Last night at Guastavino's in New York City, a glittering group of 300 authors, artists and other book-makers and enthusiasts gathered for the Sixth Annual Carle Honors, hosted by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
Leonard S. Marcus, founding trustee of the Carle Museum and children's literature scholar and author, introduced the first award recipient, Karen Nelson Hoyle. As professor and curator of the Children's Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota, Hoyle was honored for her work as a "bridge" ("bring[ing] the art of the picture book to larger audiences"). Since joining the University in 1967, she has built up the Kerlan Collection's archive alone to 100,000 children's books, original manuscripts, artwork and more. Marcus, who has traveled to Minneapolis to conduct research at the Kerlan Collection, praised Hoyle's policy of "openness and accessibility." Hoyle said she has welcomed scholars from Australia, Japan and Sweden, as well as 20 local colleges and university, and thanked the Carle Museum for honoring "a librarian and curator."
"Jeanne Steig has a talent for making happiness visible in all of her works," said Holly McGhee, president of Pippin Properties, in her introduction to Steig as the "angel" recipient. McGhee has counted Ms. Steig as part of her "inner circle" for 20 years. "The Carle Museum gave a beautiful exhibit to Bill's work," said Jeanne Steig in her acceptance speech, referring to her late husband, William Steig. "Now it has given a home to Bill's drawings." In an elegant transition, she said, "I also have an angel of my own in Michael di Capua," the honoree in the "mentor" category who published many of both the Steigs' works.
Maurice Sendak, in a video recording, made the introduction for his longtime editor, Michael di Capua. Sendak talked about "the art of editorship – it's not treated as art, but Michael was an artist," he said. "We fight. He has a way of picking on you until you want to hit him," he adds wryly. "But it enhances the work; it benefits the work. He asks, 'Are you holding it back?' Sometimes you're compromising without knowing you're compromising. Michael is as much an artist as an artist."
In an acceptance speech that offered evidence as to why he's such an effective mentor, di Capua (pictured here with Scholastic colleagues Tracy van Straaten (l.) and Rachel Coun) said he felt honored to be included in the distinguished company of his predecessors, Anne Beneduce (Eric Carle's longtime editor), Margaret McElderry, Susan Hirschman and Walter Lorraine, "all of whom have contributed to the making of distinguished picture books." He then thanked the designers and production managers by name who have been "just as obsessive as I have about perfecting the physical book itself." A colleague pointed out to di Capua that the previous honorees in this category had all retired by the time they received the award, but he said, "as long as I have my wits about me and my health, I'm sticking around."
"When Lois Ehlert picks me up at the Milwaukee Airport," began poet and artist Ashley Bryan in his introduction to the "artist" award winner, "she says, 'Which first, hotel, museum or village bazaar?' and I say, 'Village bazaar!' That's where the great treasures in Lois Ehlert's work come from. The forms, shapes and colors we love." He adapted his poem "The Artist" from his book Sing to the Sun and read it in honor of his friend and fellow artist. Ehlert (pictured here, flanked by Ashley Bryan (l.) and editor Allyn Johnston) kept her speech brief, explaining that "Midwesterners don't like to brag." But she did say she hides hearts in all of her books. She thanked her longtime editor Allyn Johnston and Mother Nature, and said you know you're getting older "when your body of work looks younger than the body you live in." --Jennifer M. Brown