54th Jane Addams Children's Book Awards

You are invited to attend the presentations of the 54th Jane Addams Children's Book Awards on Friday, October 19, 2007 at 2:30 PM in New York City at 777 United Nations Plaza (2nd Floor) on the corner of 44th St. and 1st Ave.

This annual event offers a memorable afternoon of presentations, responses by
honorees or their representatives and an opportunity to meet and talk with each
honored guest. This year, we are expecting honorees Cynthia Kadohata, Amy Lee-Tai,
Felicia Hoshino, Elizabeth Winthrop, Tim Tingle and Jeanne Rorex Bridges. A
reception and book signing will follow the presentations, with the honored books
available for purchase.

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow, written by Amy-Lee Tai, illustrated by Felicia
Hoshino and published by Children’s Book Press is the winner in the Books for
Younger Children category. Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, is the winner in the Books for Older Children category.

Two books have won honors in the Books for Younger Children Category: Crossing Bok
Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom, is written by Tim Tingle,
illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges and published by Cinco Puntos Press. Night Boat
to Freedom, is written by Margot Theis Raven, pictures by E. B. Lewis and published
by Melanie Kroupa Books, an imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Two books have won honrs in the books for Older Children Category: Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, by Russell Freedman and published by Holiday House. Counting on Grace, by Elizabeth Winthrop, published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Since 1953, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award annually acknowledges books
published in the U.S. during the previous year. Books chosen effectively address
themes or topics that promote peace, justice, world community, and/or equality of
the sexes and all races. The books also must meet conventional standards of literary
and artistic excellence.

A national committee chooses winners and honor books for older and younger children. Members of the 2007 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards Committee are Susan C. Griffith, Chair (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan), Barbara Bair (Washington, D. C.), Ann Bower (Harwich, Massachusetts), Eliza T. Dresang (Tallahassee, Florida), Oralia
Garza de Cortes (Pasadena, CA), MJ Grande (Juneau, Alaska), Margaret Jensen
(Madison, Wisconsin), Jo Montie (Minneapolis, MN), Sarah Park (Long Beach,
California) Deborah Taylor (Baltimore, Maryland), and Pat Wiser (Sewanee,
Tennessee). Regional reading and discussion groups participated with many of the
committee members throughout the jury’s evaluation and selection process.

Plan now to join everyone who will offer their congratulations on October 19th to
the authors, artists, editors and publishers of the fine books being honored this
year. Many within the children's book community are already planning to attend, as
are members of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Reservations are not needed. Please come and enjoy!

The Jane Addams Peace Association houses the UN office of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. For information about JAPA and the book awards, visit www.janeaddamspeace.org..For information about WILPF, visit www.wilpf.int.ch/.

For more information about the Award event, contact JAPA Executive Director Linda B.
Belle, 777 United Nations Plaza, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017-3521; 212-682-8830;
japa@igc.org.