• We consider these 13 titles to be the very best 2023 picture books for family literacy. They fulfill the goals of family literacy programs across the nation: to create lifelong readers and lovers of books; and to start with the youngest audience - preschool children nationwide.

    2023 Baker's Dozen Selections

    We consider these 13 titles to be the very best 2023 picture books for family literacy. They fulfill the goals of family literacy programs across the nation: to create lifelong readers and lovers of books; and to start with the youngest audience - preschool children nationwide.

    Emily Carrington masterfully guides readers through her harrowing tale of childhood abuse, effectively compelling action in <a href="https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/lynd-ward-graphic-novel-prize"><em>Our Little Secret</em></a>, published by Drawn & Quarterly. "The story is clear and engaging and invites readers to witness the author’s futile quest for redress through the courts. This cultivates empathy and performs a kind of grassroots justice..."

    2023 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize Winner

    Emily Carrington masterfully guides readers through her harrowing tale of childhood abuse, effectively compelling action in Our Little Secret, published by Drawn & Quarterly. "The story is clear and engaging and invites readers to witness the author’s futile quest for redress through the courts. This cultivates empathy and performs a kind of grassroots justice..."

    Experience the captivating narrative of <a href="https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/lynd-ward-graphic-novel-prize"><em>Ducks</em></a> (Drawn & Quarterly), an exploration of the Oil Sands that skillfully tackles environmentalism, sexism, and the high cost of education in a male-dominated landscape. "Throughout, Beaton pulls the reader through with rich images and a personal but relatable touch."

    2023 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Honor

    Experience the captivating narrative of Ducks (Drawn & Quarterly), an exploration of the Oil Sands that skillfully tackles environmentalism, sexism, and the high cost of education in a male-dominated landscape. "Throughout, Beaton pulls the reader through with rich images and a personal but relatable touch."

    This year’s winner is <a href="https://www.psu.edu/news/university-libraries/story/grimes-garvey-dark-wins-2023-lee-bennett-hopkins-poetry-award/"><em>Garvey in the Dark,</em></a> a verse novel that explores the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement from a preteen boy’s perspective, written by Nikki Grimes, and published by Wordsong, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers.

    2023 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

    This year’s winner is Garvey in the Dark, a verse novel that explores the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement from a preteen boy’s perspective, written by Nikki Grimes, and published by Wordsong, an imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers.

    The 2023 honor <em>A Poem Grows Inside You</em>, written by Katey Howes, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee, and published by The Innovation Press, is a beautiful and playful picture book that fittingly celebrates the joy of writing poetry through the poetic form.

    2023 Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Award

    The 2023 honor A Poem Grows Inside You, written by Katey Howes, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee, and published by The Innovation Press, is a beautiful and playful picture book that fittingly celebrates the joy of writing poetry through the poetic form.

Welcome

With a mission to study, honor, celebrate, and promote books, reading, libraries, and literacy in Pennsylvania (PA), the PA Center for the Book sponsors several literary awards and events, and develops a wide range of educational content across multiple media to connect with its broad audience and to celebrate PA’s continued contributions to culture and literature.

Explore this site to learn more about the Center’s Literary & Cultural Heritage Map of PA, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Children’s Poetry, Baker’s Dozen List of Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy, and so much more!

Read more about the Center’s background here…

Events

The winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for the year 2022, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, and published by Kokila, was celebrated on March 29th with a conversation moderated by director Karla Schmit.Click here to watch!

 

What's New?

Emily Carrington's Our Little Secret wins 2023 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands wins 2023 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Honor.

The 2023 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award goes to Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes.