Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews: NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for outstanding nonfiction

Welcome!

Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The 2009 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for outstanding Nonfiction

I know that there have been many award announcements for children's literature of late. Perhaps your eyes are starting to glaze over when you see the word "award." Here is an award that I think is worth mentioning because it is for books that are all too often overlooked - nonfiction books. Let's face it, nonfiction books have a bad rap. "Boring" and "dull" are the kinds of words many children come up with when you mention the word nonfiction. But, as so many wonderful writers and illustrators have shown, nonfiction titles need not be boring or dull. In fact they can be quite interesting, and entertaining too. The NCTE Orbis Pictures Award for Outstanding Non-Fiction is therefore worth mentioning.

The winner this year is:

Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanaka, illustrated

by David Craig(Abrams Books for Young Readers)

The Honor Books are :
George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden (Abrams Books for Young Readers) The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming (Schwartz & Wade Books)
Washington at Valley Forge by Russell Freedman (Holiday House)
We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion Books for Children)
When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, illustrated by Dan and Cassie Hartman (Walker Books for Young Readers)

You can see who the past winners for this award were here.