City gears up for White Book Awards next week
By Scott Rochat
Originally published 02:39 p.m., September 18, 2007
Updated 02:39 p.m., September 18, 2007
It’s almost time for children’s books to take the spotlight again.
Emporia will celebrate the 55th annual William Allen White Children’s Book Awards on Sept. 28-29. Named for the longtime Emporia Gazette publisher, the awards are chosen each year by Kansas schoolchildren and have been called the first “reader’s choice” award in the United States.
This year, author Andrew Clements will return for his third White award, winning the third- through fifth-grade prize for “The Report Card.” His previous wins have been for “Frindle” and “The Landry News.”
The sixth- through eighth-grade award will go to first-time winner Sara Weeks for “So B. It.”
“The Report Card” by Clements is about a young genius named Nora who hides her intelligence so she won’t be singled out. “So B. It” is about a girl named Heidi who tries to discover the past of her mentally handicapped mother.
Both authors will be part of a parade of children from Emporia State University to White Auditorium on Sept. 29, beginning at 12:15 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at the auditorium and will include speeches by Clements and Weeks and a question-and-answer session.
Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the door or in advance from Joyce Davis at ESU’s William Allen White Library. For information, call 341-5208.
Activities will begin Sept. 28 with a read-in and sleepover for third- through eighth-graders at the Emporia Recreation Center, 313 W. Fourth Ave. Space at the sleepover is limited to 100 children and adults. Students will have a chance to meet and talk with the visiting authors.
From 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Sept. 29, Weeks and Clements will sign copies of their books at the second floor of the ESU Memorial Union. Other souvenirs will be sold. Children’s activities, including storytelling, craft projects, face painting and live performances will start at 8:30 a.m. on the second floor of the union and continue until 11 a.m.
Lunch will be served at the Memorial Union cafeteria from 10 a.m. to noon on Sept. 29. Lunch tickets are $4.75 and must be bought in advance.