ABSTRACT
One of the challenges that complicates prizing in children’s literature is the breadth of our professional eld. The work of children’s literature occurs in classrooms, libraries, bookstores, garrets, corporate corner ofces, and the ivory tower-to name but a few of the main locales. Teachers, librarians, book buyers, writers, editors, academics, and reviewers-not to mention children themselves-all approach children’s literature in unique ways. While some of the aforementioned parties share methodologies at times, the often substantially different theoretical lenses used by various groups affect their beliefs about the value and purpose of children’s literature. These differences can affect prizing, especially when a jury is composed of members from a single group. Children’s choice awards, infamous for celebrating animal stories and joke books, are an obvious example. Perhaps a more telling case is Canada’s prestigious Governor General’s award: the “Children’s Literature, Text” category is judged by children’s writers, and the winning books are renowned for their edgy, innovative, boundary-pushing qualities. The Newbery Medal, on the other hand, is administered by the American Library Association (ALA), juried primarily by librarians, and often comes under re for winners’ lack of diversity in gender, class, and race.
