2009 E.B. White Read Aloud Award!

Holy moses! What a treat to have THIS package resting on your doorstep... I got a heavy, pretty award from the Association of Booksellers for Children! Not to be a whiner, but I really haven't won any kind of award like this... ever! I am more than honored to have received this award and to have even been asked to work with Henry Holt and Elise Broach. Look at it shine!

The E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, established in 2004, honor books that reflect the universal read aloud standards that were created by the work of the author E.B. White in his classic books for children: Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. In the first two years of the award, a single book was selected. In 2006, in recognition of the fact that reading aloud is a pleasure at any age, the award was expanded into two categories: Picture Books, and Older Readers. Books are nominated for their universal appeal as a “terrific” books to read aloud. After a list of nominations is gathered from ABC booksellers, a shortlist of four books in each category is determined by a committee of booksellers chaired by an ABC Board member. After a formal announcement on the first Monday in April, ABC booksellers vote online to determine the winners. The shortlisted books that remain receive an E.B. White Read Aloud Honor.

The awards are announced live during ABC programming at Book Expo America. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!! I am really really floored. While I typically shy away from conventions and other big events, it would have been really fun to hear Masterpiece called as a winner. Thanks ABC (and Christy Ottaviano and Elise Broach! Wow, I am awful at acceptance speeches).

Other studio news... beside the award was this giant toad on my doorstep. He's become a regular. It's really fun to have a new friend to greet you when opening the door. I will name him Elwyn!