Gold Medal Winner: Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2011
Just in time for Halloween, the Society of Illustrators has awarded this year’s gold medal for best illustrated book of the year to author and illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer for her striking black-and-white-and-red scratchboard illustrations of witches, demons, and the devil himself. In Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem this multiple award-winning author tells the true story of the victims, accused witches, scheming officials, and mass hysteria that turned a mysterious illness affecting two children into a witch hunt that took more than 20 lives and ruined hundreds more. The powerful narrative, based on chilling primary sources is set off with art reminiscent of the period making it perfect fare for a dark Halloween night while illuminating a dark period of American history.This is Schanzer’s sixteenth book. Her other books include What Darwin Saw and George vs George: the Story of the American Revolution from Both Sides. As for Witches!, Schanzer says “This book just goes to show that truth really is stranger than fiction.”
A long-time proponent of great nonfiction literature for children, Schanzer writes for the award-winning blog I.N.K (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids) http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/ and is a founding member of INK THINK TANK http://inkthinktank.com/, a company that puts outstanding nonfiction books and their authors into classrooms around the world. The Ink Think Tank website features a free database of top nonfiction books in all disciplines, that have been aligned to core curriculum standards by the authors themselves. “If we want kids to learn, to read, and to love learning, and to love reading, why not give them compelling literature on the same subjects that are in their curriculum, instead of compelling them to read flat and boring material?” Schanzer asks. Why not, indeed!
Roz was honored at the opening reception of the exhibit Original Art: Celebrating The Fine Art of Children’s Book Illustration featuring 150 books chosen from 590 entries submitted nationwide. The exhibit is on display at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators from October 26 through December 29, 2011 at 128 East 63rd Street. [info@societyillustrators.org] #
