'It’s Only Stanley' Wins Ladybug Book Award

CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire children, from preschoolers to third graders, have voted “It’s Only Stanley,” the winner of the 2016 Ladybug Picture Book Award, according to the New Hampshire State Library. “It’s Only Stanley” received 4,119 votes out of the 22,317 cast by children across the state.

It was written and illustrated by Jon Agee, and is published by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Sponsored by the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library, the Ladybug Picture Book Award was established to promote early literacy and to honor the best in recent children’s picture books. Previous winners have included Chris Van Dusen’s “If I Built a House,” Judy Schachner's “Skippyjon Jones” and “The Day the Crayons Quit” written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. A full list of past winners is at ladybug.nhbookcenter.org.

In the spring of 2016, the Ladybug Picture Book Award Committee, which is made up of children’s librarians from around New Hampshire, selected 10 picture book titles as nominees for the award. Throughout the summer and fall, librarians and teachers shared the books with children at storytimes, developed colorful displays of the titles and encouraged families to borrow and read the books at home.

Beginning in November, to coincide with elections, New Hampshire preschools, elementary schools and public libraries invited children to vote to select the award winner. Voting took place at more than 150 schools, libraries and day care centers around the state.

The Ladybug Picture Book Award Committee has begun working on its nominations for the 2017 Award. To be considered for nomination, a picture book must meet the following criteria: be published in its current edition within the last three years, be in print; have an author and illustrator living in the United States, possess strong child appeal, and have artistic quality with text that supports the illustrations. No titles that have previously been selected as nominees will be considered. Nominations are only accepted from New Hampshire libraries, including school libraries.

For more information about the award, please visit the website of the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library at: nhbookcenter.org.

Submitted by Mary Russell.