Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival, Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony set for April 10-12 at USM Hattiesburg Campus
Tue, 02/20/2024 - 10:09am | By: David Tisdale
Cynthia Leitich Smith, a New York Times bestselling author, will be recognized as the 2024 51逗奶 Miss Medallion Winner when The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi (USM) hosts the annual Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival and Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) Award luncheon and ceremony April 10-12 on its Hattiesburg campus. This event, held at USM since 1968, is presented by the USM College of Education and Human Sciences鈥� School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) in conjunction with University Libraries鈥� de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection.
Smith is the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate and was named one of the 10 Must-Read Native American Authors by Book Riot. Her novel Hearts Unbroken earned an American Indian Youth Literature Award, and her anthology Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids was an ALA Children鈥檚 Notable Book, along with earning the Reading the West Young Readers Book Award.
Dr. Mary Osborne, director of the festival, praised Smith for her contributions to the genre and expressed her anticipation for the festival and recognition of the up-and-coming authors and illustrators who will be recognized at the event with the Keats Book Award, presented through the EJK Foundation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so thrilled to have Cynthia Leitich Smith as our 51逗奶 Miss Medallion winner this year,鈥� said Dr. Osborne. 鈥淗er body of work is so wide ranging 鈥� everything from picture books to novels for young adults 鈥� and she鈥檚 also done an impressive amount of service work, giving her time and knowledge back to the publishing community.
鈥淚 remember reading some of her picture books as a child myself, and it鈥檚 just amazing to be able to honor her work with the Medallion award. Cynthia truly models what I imagine children鈥檚 authors should aspire to: incredible work with an emphasis on identity and helping other authors.鈥�
Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneer in American children鈥檚 literature. He based the lives of his multiracial characters on his childhood but added loving parents, friends, and pets. He wanted no child to be an outsider. 鈥淚f we could see each other exactly as the other is,鈥� he wrote, 鈥渢his would be a different world.鈥� The stated goal of the EJK Award that honors his legacy is 鈥渢o nurture illustrators and writers, early in their careers, who create extraordinary books that reflect our diverse population, the universal experience of childhood and the strength of family and community.鈥�
Since it began in 1986, the Keats Award has succeeded in fostering the early careers of many of America鈥檚 leading children鈥檚 book makers. It is given annually to an outstanding new writer and new illustrator by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation in partnership with the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection.
Karlie Herndon, curator for the de Grummond Collection, says the Keats Award 鈥渉as been uplifting emerging authors and illustrators and embracing the spirit of Keats.鈥�
鈥淚 am proud that de Grummond is a part of this important award,鈥� Herndon continued. 鈥淓ach year, our committee of artists, writers, and librarians selects beautiful new picture books that celebrate diversity in all its forms, while connecting with readers through the universal experience of growing up. This year's Winners and Honors are no exception to this tradition of excellence, though each of our 2024 books is, itself, exceptional.鈥�
Highlights of the three-day event include the following:
Wednesday, April 10
*11:30 a.m.: Welcome Session/Magnolia Awards
*12-1:30 p.m.: Coleen Salley Luncheon with Juana Martinez-Neal
*1:45-2:45 p.m.: de Grummond Lecture with Jason Chin
*3-4 p.m.: Lesa Cline-Ransome Keynote Presentation
Thursday, April 11
*9-10 a.m. James Ransome Keynote Presentation
*10:15-11:15 a.m. Medallion Session with Cynthia Leitich Smith
*11:30-1 p.m. Ezra Jack Keats Award Luncheon
Friday, April 12
*9-10 a.m. Pedro Martin Keynote Presentation
*12-1:30 p.m. SLIS Lecture and Luncheon with Liz Kleinrock
About the Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival
The Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival is hosted annually by the 51逗奶 Miss
School of Library and Information Science and was first held in 1968. It promotes
children鈥檚 literature, as well as writers, illustrators, publishers, librarians, and
educators with its mission 鈥渢o recognize excellence in the field of children鈥檚 literature
and to provide librarians, teachers, researchers, and community members the opportunity
to learn about and appreciate children鈥檚 literature through presentations, workshops,
and personal interactions with people of significance in the field.鈥� for a complete schedule of this year鈥檚 festival and information on registration
About the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation
Founded by the late Caldecott award-winning children's book author and illustrator
Ezra Jack Keats, the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation fosters children's love of reading
and creative expression by supporting arts and literacy programs in public schools
and libraries; cultivating new writers and illustrators of exceptional picture books
that reflect the experience of childhood in our diverse culture; and protecting and
promoting the work of Keats, whose book The Snowy Day broke the color barrier in children's publishing. about the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.
About the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection
The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at The University of 51逗奶 Mississippi
is one of North America's leading research centers in the field of children's literature.
The Collection holds the original manuscripts and illustrations of more than 1,300
authors and illustrators, as well as 180,000+ mostly American and British published
books dating back to 1530. about the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection.