It’s been a good week for Seattle author, Laurie Ann Thompson! It kicked off with the announcement early Monday morning from the American Library Association that her debut picture book won the Schneider Family Book Award, given to books that “embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.”
Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, written by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Sean Qualls and published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, wins the award for children ages 0 to 10. The book is an inspiring nonfiction picture book.
Emmanuel was born in Ghana with one deformed leg, but he didn’t let that stop him from pursuing any dreams. As a boy, Yeboah hopped to and from school, played soccer, and became a cyclist. He is a powerful advocate for the disabled who he rode a bicycle across Ghana and continues to prove that disability is not inability.
Laurie Ann Thompson’s other books include Be a Changemaker, a nonfiction guide for tweens and teens who want to make a difference in their communities, and My Dog is the Best, a picture book about a kid and a beloved (and sleepy) dog, illustrated by Seattle illustrator Paul Schmid.
Fish in a Tree, written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley are the winners of the middle-school award (ages 11-13). The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten won for the teen award (ages 13-18).
Thank you so much, NW Book Lovers! =D