CCBC-Net Archives
Multicultural Literature, continued
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Date: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 10:25:22 -0600
One of the things everyone can do when the youth media awards are announced is to ask immediately which books were honored by the Coretta Scott King Awards process? by the Pura Belpre Awards process? (And I hasten to add: by the Batchelder Award process honoring publishers of newly translated children's books; and by the Schneider Awards process for books reflecting themes/topics related to limitations, disabilities.) It isn't enough to become wrapped up in what was or wasn't formally acknowledged by the Newbery and Caldecott Awards processes. It isn't enough to send only that information to one's friends and colleagues. There are other awards which, as K.T. pointed out about the CSK Awards, are very carefully selected and represent outstanding books in other categories.
I served on the CSK jury between 1985 and 1990, and I've been active on the task force for years. During that time the American Library Association had a complex series of hoops through which to leap in order to create any new award within the ALA structure, and we did it! The John Steptoe Award for New Talent is recognized and announced within the ALA Youth Media Awards event.
During the 2014 ALA Midwinter Conference in Philadelphia the 2014 Asian American Children's Book Award winners and the American Indian Children's Book Award winners were announced in ALA's "Cog-notes" distributed during the conference. Neither has - so far - become an official part of the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements. I don't know if either is attempting to jump the hoops. Even so, ask about these outcomes, too, next year; if you know which books were honored, share that news on CCBC-Net and other online information sources.
During the Midwinter Conference, I was warmly welcomed at the American Indian Library Association's announcement of their awards, as were two representatives of the CSK general committee. Thanks, Debbie Reese, for announcing those outcomes on the ALSC listserv and on CCBC-Net in order to share that news. You took the important step I could have taken by sharing that information.
I urge everyone to take the other awards seriously and do what you can to share that news. Right now - while we're thinking about this - consider conducting and then reporting other types of "mock" award discussions next November, December and early in January. It isn't rocket science. Pay attention to reviews and - better yet - ask involved colleagues which are some of the books eligible for one of the multicultural awards. Perhaps what seems to have become almost an annual frenzy to out-guess the actual Newbery and Caldecott committees can be expanded by blogs and local events showcasing some of the other books eligible for awards generally understood to be "multicultural."
Thanks to the CCBC staff for conducting this important discussion and to Jason Low (Lee & Low Books) for initiating and continuing an essential conversation about Race all year long.
Cordially,
Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse
Emerita Director of The CCBC, School of Education, University of Wisconsin - Madison
gmkruse@wisc.edu
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username: ccbc-net password: Look4PostsReceived on Wed 05 Feb 2014 10:28:32 AM CST