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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Children’s Literature Choice List for 1998 is a national book award list that recognizes 150 children’s books of excellence chosen from among the 3000 children’s books that the newsletter’s reviewers evaluated last year. Children’s Literature, the sponsor of the award, is a national monthly newsletter of children’s book reviews that helps teachers, librarians, childcare providers and parents choose quality books for kids of all ages. In addition to exceptional writing, creative story lines (for fiction) and factual accuracy (for nonfiction and historical fiction), the criteria for selection for this award include age-appropriate subject matter, fresh themes, new approaches to known stories and relevance to the lives of today’s kids. Says Children’s Literature founder Marilyn Courtot, "This year’s selections again constitute a set of the outstanding books that children, parents, teachers, and librarians will want to add to their collections." In the category of books for children three and under, six books were named, among them a new board book version of Big Fat Hen by Keith Baker, winner of the Golden Kite Award (Red Wagon/Harcourt); and The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, a delectable rhyme for the young with sparkling illustrations by Jan Brett (Putnam). Thirty-four books were named in the picture book category for children ages four to eight, including the humorous A Friend for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke (Dutton); The Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wague Diakite, a West African storyteller (Scholastic); and Gabriella’s Song by Candace Fleming with illustrations by Giselle Potter, which brings kids the sights and sounds of Venice (Simon & Schuster). In the early reader category of short books or picture books with more text than usual for children ages five to ten, thirty-six books were selected including a fascinating account of a fishing adventure in Orcas Around Me: My Alaskan Summer by Debra Page (Albert Whitman); a stirring and beautiful depiction of I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King featuring interpretations by a number of award winning artists (Scholastic); Hosni the Dreamer by Ehud Ben-Ezer, an Arabian tale accompanied by the wonderful illustrations of Uri Shulevitz, a Caldecott Medalist (Farrar); Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky, this year’s Caldecott Medal winner (Dutton); Sky Pioneer by Corinne Szabo, a photobiography that tells the inspiring story of Amelia Earhart (National Geographic); and The Etcher’s Studio by Arthur Geisert which offers a fascinating description of this unique art form (Houghton). The group of longer books with more sophisticated themes for middle readers ages eight to twelve garnered forty-one titles, among them Corpses, Coffins and Crypts by Penny Coleman which is filled with facts about ancient and contemporary burial rites (Holt); Outrageously Alice in which Newbery medal author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor treats kids to another series of episodes in the life of thirteen-year-old Alice (Atheneum); Wringer from another Newbery winner, Jerry Spinelli, about a young boy finally finding his true self (HarperCollins); and The Wind at Work by Gretchen Woelfe which provides a complete and comprehensive look at windmills (Chicago Review Press). Twenty-seven books were named in the young adult category for ages 12 and up, including a tour de force of characterization and prose, Mary Mehan Awake by Jennifer Armstrong (Knopf); Kennedy Assassinated! by Wilborn Hampton that gives an "I was there" perspective on this sad and violent moment in American history (Candlewick); Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause, a sensual tale of romance, mystery, and horror (Delacorte); and Braving the Frozen Frontier by Rebecca l. Johnson, which introduces readers to the daily experiences of several women working in Antarctica (Lerner). Six books were honored in the poetry category, among them Bone Poems by Jeff Moss of Sesame Street fame (Workman); The Great Frog Race by first-time author Kristine O’Connell George with illustrations by Kate Kiesler (Clarion); and Hoops by Robert Burleigh with pastel images by Stephen T. Johnson, which lets readers and viewers feel the power of the game, (Silver Whistle/Harcourt). To reach the Children’s Literature websites for the complete Choice List for 1998, access http://www.childrenslit.com or http://www.parentsplace.com/readroom/childnew/ or send a self addressed, stamped envelope to the address below. Children’s Literature is currently offering a special one-year newsletter subscription rate of $24 for 12 issues on all orders placed by June 30, 1998. To order by credit card or to inquire about the other products and services, call 1-800-469-2070. Otherwise, mail orders or inquiries to Subscription Department, Children’s Literature, 7513 Shadywood Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817.
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