• The 2020 A Baker’s Dozen: Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy booklist includes: "Astro Girl" by Ken Wilson-Max, "Snack Attack!" by Terry Border, "One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller" by Kate Read, and <a href="https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/bakers-dozen">more... </a>

    2020 Baker's Dozen Winners

    The 2020 A Baker’s Dozen: Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy booklist includes: "Astro Girl" by Ken Wilson-Max, "Snack Attack!" by Terry Border, "One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller" by Kate Read, and more...

    This year’s winner is <a href="https://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/lee-bennett-hopkins-poetry-award">“How to Read a Book”</a> by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (HarperCollins, 2019).

    2020 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

    This year’s winner is “How to Read a Book” by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (HarperCollins, 2019).

    Travel to the past along Route 1 with this year’s Historical Fiction titles! <a href="https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/route1reads-2020">Learn more about Route1Reads.</a>

    Route1Reads

    Travel to the past along Route 1 with this year’s Historical Fiction titles! Learn more about Route1Reads.

    This year’s winner, “King of King Court: A Memoir” by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly), is Dandro’s debut and explores the tensions of navigating a complex childhood. <a href="https://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/lynd-ward-graphic-novel-prize">Read more about it</a> and honor book, “New Kid” by Jerry Craft (Quill Tree Books)…!</p>

    2020 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize

    This year’s winner, “King of King Court: A Memoir” by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly), is Dandro’s debut and explores the tensions of navigating a complex childhood. Read more about it and honor book, “New Kid” by Jerry Craft (Quill Tree Books)…!

    Tune in to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCve4tLb8bIVFvdcg1pQI49Q/featured" > our YouTube page</a> for video highlights of our awards & programs, including A Baker’s Dozen storytimes with Asst. Director, Ellysa Stern Cahoy, Public Poetry Project presentations, Poems from Life readings, & more!

    Visit us on YouTube!

    Tune in to our YouTube page for video highlights of our awards & programs, including A Baker’s Dozen storytimes with Asst. Director, Ellysa Stern Cahoy, Public Poetry Project presentations, Poems from Life readings, & more!

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!

Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize
Virtual Award Ceremony & Presentation 
Featuring 2020 Winner: Travis Dandro
Click here to watch!

 

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award 
Award Ceremony & Presentation 
Featuring 2020 Winner: Kwame Alexander
Recorded: Thursday, October 22, 2020
Click here to watch!

 

Fem-Fusion: Visual Art + the Written Word
Exhibition & Readings
June 2021 - TBA
The Art Alliance of Central PA