Hooray, hooray to our awesome alums!

Hi gang, as you may know, our students are really rocking it out in the kidlit publishing world, and we are over the moon about them winning even more awards and receiving other accolades! As you probably know, Children’s Book Academy has an amazing track record in terms of our students becoming thriving and published KidLit creators. At this point our students have published over 590 books and counting, with more titles added all the time.

The thing is, CBA writers and illustrators are not only prolific, they are first-class, winning every children’s literature award out there. They are also exquisite human beings who we would like to highlight and share some love about them and some of their recent triumphs in this post. If you're one of our alums and I missed you, p​lease let me know. And FYI, these are just recent folks.  So let's start with . . . 

SCBWI (The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), whichhonors members with several awards including the Prestigious Golden Kite Award. Major congratulations alum Donna Barba Higuera who won with Lupe Wong Won’t Dance. Former student and course contributor Vincent X. Kirsch was a finalist with From Archie to Zack which he both illustrated and wrote. And course instructor Marsha Diane Arnold who was a finalist with her 21st book: Lights Out! Bravo!

The Jane Addams Children's Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people. A national committee of members with a passion for and expertise in children’s literature and social justice is responsible for making the choices each year. The 2021 awards included Land of the Cranes, written by CBA alum Aida Salazar​, published by ​Scholastic, as an Honor Book in the Books for Older Children Category. Here’s the link to purchase it! Actually, each of Aida’s 5 books has won acclaim.

Next are the first-ever Mock Sydney Taylor Book Awards, which acknowledges the top Jewish juvenile books published in 2020, chosen by popular vote. In the Picture Book category, Sadie's Shabbat Stories by Melissa Stoller was chosen as a Mock Notable Book. If you’d like to read this most recent of Melissa’s books, here’s a purchase link.

I was so excited that these former students were mentioned (AKA honored) on the 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Books list: 

Exquisite former student Nancy Churnin’s books are also winning awards like: The Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable, South Asia Book Award, two Social Studies Notables, two California Reading Association Silver Eurekas, Junior Library Guild selection, Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award, Texas 2X2 and Topaz lists, Monarch Award Master List, Louisiana Young Readers Choice Awards list, Charter Book Awards list. Way to go Nancy, who always generously credits us with helping her get started. She was honored on the 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Books list with Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring, illustrated by Felicia Marshall

Here are some more former students and their books honored on this list:

Just Like a Mama. Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, was also listed and her career is rocketing too. Alice Faye generously joined us in our 2020 Picture Book Palooza where she was fabulous!

Flight for Freedom: The Wetzel Family’s Daring Escape from East Germany. Kristen Fulton. Illustrated by Torben Kuhlmann. 

Mamie on the Mound: A Woman in Baseball’s Negro Leagues. Leah Henderson. Illustrated by George Doutsiopoulos. 

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read. Written by Rita Lorraine Hubbard. Illustrated by Oge Mora

Speak Up. Miranda Paul. Illustrated by Ebony Glenn

The Pig War: How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share. Written by Emma Bland Smith. Illustrated by Alison Jay.

No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History. Edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, Jeanette Bradley. Illustrated by Jeanette Bradley

We The People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained. Written by Aura Lewis and Evan Sargent. Illustrated by Aura Lewis. 

Finally, Linda Elovitz Marshall's book, The Polio Pinoeer, illustrated by Lisa Anchin was honored on The Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12: 2021 List. Linda was already a published author when she came to us, but we still consider her one of ours.

Anyhoo, kudos to all our amazing students. I hope you'll help support them and their excellent work. We are  looking forward to writing more congratulatory and ridiculously proud newsletters about even more brilliant alum in the future.

With warmth and appreciation,
Mira & the CBA gang

PS Sorry this is late, but I’ve been a bit busy lining up some outstanding editors, agents, and art directors to join us among other things for our upcoming writing and illustrating course! Wahoo! I’m also editing and art directing some awesome new kid’s books for Spork, which is always exciting, and will share about some of those soon. Meanwhile onwards and upwards. Come check out this magical course if you are up for the adventure of a lifetime. Course info here:  https://bit.ly/CBICB2021  and scholarships info here: http://bit.ly/2021CBICBScholarship 

PPS I know I’ve missed a bunch, so if you’re a former student, who’d like to celebrate with us or do a guest post about a new book, let us know. Moni Hadley Ritchie will be joining us first Monday in May to celebrate The Star Festival, and Annette Schottenfeld will be with us the first Monday in June to celebrate Obi’s Mud Bath (which I was honored to edit and art direct! Also congratulations to Shirin Shamsi who recently sold her 4th book, Darshana Khiana for her 2nd book, Katie Mazeika who had already published before us but recently sold 2 new books, Rosanne Kurstedt sold her 2nd book, and Lalita Iyer who wrote me this week: “I wrote my first picture book after your course and it's published now!” It makes an old teacher happy. Thank you.”