to judge with numbers is to take the heart, the very reason for art, out of art.
We have so many excellent books and writers identified for us by the work of these fabulous committees, let's celebrate them all! Newbery, Belpre, King, Caldecott, Printz, Siebert, Edwards, etc, etc. Even unto, gasp, the National Book Awards or Parents Choice Awards. The public is impressed by awards, let's capitalize on that admiration to assure them that they will be missing something if they aren't readin. Of course, they really are.
Here's to books!
Cassie Wilson
Received on Tue 26 Feb 2002 11:53:02 PM CST
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 00:53:02 -0500
We as librarians can, and should, do our part to make the Belpre and King awards better known to the public by publicizing them, using them as choices for book discussion groups (the mock Belpre awards are an excellent idea), booktalking them, and mentioning these award winners with the same enthusiasm that we use in mentioning Newbery or Caldecott winners. The Belpre and King, like their better known sibling awards, will surely spur the recognition of, the respect for, and purchases of this excellent literature so that publishers will be more willing to take a chance with writers from minority ethnic groups and more will be published, the effect the award was intended to produce. Maybe there will come a day when no special distinction will even need to be made, and all works will be eligible for all awards.
Furthermore, with such widespread dissatisfaction with the Caldecott and Newbery Award winners this year, even with the effort and expertize that was put into the granting of those awards, perhaps we should realize that it is no longer possible---if it ever was---to pick a one winner fits all, with the wide variety of tastes, opinions, and standards that have arisen in our profession. Since God neglected to leave rules for judging adolescent literature, there may simply not be a "best" book; there are too many aspects of literature to consider, too many possible standards to measure by. Moreover, art is simply not quantitative because to be objective enough to try to judge with numbers is to take the heart, the very reason for art, out of art.
We have so many excellent books and writers identified for us by the work of these fabulous committees, let's celebrate them all! Newbery, Belpre, King, Caldecott, Printz, Siebert, Edwards, etc, etc. Even unto, gasp, the National Book Awards or Parents Choice Awards. The public is impressed by awards, let's capitalize on that admiration to assure them that they will be missing something if they aren't readin. Of course, they really are.
Here's to books!
Cassie Wilson
Received on Tue 26 Feb 2002 11:53:02 PM CST
