The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art's recent 2024 Carle Honors Gala in New York City gave a variety of awards and raised more than $270,000 for the Museum, supporting its programming, exhibitions, and reach.
A highlight of the evening was a tribute to Marlo Thomas, who received the Inspiration Award celebrating the 50th anniversary of Free to Be... You and Me, the groundbreaking picture book co-created by Thomas. A commemorative exhibition celebrating the art of Free to Be... You and Me will open at the Eric Carle Museum in November.
Other honorees were:
Artist: Uri Shulevitz. "A Caldecott Medalist known for his profound storytelling and mastery in illustration, Shulevitz's journey from Warsaw to New York underpins much of his inspiring work. Israeli American Leerone Hakami paid tribute to Shulevitz with a stunning violin performance to accompany his poignant watercolors, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux editor Wesley Adams accepted the award on his behalf as he was unable to attend at the last minute."
Angel: We Need Diverse Books. "A pioneering organization advocating for diversity in publishing, WNDB was recognized for its relentless efforts to amplify underrepresented voices. Ellen Oh accepted the award. Grace Lin, a Taiwanese American children's writer and illustrator, paid tribute to WNDB with a drawing activity for the audience."
Bridge: KidLit TV. "Julie Gribble, founder of KidLit TV, accepted the award for bringing picture books to a digital generation, helping children around the world access author interviews, read-alouds, and art tutorials. KidLit TV was honored with a multimedia presentation consisting of comments from Leonard S. Marcus, Andrea Davis Pinkney and a number of leading educators."
Mentor: The Horn Book. "Celebrating 100 years as a critical voice in children's literature, the Horn Book was honored for its enduring contribution to literary criticism and its influence on the world of picture books. Elissa Gershowitz, editor-in-chief, accepted the award. Dr. Claudette S. McLinn, executive director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature, paid tribute to the Horn Book with a personal and professional history lesson, including a series of top Horn Book covers through the years."