Beth Hautala wins Christopher for Ostrich and Other Lost Things

Deerwood, Minn.-based Beth Hautala will receive a Christopher Award for The Ostrich and Other Lost Things (Philomel Books/Penguin Young Readers Group), a chapter book written for children 8 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.

In this novel Hautala explores the bonds and challenges of caring for a sibling with autism along with the pain and power that comes from self-discovery.

Hautala has a degree in writing and rhetoric from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa. She is also the author of “Waiting for Unicorns.” Hautala strives to write stories that tie heart and imagination together, drawing on the small wonders of everyday life for inspiration. She co-owns an advertising agency, Strateligent in Brainerd, Minn., with her husband, Aaron.

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.