Invitation to the 2005 JACBA Book Awards

2004 Winners | 2006 Awards Info | Guidelines | List of Previous Winners

You are invited to attend the presentations of the 52nd Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards on Friday, October 21, at 2:30 PM in New York City at 777 United Nations Plaza (2nd Floor) on the corner of 44th St. and 1st Ave. 

This annual event offers a memorable afternoon of presentations, responses by honorees or their representatives, and an opportunity to meet and talk with each honored guest.  This year, we are expecting honorees Youme Landowne, Ann Bausum, James Rumford, William Low, Javaka Steptoe and Deborah Ellis to be present to accept their awards. A reception and book signing will follow the presentations, with the honored books available for purchase, courtesy of Bank Street Bookstore.

The winner in the Books for Younger Children category is Sélavi: A Haitian Story of Hope, written and illustrated by Youme Landowne, from Cinco Puntos Press. In the category of Books for Older Children, the winner is With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman’s Right to Vote, by Ann Bausum, published by National Geographic Society.

Three books have won Honors in the Books for Younger Children category: from Clarion Books, Hot Day on Abbott Avenue written by Karen English with collage art by Javaka Steptoe; Henry and the Kite Dragon, authored by Bruce Edward Hall, with paintings by William Low, published by Philomel Books/Penguin Young Readers Group; and Houghton Mifflin’s Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing written and illustrated by James Rumford and translated by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby. In the category of Honor Books for Older Children, Deborah Ellis has been recognized for her book, The Heaven Shop, published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Members of the 2005 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards Committee are Donna Barkman, Chair (Ossining, New York), Dionne Delancy (Brooklyn, New York), Eliza T. Dresang (Tallahassee, Florida), Susan C. Griffith (Mt. Pleasant, Michigan), Margaret Jensen (Madison, Wisconsin), Jo Montie (Minneapolis, MN), Suzanne Martell (Harwich, Massachusetts), Deborah Taylor (Baltimore, Maryland), Pat Wiser (Sewanee, Tennessee) and Lorrie Wright (Juneau, Alaska). Regional reading and discussion groups participated with many of the committee members throughout the jury’s evaluation and selection process.

Plan now to join everyone who will offer their congratulations on October 21st to the authors, artists, editors and publishers of the fine books being honored this year.  Many within the children’s book community are already planning to attend, as are members of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Reservations are not needed.  Please come and enjoy!

The Jane Addams Peace Association houses the UN office of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. For information about JAPA and the book awards, visit www.janeaddamspeace.org. and http://www.ala.org/BookLinks, March 2005 issue.  For information about WILPF during its 90th year, visit www.wilpf.int.ch/.

The Jane Addams Children's Book Awards are given annually to the children's picture books and longer books published the preceding year that effectively promote the cause of peace, social justice, world community, and the equality of the sexes and all races as well as meeting conventional standards for excellence.