iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The American Library Association (ALA) has selected Owl & Penguin, written and illustrated by an Indian American, Vikram Madan, as Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book. The association has selected the book for another honor – naming it to their 2023 Notable Children’s Booklist.
Every year the American Library Association committees sift through thousands of books to identify the 4 or 5 they believe to be “the most distinguished American books for beginning readers”. After the Newberry and the Caldecott, the Geisel is one of the biggest book awards for children’s literature, like an Oscar for Beginning Readers.
“Owl and Penguin, written and illustrated by Vikram Madan and published by Holiday House. In an early comic reader consisting of three short chapters, Owl and Penguin support each other and find humor in sharing ice cream, attempting to fly, and enjoying a rainy day,” the ALA has remarked about Madan’s book in its statement about the awards.
The members of the 2023 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Committee are Chair Julie Corsaro, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Dr. Megan R. Brown, School of Education, Cedarville University, Ohio; Dr. Maria Cahill, University of Kentucky School of Information Science, Lexington; Kary Henry, Deerfield Public Library, Illinois; Karin Michel, Chapel Hill Public Library, North Carolina; Ben Perry, Brooklyn Public Library, New York; and Dr. Tess Prendergast, School of Information, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Author-artist Vikram Madan of Seattle, Washington, makes paintings and writes books for kids, including the highly-acclaimed A Hatful Of Dragons, the Moonbeam Award Winners The Bubble Collector, and Lord Of The Bubbles. Madan grew up in India and became an engineer. After many years of working in tech, he followed his heart and chose a creative life. When not making whimsical paintings and public art, he writes funny poems and books for children.
Madan wrote in his blog: “It’s humbling to think that of all the hundreds of beginning reader books published in 2022, Owl & Penguin was selected as one of the top 5 books considered the most distinguished American books for beginning readers.”
The Geisel Award is given to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. Award winners are recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading. The winner(s), recognized for their literary and artistic achievements that demonstrate creativity and imagination to engage children in reading, receives a bronze medal and Honor Book authors and illustrators receive certificates. Award and honor book recipients will receive their awards in Chicago during the ALA Annual Conference in June 2023. The award was established in 2004 and first presented in 2006.
“The award is named for the world-renowned children’s author, Theodor Geisel. “A person’s a person no matter how small,” Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, would say. “Children want the same things we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted.” Brilliant and playful, Dr. Seuss charmed his way into the consciousness of four generations of youngsters and parents. In the process, he helped them to read,” said Madan in his blog.
“Thank you to my editor Sally Morgridge, my publisher Holiday House books, my agent Rosemary Stimola, the American Library Association, the Geisel Award committee, and the my writing group – the Tighty-Writeys!”
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