Two Maine authors were honored recently by the American Library
Association.

 

Ashley Bryan is the winner of the 2009 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
honoring an author or illustrator, published in the United States, whose
books have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for
children. His numerous works include Dancing Granny, Beat the
Story-Drum, Pum-Pum, and Beautiful Blackbird.

"For 40 years and nearly as many books, Ashley Bryan has filled
children's literature with the beats of story, the echoes of poetry, the
transcendence of African-American spirituals, the beauty of art and the
satisfaction of a tale well-told.  Generations of readers have seen
themselves in the pages of Bryan's books.  He has inspired today's
children's book writers and illustrators to tell, paint, sing and weave
their own stories for generations to come," said Wilder Committee Chair
Cathryn Mercier.

Bryan lives on Cranberry Island Maine.

 

A Caldecott Honor was given to Melissa Sweet for her illustrations of
the book A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, written
by Jen Bryant.  The award's committee stated: "Sweet's mixed-media
collage and primitive watercolors flow seamlessly with Bryant's prose to
reveal the important bits and pieces of Williams' ordinary, yet
extraordinary, life as a doctor and poet."  Sweet is a resident of
Rockport Maine.  In addition to her marvelous books Sweet is well known
to Maine librarians because of her presentations to Reading Roundup
(2008) and the Maine Libraries Conference (2008).  She has also done
presentations at local libraries and other venues around the State.

 

We are so proud that these outstanding contributors to children's
literature live in the great State of Maine.

 

 
Linda H. Lord
Deputy State Librarian/Acting State Librarian
Maine State Library
64 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
 
Telephone - 207-287-5620
Fax - 207-287-5624