Theodore Seuss Geisel Award

I.  Background to the Award.

The Theodore Suess Geisel Award is given annually by the Association for Library Service to Children ("ALSC") to the "author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year" (ALSC, Geisel Award).   The award is named after Theodore Geisel, who is perhaps better known by his pen name: Dr. Seuss.  "Seuss" was Mr. Geisel's middle name, and his mother's maiden name.  Mr. Geisel is the beloved author and illustrator of many children's books, such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and Horton Hears a Who!  Three of Mr. Geisel's books were named Randolph Caldecott Medal honor books: If I Ran the Zoo (1951), Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1950), and McElligot's Pool (1948).  In addition, Mr. Geisel received two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize.  By the time he passed away in 1991, Mr. Geisel had written and illustrated 44 children's books, with over 200 million copies published worldwide in more than 15 languages.  The Theodore Suess Geisel Award was established in 2004 and is presented at the annual summer conference of the American Library Association ("ALA").  The first award was given in 2006, and honor books have been named each year.  On the left is a picture of the Theodore Suess Geisel Award seal, with the likeness of Mr. Geisel on it (from the ALA's website).  Publishers may place the seal on books that win the award or receive an honor.  Currently, the award seal is gold and the honor seal is silver.  Below is a list, by year, of the medal winners and honor book recipients.

II.  Award Winners and Honor Recipients.

   2008

• Award:

  • There is a Bird on your Head, written by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2007).

•  Honors:
  • First the Egg, written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press, 2007).
  • Hello Bumblebee Bat, written by Darrin Lunde and illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2007).
  • Jazz Baby, written by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Harcourt Children's Books, 2007).
  • Vulture View, written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Henry Holt and Company, 2007).

   2007

• Award:

  • Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways, written by Laura McGee Kvasnosky (Candlewick Press, 2006).

• Honors:

  • Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick Press, 2006).

  • Move Over, Rover! written by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by Jane Dyer (Harcourt Children's Books, 2006).

  • Not a Box, written by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins, 2006).

     

   2006

• Award:

  • Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas, written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Suçie Stevenson (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005).

     

•  Honors:
  • Hi! Fly Guy, written by Tedd Arnold (Cartwheel Books/Scholastic Inc., 2005).
  • A Splendid Friend, Indeed, written by Suzanne Bloom (Boyds Mills Press, 2005).

  • Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa, written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Harcourt, Inc., 2005).

  • Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day, written by Jean Van Leeuwen and illustrated by Ann Schweninger (Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group, 2005).

(List adapted from ALSC, Medal Winners and Honor Books).

III.  Resources.

Association for Library Service to Children.  (n.d.)  Theodore Seuss Geisel Award.  Retrieved on March 8, 2008, from:

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/geiselaward/geiselaward.cfm

Association for Library Service to Children.  (n.d.)  Theodore Seuss Geisel Award 2008 Winners.  Retrieved on March 8, 2008, from:

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/geiselaward/geiselawardcurrentwinner/geiselawardcurrentwinner.cfm

Association for Library Service to Children.  (n.d.)  Theodore Seuss Geisel Award Medal Winners and Honor Books 2006 - Present.  Retrieved on March 8, 2008, from:

http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/literaryawds/geiselaward/geiselawardpastwinners/geiselawardpastwinners.cfm

Dr. Seuss Enterprises.  (2004).  All About Dr. Seuss.  Retrieved on March 8, 2008 from:

http://www.catinthehat.org/history.htm

Marks, Diana F.  (2006).  Children's Book Award Handbook.  Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Random House, Inc.  (2008).  Seussville.  Retrieved on March 8, 2008, from:

http://www.seussville.com/