The Evanston Public Library is proud to announce that its very own Children’s Librarian Brian E. Wilson directed the national committee to select this year’s Children’s Literature Legacy Award Winner.
The Children’s Literacy Legacy Award celebrates authors and illustrators whose body of work over their lifetime has had a profound impact on children’s literature in the United States. This year’s award went to Grace Lin, author of more than 40 children’s books.
In addition to his invaluable contributions as a member of the Library’s Early Learning and Literacy staff, Wilson has served on the Monarch, Bluestem, 2015 Odyssey and 2017 Caldecott award selection committees, and is an example of the influential presence of the EPL in the world of children’s literature.
Wilson said the experience of working on the selection committee for the 2022 Legacy Award was an intensive, time-consuming, and ultimately fulfilling experience.
“Chairing gave me the unforgettable chance to work with four dedicated and insightful children’s literature lovers from all around the country,” he said. “We spent hours reading great books by several amazing nominees, researching their careers, and then discussing our contenders via monthly Zoom meetings.”
This year’s Children’s Literacy Legacy Award winner, Grace Lin, got her start writing 1999’s The Ugly Vegetables. She’s since written and/or illustrated over 40 children’s books, receiving accolades including a 2010 Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, a 2011 Geisel Honor for Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same, and a 2019 Caldecott Honor for A Big Mooncake for Little Star.
“With her exuberant art and storytelling, Lin creates unforgettable books that engage all children, while incorporating elements of her own life and heritage,” the selection committee said in a press release.
Catch Lin reading from her bestselling book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, or listen to this powerful independent Tedx Talk in which Lin shares about writing books that she would have wanted to read and share as a child.
Read more about the Children’s Legacy Award and the rest of the American Library Association’s 2022 Youth Media Awards, and find a list of Lin’s work curated by Wilson and available for checkout on epl.org.
