The Morus Chronicles won bronze for Best Chapter Book Series in the 2016 Moonbeam Awards.
Press release:
———————FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE————————
2016 MOONBEAM CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS MEDALISTS ANNOUNCED
Books to Inspire Children to “Read Early and Read Often”
(Traverse City, MI – Oct. 13, 2016) The results of the 10th Annual Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards contest have been announced, and this year’s medalists make up an outstanding and diverse reading list. The contest was founded on the notion that childhood literacy and lifelong reading are vital to help children thrive in a rapidly changing world — or to borrow an election season cliché: “Read Early and Read Often!”
The Moonbeam Awards recognize the year’s best children’s books and are chosen by judging panels of book reviewers, librarians, teachers, and students. “This year’s winners are more diverse than ever, with inspiring messages that encourage kids to be kind, courageous, and to live healthy lives,” says Awards Director Jim Barnes.
See the complete results listing here: http://independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=2109
The medal-winning books came from authors young and old, such as Little Leaf, by Lily Mae, a 4th grader from California, whose Zen-like exploration of an oak tree’s life cycle won the Best Book by Youth Author gold medal. In contrast, the Best Picture Book Series gold medalist features a new approach to old classics — “early-learning guides” to the likes of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
This year’s winners are also very geographically diverse group: medals went to books from 35 U.S. states, six Canadian provinces, and six countries overseas. Each of the 159 medalists possesses a distinctive quality that motivated the judges to award them amongst fierce competition, 1,500 entries in all.
Picture Book bronze medalist Nothando’s Journey is by teacher and yoga therapist Jill Apperson Manly, and uses vivid, handmade paper collages by Alyssa Casey, who studied with papermaking masters in Spain, Italy, Brazil and New York. Health Issues category silver medalist Lisa Maxbauer Price took photographs at farm markets and garden centers to illustrate Squash Boom Beet: An Alphabet for Healthy, Adventurous Eaters.
Non-Fiction Picture Book category gold medalist, The Invisible You, by the father/daughter team of NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page and his daughter Kamie Page, portrays multicultural children moving into and adjusting to new neighborhoods. A judge exclaimed, “Every student has the potential to achieve — kudos to the Page Education Foundation for helping all kids succeed.”
Kudos to all of this year’s winners for their dedication to children and literature!
Author J.R. Roper 