CENTER FOR THE BOOK AT THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LIBRARY

Congratulations to Kate and Jim McMullan - their book, I Stink!, will be the first recipient of the Ladybug Picture Book Award. Sponsored by the Center for the Book at the N.H. State Library, the Ladybug Picture Book Award was established to promote early literacy and honor the best in recent children's picture books. The Center for the Book plans to give this award annually.

A committee, chaired by Ann Hoey, of N.H. children's librarians nominated 12 picture book titles to be considered for the 2003 award. To be considered for nomination, a picture book had to meet the following criteria:

• book must be published within the last three years
• book must be in print
• either the book's author or illustrator must be from the U.S.
• book must have strong child appeal
• book must have artistic quality with text that supports the illustrations
• book must not have been nominated for a Ladybug Picture Book Award previously

The committee is currently collecting ideas for 2004 nominations - to make a suggestion, visit the Ladybug Picture Book Award web page (http://www.state.nh.us/nhsl/bookcenter/programs/ladybug.html)

During the summer and fall librarians shared the books with children in school and public libraries. Librarians throughout the state came up with great ideas to introduce kids to the Ladybug Award and the nominated books: some dressed up as ladybugs and visited classrooms; some created worksheets for the kids to complete after hearing each book; in one school the kids made ladybug windsocks, which were hung in the library; older kids got involved by reading the books to the younger children; ladybug cookies and bookmarks were created and given out to the kids; colorful displays were created; and of course many libraries used the nominated titles for storytime. Members of the award committee plan to put together some of these ideas to share with other New Hampshire libraries. There will be a presentation at the N.H. Libraries Spring Conference, and a collection of this information will be included on the Center for the Book web page. The committee is also looking into creating handouts and materials to use in promoting the contest - including a colorful poster.

During Children's Book Week in November, the voting for the Ladybug Picture Book Award occurred. Children from pre-school through the 3rd grade were eligible to vote, and more than 80 New Hampshire preschools, elementary schools, and public libraries participated in the voting with a total of 10,698 votes returned in time to be counted. Here are the complete results:

• Old MacDonald had a Woodshop by Lisa Shulman; illustrated by Ashley Wolff - 284 votes
• Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia retold by Won-Ldy Paye & Margaret H. Lippert;
  illustrated by Julie Paschkis - 380 votes
• Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson; illustrations by Jane Chapman - 490 votes
• Olivia, written and illustrated by Ian Falconer - 548 votes
• What's the Time, Grandma Wolf? written and illustrated by Ken Brown - 598 votes
• Duck on a Bike by David Shannon - 741 votes
• New York's Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne; with paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher - 769 votes
• A Story for Bear by Dennis Haseley; illustrated by Jim LaMarche - 861 votes
• Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee; illustrated by Kadir Nelson - 1,012 votes
• Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner; pictures by Mark Buehner - 1,472 votes
• Epossumondas by Coleen Salley; illustrated by Janet Stevens - 1,509 votes
• I Stink! by Kate & Jim McMullen - 2,034 votes

Plans for an award ceremony to be held in the Spring are currently in the works. Thanks to all the libraries who made the first Ladybug Picture Book Award an exciting event for New Hampshire children!