The 35th anniversary of the Ezra Jack Keats Award is in its final stretch. The year was marked by the Award Ceremony at the Kaigler Children’s Book Literature Festival in April as well as participation in numerous virtual conferences such as NCTE and PLA’s Midwinter events. The year will be capped off with the introduction of our documentary, “Tell Me Another Story: Diversity in Children’s Literature”, that takes a look at the struggle to bring diverse and positive imagery to children’s literature, from the 1930’s to the present. Check out the resources classroom and library resources and materials as well as our special webinars.

The 35th anniversary campaign is produced in partnership with the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection.

Coming Soon

Tell Me Another Story: Diversity in Children’s Literature

TProduced by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, this new documentary looks at the evolution of diverse and positive imagery in children’s literature, from the 1930’s to the present. As part of the EJK Award’s 35th Anniversary, the film highlights notable archival imagery intertwined with illuminating insights from librarians, publishers, authors, and illustrators. In the spirit of Ezra Jack Keats and The Snowy Day, the film and those featured embrace the movement that has made multicultural children’s literature more visible, accessible and impactful.

2021 EJK Award Ceremony

Watch the winners and honorees accept their awards, fill us in on what the award means to them, and tell us about their creative processes. A bonus recording of the Q&A session that happened live during the event is included–moderated by Ramona Caponegro, Director of Educational Programming & Content for the 35th anniversary and Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University.

Watch the Luminaries Panel

The Snowy Day’s Legacy

EJK Award winners–author-illustrators Oge Mora and Phoebe Wahl and author Chieri Uegaki discuss the books that influenced them and how they create their award-winning works. Moderator Ramona Caponegro (see above) and teacher Jacqueline LaRose introduce online toolkits, now available on the EJK Foundation website, including book discussion guides, read-aloud tips, and fun facts about many of the winning authors and illustrators. (This webinar was originally presented at NCTE, Fall 2020).

Mock EJK Award Panel

Moderator and librarian Caroline Ward and a panel consisting of a school librarian, lower school teachers and a university professor, discussed their successful and exciting collaboration, between Friends School of Baltimore lower school students and students from Eastern Michigan University. They employed critical analysis of new and diverse literature and the unique kid-friendly criteria based on the actual Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) Award.

Books of Wonder

This illustrious children’s bookstore in New York City hosted three Virtual EJK Award panels in April 2021 featuring the 2021 winners and honorees and a few from the past who are now stars.

Watch the Illustrator Panel

EJK Award Illustrator winner Heidi Woodward Sheffield, and honorees Steve Small and Victoria Tentler-Krylov.

Watch the Luminaries Panel

EJK Award Writer winner Tricia Elam Walker, and honorees Raymond Antrobus, Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

Pat Cummings (EC Member, award winning author and illustrator) leading a conversation between four past EJK Award winners and honoree: Oge Mora, Meg Medina, Sydney Smith and Mike Curato.

Anniversary Activities

EJK Award winners and honorees, as well as educators, publishers and others will participate in webinars and remote panels with libraries, trade association conferences and book festivals to discuss diversity of characters and concepts in children’s books as well as the future of the EJK Awards

In-Person and Virtual Tool Kits for Libraries, Schools and Bookstores

Designed by elementary, high school and college educators, toolkits will include downloadable tips and lesson plans; posters, bookmarks and other graphic materials; social and traditional media pointers, sample posts and hashtags to organize such programs as: