Awards: June 2009 Archives

ForeWord Magazine 2008 Book of the Year Gold Medal

Renee Ting

on June 5, 2009 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At a ceremony held last week in New York City, ForeWord Magazine announced the winners of its annual Book of the Year Award. Grandfather's Story Cloth, written by Linda Gerdner and Sarah Langford and illustrated by Stuart Loughridge, took top honors in the Children's Picture Book category! I am so proud of this little book that could! Its message of love and understanding has been so well-received that I can hardly believe it.

This Gold Medal award is shared with A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton, published by Candlewick Books. To be recognized in the company of such a wonderful book is truly an honor indeed.

ForeWord Magazine is a bimonthly journal reporting on the independent publishing market and reviewing books published by independent presses. Its Book of the Year Award honors "only those books coming from independent community, giving them the value they deserve." Award winners are selected by a panel of librarians and booksellers.

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"...it would be a wonderful addition to a teacher's library at a school with students of Hmong heritage."

-Education Week

Linda A. Gerdner was born in Iowa and is a registered nurse. She is dedicated to helping persons with Alzheimer’s disease and the family members who care for them. Although Grandfather’s Story Cloth is her first children’s book she has published extensively in professional journals and received international and national awards for these contributions. Gerdner has traveled to northern Laos where she visited three Hmong villages in the rural province of Xieng Khouang. The bonds and friendships established with members of the Hmong American community have enriched her life and expanded her world.

Sarah Langford is currently a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She is especially interested in the health care needs of immigrants and refugees living in United States. She has a long-standing interest in childrens’ literature and has enjoyed the opportunity to combine her talent in this area with her nursing focus.

Stuart Loughridge lives and works in St. Paul, MN. Most of his waking hours are spent in his studio, drawing, painting, printmaking, and filling the bird feeder. His work can be viewed at www.stuartloughridge.com. This is his first children's book.

Shen’s Books is a publisher of multicultural children’s literature that emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on introducing children to the cultures of Asia.

Through books, we can share a world a stories, building greater understanding and tolerance within our increasingly diverse communities as well as throughout our continuously shrinking globe.