Kensky & Downes win Christopher Award for "Rescue and Jessica"

Cambridge, Mass.-based authors Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes and illustrator Scott Magoon--from Reading, Mass.--will receive a Christopher Award for Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship (Candlewick Press), a book for children 6 and up. It is one of 11 books for adults and young people to be honored on May 23rd at the 70th annual Christopher Awards in New York. The Christophers will also recognize creators of 9 feature films and TV/Cable programs.

Rescue thought he’d be a Seeing Eye dog and turned out to be a service dog. Jessica’s life also turned out differently than she’d imagined and needs Rescue to help her with everyday tasks. Together they see a way forward, one step at a time.

Kensky and Downes were married in 2012 and were injured during the Boston Marathon bombing a year later. Rescue joined them several months later. About their first picture book, they said, “We hope this story inspires you to celebrate others the way we have been celebrated. Making this book has been therapeutic, and we hope you enjoy the story as much as we enjoyed telling it.”

Scott Magoon has designed, written, and illustrated books for young readers since 2003.

The Christopher Awards were created in 1949 to celebrate authors, illustrators, writers, producers and directors whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit.” The Christophers, a nonprofit organization founded in 1945 by Maryknoll Father James Keller, is rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity. The ancient Chinese proverb—“It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness”— guides its publishing, radio, and awards programs. More information about The Christophers is available at www.christophers.org.