Children's Booksellers and Publishers Committee Produces Guide to Award-Winning Children's Books

The Children's Booksellers and Publishers Committee, sponsored by the American Booksellers Association (ABA), Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC), and Children's Book Council (CBC), has published Awards & Honors: A Guide to Selected Children's Books. The 48-page book has been produced in conjunction with an exhibition of award-winning children's books from 1997 - 2002, assembled for the 2003 BookExpo America trade show, beginning May 30 in Los Angeles.

According to Molly Ker Hawn, national programs officer of the Children's Book Council, over 500 publishers of children's books were invited to submit up to 15 titles for inclusion. The requirement for all books submitted was that each title had to have won an international, national, regional, or state-wide award or had to have appeared on a nationally selected, juried list.

The exhibit highlights 227 books, which are being are being donated to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression Silent Auction at BEA. Booksellers will be able to place bids at the ABFFE Silent Auction location.

The exhibit topic, Awards & Honors, was selected by the Children's Booksellers and Publishers Committee because of its strong appeal for both established and newer booksellers, specialty children's bookstores, and general bookstores. An index of participating publishers, indicating their 2003 BEA booth number, if attending, is included in the catalog.

Ker Hawn told BTW that the exhibit and catalog serve many purposes beyond the BEA exhibit: "We take this exhibit to ALA and mail the catalogue to regional booksellers associations that request it. They then distribute it to their members at their regional meetings. Booksellers who purchase 10 or more copies to stock in their stores receive a 40 percent discount."

Of the 4,500 copies printed, 1,700 are distributed at BEA. A copy of the guide is being sent to stores with Book Sense in the May white box mailing.

The price of a single copy of the guide is $3.95 plus 83¢ shipping. Checks should be sent to the Children's Book Council, 12 W. 37th Street, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10018-7480. Questions should be e-mailed to [email protected].