The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, an international champion for picture books and their creators, has announced the recipients of the 2024 Carle Honors, to be presented at a benefit gala event this September in New York City.
“The children’s book world has no shortage of awards and accolades but the Carle Honors is the only one that is designed to acknowledge the whole, far-flung community of gifted and generous people and organizations that together perform the vital work of creating the best children’s books and getting them out to all who benefit from them,” said Leonard S. Marcus, chairman and founder of the Carle Honors Committee, in a news release.
The awards are given in four categories: Artist, Angel, Bridge, and Mentor.
The Artist award, recognizing lifelong innovation in the field, will be presented to Uri Shulevitz, author and illustrator of numerous Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Honor-winning children’s books. Born in Warsaw, Shulevitz fled during World War II and made his way to New York. In a starred review, a Kirkus critic called Chance: Escape from the Holocaust “a memorable journey of survival and artistry.”
The Angel award recognizes a person or institution whose resources are crucial to children’s book art exhibitions, education programs, and related projects. This year’s honoree, We Need Diverse Books, was founded in 2014 as a grassroots hashtag and has grown into a leading voice for diversity in publishing.
The Bridge award recognizes individuals or organizations who bring the art of the picture book to larger audiences through work in other fields. KidLit TV, founded by writer and filmmaker Julie Gribble, will receive this year’s award.
The Mentor award recognizes editors, designers, and educators who champion the art form. This year’s recipient, The Horn Book, is the world’s first critical journal dedicated to children’s literature, founded in Boston in 1924.
These honors will be presented at an event at the New-York Historical Society on September 26.
Marion Winik hosts NPR’s The Weekly Reader podcast.
