The past few weeks have been jam-packed with many a cause for celebration. An author is finally able to receive a reward after pandemic delays; three beloved characters light up the night sky; and two book launches leave both author and audience giddy.
A Long-Awaited Award
On March 4 at the IBBY Regional Conference in Nashville, Junko Yokota (r.), who chaired the Hans Christian Andersen Award committee, presented author Jacqueline Woodson (l.) with her 2020 Hans Christian Andersen medal, an award she was previously unable to receive due to the pandemic. The prestigious Andersen Medal is the highest international award, and is considered the Nobel Prize for children’s literature.
Flipping the Switch
March 12 was the 65th anniversary of the publication of The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. To celebrate, the Cat in the Hat along with Thing 1 and Thing 2 participated in the lighting ceremony of the Empire State Building, which glowed red and white that evening for the occasion.
A Tre-moon-dous Launch
Antwan Eady celebrated the launch of his debut picture book Nigel & the Moon (HarperCollins/Tegen) on last month with E. Shaver, Bookseller, hosted at Foxy Loxy Café in Savannah, Ga. There, Eady read Nigel & the Moon to families while they enjoyed crafts and treats from the café, and he later signed copies for attendees.
Being Mary Bennet
On March 15, J.C. Peterson launched her new contemporary novel Being Mary Bennet (HarperCollins) at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. Fans participated in a discussion and were able to get their copies signed; the event was moderated by Forever YA.
