Books & Reading->Awards->2009 Anne V. Zarrow Award

WHAT:

The Award for Young Readers’ Literature was inaugurated in 1991 and is given annually by the Tulsa Library Trust.  In 1992, it was permanently named in honor of Anne V. Zarrow.  Its purpose is to give formal recognition, on behalf of the Tulsa County community, to nationally acclaimed authors who have made a significant contribution to the field of literature for children and young adults.

The award consists of a $7,500 cash prize and an engraved crystal book.

Past winners are: Louis Sachar (2008), Kate DiCamillo (2007), Sharon Creech (2006), Avi (2005), Susan Cooper (2004), Russell Freedman (2003), Richard Peck (2002), E.L. Konigsburg (2001), Jerry Spinelli (2000), Jane Yolen (1999), Cynthia Voigt (1998), Gary Paulsen (1997), Walter Dean Myers (1996), Lois Lowry (1994), Katherine Paterson (1993), Madeleine L'Engle (1992) and S.E. Hinton 1991).

WHO:

Christopher Paul Curtis is the winner of the 2008 Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers’ Literature.

WHEN/WHERE:

Aug. 28 and 29

Award Presentation: 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28, Central Library’s second floor, Fourth Street and Denver Avenue.
Creative Writing Discussion: 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, Connor’s Cove, Hardesty Regional Library, 8316 E. 93rd St.

On Aug. 28, Christopher Paul Curtis will receive the Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers’ Literature, and speak about his life and works.  On Aug. 29, Curtis will present awards to the winners of the Young People’s Creative Writing Contest, and teach youths how to write creatively, and give life to words and voices to characters.  Curtis will answer questions from the audience and sign books at both events.  You may purchase copies of his books at the programs.

SPONSORS:

Tulsa Library Trust and Tulsa City-County Library

ABOUT THE AWARD WINNER:

Bursting on the literary scene with his first children’s book in 1995, “The Watson’s Go to Birmingham – 1963,” Curtis received praise for combining factual and fictional events of an African-American family and the racism they encounter during a road trip from Flint, Mich., to Alabama.  This debut novel received a Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Award.

Building on that success, his next book, “Bud, Not Buddy,” was awarded the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award in 2000.  This was the first time an author received both awards for the same book.  Again, the setting is Flint, where the story follows a main character looking for his father and details a search filled with equal parts of sadness and hope.

Raised in Flint, Curtis worked for 13 years as an automobile assembly line worker at Flint’s historic Fisher Body Plant #1.  His wife, Kaysandra, encouraged him to return to college and pursue his desire to write the stories he imagined.  He has written six books including “Bucking the Sarge,” “Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money,” “Mr. Chickee’s Messy Mission” and the 2008 Newbery Honor book “Elijah of Buxton.”

GOALS OF THE ZARROW AWARD:

• To encourage children and teens to read and write by promoting the prize, and the author’s books and visit, throughout the library’s summer reading program and the Young People’s Creative Writing Contest.
• To introduce children and teens to favorite authors of literary distinction and present famous authors as real people and role models.
• To provide a major event that brings families into the library and is a rallying point for the summer reading program.
• To give young readers the opportunity to learn from a successful author’s writing experiences

ABOUT THE LIBRARY TRUST:

The Tulsa Library Trust is a public foundation created by private contributions to benefit Tulsa City-County Library.  Income generated by the Trust’s endowment is used to fund projects and purchase materials that the library could not afford through its operating budget.

ZARROW AWARD COMMITTEE:

Sheryl Chadd is chairwoman of the 2009 Zarrow Award Committee, which is made up of 16 community volunteers.  Julie Watson is chairwoman of the Author Selection Committee.