I am delighted to share some wonderful news.  My 2023 nonfiction picture book, Small Shoes, Great Strides: How Three Brave Girls Opened Doors to School Equality, has been awarded a 2025 Jane Addams Children’s Book Honor.

For more than 70 years the Jane Addams Peace Association has recognized “children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equality for all people.”  It is humbling to be told my book meets these standards.  Many, many thanks to Jane Addams Peace Association Executive Director Angela Medina and to everyone at the Association who made this happen.  Heartfelt appreciation for my publishing family at Lerner Books.

I am thrilled to be in the company of other 2025 award winners:  Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome, Gayle Forman, Maysa Odeh and Aliaa Betawi, Kwame Alexander, Hiba Noor Khan and, of course, Small Shoes illustrator, Alex Bostic.

An extra bonus is that the award ceremony (which is free and open to the public) will be held on April 24th at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh — my home town — so family and friends will be able to attend and celebrate with me.

To add icing to this already delicious cake, Dr. Leona Tate, one of the “brave girls” in my book, will be traveling from New Orleans to share in the happy event.  I am truly grateful and counting the days.

To anyone who can make it, see you there!  I’ll be giving out hugs.

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For more information about the 2025 award winners and the Jane Addams Peace Association, here’s a link: 2025 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Announcement

And I just received news that Small Shoes, Great Strides has been selected for the 2025 Texas Library Association Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List.  Here’s a link:  2025 Texas Topaz Youth Nonfiction Reading List