The Best for Beginning Readers: Geisel Award Celebrates Tenth Anniversary

Authors

  • Carole D. Fiore
  • Carla Morris

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5860/cal.13n1.19

Abstract

IIn 2016, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award will celebrate its ten-year anniversary. The tenth award winner, You Are (Not) Small, written by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant, published by Two Lions, New York, was announced at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in February 2015.

This occasion provides librarians with an opportunity to look at the “best of the best” books for beginning readers for the past ten years. What trends, if any, have emerged? What is the impact of the award so far?

Author Biographies

Carole D. Fiore

Carole D. Fiore is a past president of ALSC and has served on the Newbery, Caldecott Committees and twice on the Geisel Award Committee, once as chair. She is the author of Summer Library Program Handbook (Neal-Schuman) and many journal articles. Following her tenure at the State Library of Florida, she opened her own independent library consulting business and specializes in public library service to children and their teachers, parents, and caregivers as well as long range planning.

Carla Morris

Carla Morris is the children’s services manager, Provo City (Utah) Library. She served as chair of the 2013 Geisel Award Committee. In addition to being a member of the 2004 Caldecott Committee and serving on the Planning Committee for the ALSC Institute that was held in Salt Lake City, Morris is the author of The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians (Peachtree).

References

Mo Willems through Marcia Wernick, “Re: A Request from 2013 Geisel Committee Chair,” email to Carla Morris, March 4, 2014.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Cynthia Rylant and Suçie Stevenson Win Geisel Award for ‘Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas,’” press release, January 23, 2006.

Ginny Moore Kruse, “Read-Alouds? Think Again. The True Purpose of the Geisel Children’s Book Award,” School Library Journal 53, no. 6 (2007): 36–37.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Laura McGee Kvasnosky Wins Geisel Award for ‘Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways,’” press release, January 22, 2007.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Mo Willems Wins Geisel Award for ‘There Is a Bird on Your Head!’” press release, January 14, 2008.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Willems Wins Geisel Award,” press release, January 26, 2009.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Geoffrey Hayes Wins Geisel Award,” press release, January 18, 2010.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Kate DiCamillo, Alison McGhee and Tony Fucile win Geisel Award for “Bink and Gollie,” press release, January 10, 2011.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Josh Schneider Wins Geisel Award,” press release, January 23, 2012.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Ethan Long Wins Geisel Award for ‘Up! Tall! and High!’” press release, January 28, 2013.

Association for Library Service to Children, American Library Association, “Greg Pizzoli Wins Geisel Award for ‘The Watermelon Seed,’” press release, January 27, 2014.

Association for Library Service to Children, “Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Terms and Criteria,” accessed April, 16, 2014, www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward/geiselawardtermscriteria/geiselawardtermscriter.

Ethan Long, “A Message from Ethan Long,” email to Carla Morris, January 14, 2014.

Tedd Arnold, “Quote for Geisel Article,” email to Carla Morris, March 17, 2014.

Mo Willems through Marcia Wernick, “Re: A Request from 2013 Geisel Committee Chair.”

Cynthia Woodruff, “Re: Geisel Committee Article for Children & Libraries,” email to Carla Morris, April 10, 2014.

Julie Roach, “Re: Geisel Article,” email to Carla Morris, April 10, 2014.

Penny Peck, “Re: Geisel Chair: Remembering!” email to Carla Morris, April 10, 2014.

Heather Hart, “Re: Article for Children and Libraries,” email to Carla Morris, May 28, 2014.

Jackie Partch, “Re: What did you gain from serving on Geisel?” email to Carole Fiore, May 27, 2014.

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Terms and Criteria.

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Published

2015-03-23

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2015): Spring

Section

Features

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