Author Kate Banks wins 2001 Zolotow award

Kate Banks, author of “The Night Worker” published by Frances Foster Books, is the fourth annual winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book.

The award is given by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, a library of the School of Education. The award will be presented Oct. 3 at the annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture at UW–Madison.

Banks creates a mesmerizing story that builds on a young boy’s fascination with his father’s work on a night-time construction project. When little Alex’s dad gives him his very own hardhat and lets him come to work with him one night, it’s a dream come true for him. Some readers, in fact, may surmise that Alex’s night on the construction site is indeed a dream, and that Alex’s own “night work” is that of all young children — to get a good night’s sleep. The lyrical text uses concrete child-centered imagery that ingeniously captures the subtle interplay of dream and reality that both shape a “midnight mountain.”

“The Night Worker” is the fourth picture book in which author Kate Banks has been paired with illustrator Georg Hallensleben.

The award committee named one Honor Book, “Wings” by Christopher Myers, edited by Tracy Mack and published by Scholastic Press. In this self-illustrated story, the eloquent voice of a sympathetic young narrator details the distinctive nature of a new neighborhood boy, Ikarus Jackson, who has wings. Rather than being lauded for his ability to fly, Ikarus is ridiculed for being different, until the narrator finds the courage to speak out on his behalf.

Established in 1998, the award honors the work of Charlotte Zolotow, a distinguished children’s book editor for 38 years with Harper Junior Books, and author of more than 65 picture books, including such classic works as “Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present” (Harper, 1962) and “William’s Doll” (Harper, 1972). Zolotow attended UW–Madison on a writing scholarship from 1933-36 where she studied with Professor Helen C. White.

The award committee also cited six titles as highly commended: “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type” by Doreen Cronin (Simon & Schuster); “The Good Luck Cat” by Joy Harjo (Harcourt); “If You Find a Rock” by Peggy Christian (Harcourt); “Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children” by Sandra L. Pinkney (Scholastic); “When Winter Comes” by Nancy Van Laan (Anne Schwartz / Atheneum); and “Yoshi’s Feast” by Kimiko Kajikawa (Melanie Kroupa / DK Ink).

Members of the 2001 award committee were Tana Elias, chair, librarian, Madison Public Library, Wisconsin; Amy Brandt, librarian, Sun Prairie Public Library, Wisconsin; Ginny Moore Kruse, director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Madison; Merri Lindgren, Baraboo, Wis.; George Theoharis, principal, Falk Elementary School, Madison, Wis.; and Kathleen T. Horning, (ex officio), librarian, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, Madison.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center is a noncirculating library for adults with a professional, career or academic interest in children’s and young adult literature. The Friends of the CCBC, Inc., is a nonprofit organization offering lectures, speaker receptions, book sales and other benefits for members, as well as assistance to CCBC.