Tell Me Another Story, our new 30 minute documentary, describes the dedication of intellectual and artistic giants, who have, for over one hundred years, attempted to bring authentic imagery into the books all children read. The film highlights the creators, past and present, whose focus has uplifted children’s literature, from W.E.B. Du Bois, Augusta Baker, Pura Belpré, and Ezra Jack Keats, to Pat Cummings, Marley Dias, Grace Lin, Christopher Myers, and Andrea Davis Pinkney.
2021 EJK Award Winners & Honorees
We’re proud to celebrate the winners and honorees of the 35th Anniversary EJK Award even as our campaign year draws to a close. Explore this page to learn about each of 2021’s extraordinary EJK Award books AND find over a hundred more that will diversify your library and delight your kids. Then, if you’d like a few tips on how to use these books to support your curriculum check out all of our teaching resources and webinars.
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.
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.
EJK Award Illustrator winner Heidi Woodward Sheffield, and honorees Steve Small and Victoria Tentler-Krylov.
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:
Our Champions
Celebrate our extraordinary group of authors, illustrators and their books with your community.
Winners & Honorees
Discover more about the lives and inspiration of EJK Awards past and present.
Publishers
Learn how these EJK Award winning publishers continue to advance diversity in children’s literature.
Committees
Meet the amazing individuals who have joined us for this momentous year.
