2019 Children's Book Awards

CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARDS

2019 Awards Announcements

The Children’s Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association’s Youth Services Section annually selects outstanding books for youth by Wisconsin-connected authors and awards the Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award, Outstanding Books of the Year, and Notable Wisconsin Authors/Illustrators.

Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award

Awarded to the most distinguished work in children’s and young adult literature written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator. The Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award is made possible by the Worzalla Publishing Company, Stevens Point, through a grant to the WLA Foundation.

The Cardboard Kingdom

Chad Sell

In a society where the lines that divide people have only seemed to deepen, there’s one thing that can bring an entire neighborhood of kids together: cardboard. With enough cardboard, you can make anything. A noble knight’s sword. The headdress of an evil enchantress. A robot. A mad scientist’s lab. What starts as a game between brother and sister soon grows into a sprawling kingdom, where imagination is only limited by how much cardboard you can get your hands on.

A neighborhood of refreshingly diverse characters each has their own personal quest to fulfill. A young boy who is drawn to the glamor of dressing up as an evil sorceress. A girl who uses her big voice to transform into a gentle but powerful monster. A bully who makes fun of the game he desperately wants to be a part of. As more kids are invited to play in the cardboard kingdom, unique and genuine characters begin to emerge as kids find courage in their fantasy world to truly be themselves.

Through the refreshingly diverse cast of characters, this compassionate gem of a graphic novel rejects stereotypes and teaches lessons about acceptance, understanding and identity without being heavy-handed. Readers will love the bold, colorful illustrations and imaginative, character-driven story that will no doubt have kids asking adults for spare cardboard boxes this summer.

About the Author

Chad Sell, cartoonist and comic book artist, is known for his unique style of portraits, which range from superheroes to reality television stars. The Cardboard Kingdom is an impressive debut from Sell, who grew up in Wisconsin and currently lives in Chicago

Notable Wisconsin Author

For her amazing body of work in children’s literature, former Wisconsin resident Peg Kehret was selected as this year’s Wisconsin Notable Children’s Author. Best known for her inspiring biography, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio, Kehret is a prolific, respected author of children’s literature, with her books spanning multiple genres. Many of Kehret’s novels have been selected as “children’s choice” award winners by young readers across the country. The Children’s Book Award Committee is very pleased to bestow yet another award upon this master storyteller.