Zara the Zebu
by Adelaide Bauman
My choice for the winner of the Children's Book Award is Zara the Zebu, by Adelaide Bauman, illustrated by Vita Kalmutska.
ZARA THE ZEBU is charming and well-written. Child listeners and readers will relate to Zeni’s goal of forming a friendship with Zara and the obstacles she has to overcome to earn the calf's trust. This is a story of persistence and growing empathy, presented in a lively and child-like way. Zeni solves her problem herself, with supportive adults in the background, which gives agency to her as the main character. The bright color palette of the illustrations complements the story. The portrayal of Zeni in text and illustration is appealing and culturally sensitive. Congratulations, Adelaide, on a wonderful book!
Sue Lowell Gallion
2021 Children’s Book Award Judge
ZARA THE ZEBU is charming and well-written. Child listeners and readers will relate to Zeni’s goal of forming a friendship with Zara and the obstacles she has to overcome to earn the calf's trust. This is a story of persistence and growing empathy, presented in a lively and child-like way. Zeni solves her problem herself, with supportive adults in the background, which gives agency to her as the main character. The bright color palette of the illustrations complements the story. The portrayal of Zeni in text and illustration is appealing and culturally sensitive. Congratulations, Adelaide, on a wonderful book!
Sue Lowell Gallion
2021 Children’s Book Award Judge
Sue Lowell Gallion is an award-winning children’s author of picture books, nonfiction books, and early readers. Her newest picture book is PUG & PIG AND FRIENDS, illustrated by Joyce Wan, published by Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, releasing August 17, 2021. Sue lives in Leawood, Kansas, and is a native of the Kansas City area.
PUG MEETS PIG was published in 2016 and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. It won the Missouri Library Association Building Block Award in 2018. The second in the series, PUG & PIG TRICK-OR-TREAT, received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.
In 2020, Sue’s first nonfiction title, OUR WORLD, A FIRST BOOK OF GEOGRAPHY, illustrated by Lisk Feng, was published by Phaidon Press as an international edition and a French edition. OUR WORLD is a large format globe shaped novelty board book which opens up to form a 360- degree globe. The book was named one of Parents magazine’s top books of 2020, was included in the Washington Post’s 2020 holiday gift guide. A second title in the “A First Book” series is in production now and will release in 2022.
Sue's other books include ALL EXCEPT AXLE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster) and the Tip and Tucker early reader series (Sleeping Bear Press), co-authored with Liberty,, Missouri, author Ann Ingalls.
Sue is passionate about the importance of books for children. She is a long-time volunteer with Lead to Read KC, a program that matches adults with first or second graders for weekly reading sessions in urban schools. She also serves as a volunteer author for the Church of the Resurrection’s education ministry and does author visits to partner schools throughout the city. She also enjoys doing author visits at libraries, schools, and bookstores around the country, in person or online. She is active in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and served as regional advisor for Kansas and Missouri.
Sue also loves sharing books with her three grandchildren, who live nearby. For more information on Sue and her books, check out Sue’s website at suegallion.com. Sue has lists of favorite books for kids on her Goodreads page. Follow her on Twitter @SueLGallion, on Instagram as @suelowellgallion, or on Facebook as Sue Lowell Gallion.
PUG MEETS PIG was published in 2016 and received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. It won the Missouri Library Association Building Block Award in 2018. The second in the series, PUG & PIG TRICK-OR-TREAT, received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.
In 2020, Sue’s first nonfiction title, OUR WORLD, A FIRST BOOK OF GEOGRAPHY, illustrated by Lisk Feng, was published by Phaidon Press as an international edition and a French edition. OUR WORLD is a large format globe shaped novelty board book which opens up to form a 360- degree globe. The book was named one of Parents magazine’s top books of 2020, was included in the Washington Post’s 2020 holiday gift guide. A second title in the “A First Book” series is in production now and will release in 2022.
Sue's other books include ALL EXCEPT AXLE (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster) and the Tip and Tucker early reader series (Sleeping Bear Press), co-authored with Liberty,, Missouri, author Ann Ingalls.
Sue is passionate about the importance of books for children. She is a long-time volunteer with Lead to Read KC, a program that matches adults with first or second graders for weekly reading sessions in urban schools. She also serves as a volunteer author for the Church of the Resurrection’s education ministry and does author visits to partner schools throughout the city. She also enjoys doing author visits at libraries, schools, and bookstores around the country, in person or online. She is active in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and served as regional advisor for Kansas and Missouri.
Sue also loves sharing books with her three grandchildren, who live nearby. For more information on Sue and her books, check out Sue’s website at suegallion.com. Sue has lists of favorite books for kids on her Goodreads page. Follow her on Twitter @SueLGallion, on Instagram as @suelowellgallion, or on Facebook as Sue Lowell Gallion.
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