Sydney Taylor Book Award

The Sydney Taylor Book Award recognizes the best in Jewish children's literature. Medals are awarded annually for outstanding books that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The award was established in 1968 by the Association of Jewish Libraries. It is named in memory of Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series. Taylor's were some of the first children's books with Jewish characters that were of literary interest to readers of all backgrounds.

History

The award was first established by the Association of Jewish Libraries in 1968.[1] Originally, it was known as the Shirley Kravitz Children's Book Award and was later renamed in honor of Sydney Taylor in 1978.[2] The award originally recognized books for older children, but in 1981, the award committee started to recognize books for younger readers and in 2007, began to recognize young adult literature.[3] In 1988, Honor Award Winners were added and these books receive a silver seal.[3]

About

Awards are presented in three categories: Younger Readers, Older Readers and Teen Readers. In each category, a single gold medalist is named annually. Each year there may also be several silver medalists named in each category. A list of ten to twenty Notable Children's Books of Jewish Content is also named in each category, but these titles do not receive medals.

The award committee is made up of volunteers from the Association of Jewish Libraries.[3] Books are evaluated based on certain criteria one of which is literary merit.[4] Books must also be appropriate to the age level, rooted in "authentic and accurate detail" and have a positive and/or authentic Jewish religious or cultural content.[4] Books nominated are newly published books for the year.[5] Books can be picture books, non-fiction, fiction and poetry.[6]

Themes

Most Sydney Taylor Book Award winning titles are universal in theme while Judaic in specific content, and will be of interest to Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike.

Recipients
Winners and Honor Books[7]
Year Author Illustrator Book Award
2020 Sue Macy Stacy Innerst The Book Rescuer Winner, Picture Book
R. J. Palacio White Bird: A Wonder Story Winner, Middle Grade
Rachel DeWoskin Someday We Will Fly Winner, Young Adult
Lesléa Newman Amy June Bates Gittel's Journey Honor, Picture Book
Debbie Levy Sonja Wimmer The Key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music Honor, Picture Book
Sofiya Pasternack Anya and the Dragon Honor, Middle Grade
Andrew Maraniss Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Germany Honor, Middle Grade
Victoria Ortiz Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work Honor, Young Adult
Hannah Moskowitz Sick Kids in Love Honor, Young Adult
2019 Emily Jenkins Paul O. Zelinsky All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah Winner, Younger Reader
Jonathan Auxier Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster Winner, Older Reader
Vesper Stamper What the Night Sings Winner, Teen Reader
Barb Rosenstock Mary GrandPré Through the Window: Views of Marc Chagall's Life Honor, Younger Reader
Jane Breskin Zalben Mehrdokht Amini A Moon for Moe and Mo Honor, Younger Reader
Erica Perl All Three Stooges Honor, Older Reader
Elissa Brent Weissman The Length of a String Honor, Older Reader
Rachel Lynn Solomon You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone Honor, Teen Reader
2018 Richard Michelson Karla Gudeon The Language of Angels: A Story About the Reinvention of Hebrew Winner, Younger Reader
Alan Gratz Refugee Winner, Older Reader
Antonio Iturbe The Librarian of Auschwitz Winner, Teen Reader
Fawzia Gilani-Williams Chiara Fedele Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam Honor, Younger Reader
Jaqueline Jules Yevgenia Nayberg Drop by Drop: A Story of Rabbi Akiva Honor, Younger Reader
Susan Krawitz Viva Rose! Honor, Older Reader
Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang This is Just a Test Honor, Older Reader
Tammar Stein The Six Day Hero Honor, Older Reader
Kacer Kathy with Jordana Lebowitz To Look a Nazi in the Eye: A Teen's Account of a War Criminal Trial Honor, Teen Reader
Marianne Kaurin Almost Autumn Honor, Teen Reader
Katherine Locke The Girl With the Red Balloon Honor, Teen Reader
2017 Debbie Levy Elizabeth Baddeley I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark Winner, Younger Reader
Adam Gidwitz Hatem Aly The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog Winner, Older Reader
Gavriel Savit Anna and the Swallow Man Winner, TeenReader
Michelle Edwards G. Brian Karas A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love Honor, Younger Reader
Richard Michelson Edel Rodriguez Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy Honor, Younger Reader
Joel Izzy Driedels on the Brain Honor, Older Reader
Andrea Davis Pinkney Johnson Steve and Lou Fancher A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day Honor, Older Reader
2016 Leslea Newman June Bates Ketzel, the Cat who Composed Winner, Younger Reader
Aharon Appelfeld Philippe Dumas Adam and Thomas Winner, Older Reader
Laura Amy Schlitz The Hired Girl Winner, Teen Reader
2006 Erica Silverman Mordicai Gerstein Sholom Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer Winner, Younger Reader
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References

Citations
  1. Pinchuck 2008, p. 27.
  2. Pinchuck 2008, p. 27-28.
  3. Pinchuck 2008, p. 28.
  4. Pinchuck 2008, p. 29-30.
  5. "2016 Sydney Taylor Book Awards Announcement". AJL News. 6 (1): 1. 2016 – via EBSCOhost.
  6. Estrin, Heidi; Kamin, Rachel (2007). "The Sydney Taylor Book Award". Book Links. 16 (3): 55–58 – via EBSCOhost.
  7. "Sydney Taylor Book Awards" (PDF). The Association of Jewish LIbraris. Retrieved 2 March 2019.

Sources
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