2017 Sydney Taylor Book Awards Announced

For More Information Contact:

Ellen Tilman, Chair
Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee
Association of Jewish Libraries
(215) 906-4657
chair@sydneytaylorbookaward.org

January 11, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2017 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Winners of the annual Sydney Taylor Book Award were announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries today. Named in memory of Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series, the award recognizes books for children and teens that exemplify high literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

GOLD MEDALISTS

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley, published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Younger Readers category. This delightful biography of the Supreme Court Justice teaches children that dissent does not make a person disagreeable, and can even help change the world. The grab-your-attention illustrations help explain the text.

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly, published by Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Random House, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Older Readers category. Part fantasy and part adventure, this is the tale of strangers who become friends while on a quest to save thousands of volumes of Talmud. The beautiful illuminations reflect the medieval flavor of the book.

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit, published by Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House, won the Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Teen Readers category. Anna is left alone in 1939 Krakow when the Nazis take her father away. She meets the mysterious Swallow Man who is able to speak “bird,” and travels with him in the forests of Poland, where they spend four years hiding and eluding capture. This is a haunting story that may be allegory or folktale or perhaps both.

SILVER MEDALISTS

Four Sydney Taylor Honor Books were also recognized. For Younger Readers, the Honor Books are Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy by Richard Michelson with illustrations by Edel Rodriguez, published by Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House, and A Hat For Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love written by Michelle Edwards with illustrations by G. Brian Karas, published by Schwartz and Wade Books/Penguin Random House.

Dreidels on the Brain written by Joel Ben Izzy and published by Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House, and A Poem For Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day by Andrea Davis Pinkney with illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, published by Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House, are the Honor books in the Older Readers Category.

In addition to the medal winners, the Award Committee designated ten Notable Books of Jewish Content for 2017. More information about the Sydney Taylor Book Award and a complete listing of the award winners and notables can be found at www.SydneyTaylorBookAward.org.

Winning authors and illustrators will receive their awards at the Annual Conference of the Association of Jewish Libraries, to be held in New York City in June. Gold and silver recipients will also participate in a blog tour during February. For more information about the blog tour please visit www.jewishlibraries.org/blog.

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 THE 2017 SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Younger Readers

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark
by Debbie Levy with illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley
(Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers)

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Older Readers

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog
by Adam Gidwitz with illustrations by Hatem Aly
(Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Winner for Teen Readers

Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit
(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)

Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Younger Readers

Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy
by Richard Michelson with illustrations by Edel Rodriguez
(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)
A Hat For Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love
by Michelle Edwards with illustrations by G. Brian Karas
(Schwartz and Wade Books/ Penguin Random House)

Sydney Taylor Honor Books for Older Readers

Dreidels on the Brain by Joel Ben Izzy
(Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House)
A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of the Snowy Day
by Andrea Davis Pinkney with illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
(Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Random House)

Notable Books for Younger Readers

Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup by Pamela Mayer with illustrations by Deborah Melmon
(Kar-Ben Publishing)
Gabriel’s Horn by Eric Kimmel with illustrations by Maria Surducan
(Kar-Ben Publishing)
Not This Turkey by Jessica Steinberg with illustrations by Amanda Pike
(Albert Whitman & Company)
On One Foot by Linda Glaser with illustrations by Nuria Balaguer
(Kar-Ben Publishing)
The Sundown Kid: A Southwestern Shabbat by Barbara Bietz with illustrations by John Kanzler
(August House)
The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank’s Windowby Jeff Gottesfeld with illustrations by Peter McCarty(Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House)

Notable Books for Older Readers

The Bicycle Spy by Yona Zeldis McDonough
(Scholastic Books)
Irena’s Children: Young Readers Edition: A True Story of Courage
by Tilar J. Mazzeo and adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell
(Margaret McElderry Books/Simon and Schuster)
The Ship to Nowhere by Rona Arato
(Second Story Press)
Skating with the Statue of Liberty by Susan Lynn Meyer
(Delacorte Press/Penguin Random House)

No Honor or Notable Books were designated for Teen Readers in 2017.