As a tiny youngster, his books welcomed me with respect and sensitivity On winning the Writer Award, Percival said, “It is a great honor to win the Ezra Jack It will be a joy to watch their careersįlourish, writing and illustrating delightful children’s books that make a difference.”

Talent in this year’s winners and honorees. Keats Archive at USM, said “Since 1986, we’ve seen the winners and honorees of theĮJK Award blossom into the Ezras of today and tomorrow. To our illustrious committee for choosing these books to display the EJK Award andĮllen Ruffin, curator of The de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection and the

Life, who discover imaginative ways of coping, triumphing and sharing. “These books include characters from many walks of Illustrations and enjoy reading them over and over again,” said Deborah Pope, executiveĭirector of the EJK Foundation. “Children will see themselves in the 2023 EJK Award and Honor books, delight in the Zahra Marwan for Where Butterflies Fill the Sky written by Marwan, published by Bloomsbury Illustrator Honors: Chioma Ebinama for Emile and the Field written by Kevin Young, published by Make Me a World, an imprint of Random House House Children's Books Juliana Perdomo for Sometimes All I Need is Me, illustrated by Juliana Perdomo, published by Candlewick Press Writer Honors: Pauline David-Sax for Everything in Its Place, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, published by Doubleday, an imprint of Random *The 2023 Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor winners:

Knopf Books For Young Readers, an imprint Doug Salati for Hot Dog Written by Salati, published by Alfred A. *The 2023 Ezra Jack Keats Award winner for Illustrator Kari Percival for How to Say Hello to a Worm, illustrated by Percival, published by RISE X Penguin Workshop, an imprint of Penguin *The 2023 Ezra Jack Keats Award winner for Writer Writers and illustrators to be recognized for their work include the following: The ceremony will be livestreamed on the festival’s website page. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at the USM Hattiesburg campus, marking the first in-person award ceremony since 2019. The award ceremony will be held Thursday, April 13 at 12:30 during the Fay B. The annual EJK Award celebrates exceptional early career authors and illustratorsįor portraying the multicultural nature of our world in the spirit of Ezra Jack Keats. (USM), has announced the winners of the 2023 Ezra Jack Keats Award (EJK Award), as well The Ezra Jack Keats Foundation (EJK Foundation), in partnership with the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi Ezra Jack Keats Award Winners for 2023 to be Recognized During Ceremony at USM Children’s

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats