Fairrosa Press

Author Judges vs. Librarian/Teacher/Child Judges

“I have never, ever served on an award committee that ends up with two books I had no role in selecting from the beginning being pitted against each other, so that one is the winner and one is the loser.” – “There’s something about idea of asking the authors themselves to engage in this sort of contest makes me cringe. I think it’s bad enough that they are asked to serve on the National Book Award committee, but at least their discussions there are confidential. And there is a reason for that.” — quoted from facebook comment with permission

Now I think further on this point, I disagree strongly with the sentiment that it is somehow distasteful to ask authors as judges of books, as if it is a cannibalistic act. Authors, hopefully, do understand the process of writing and the editorial process better than some of the librarians/teachers/others who serve on award committees. I believe that they also understand the difference between judging a book and judging an author. A book is an object of art — once it is published, no matter how much it is a labor of love and spirit, it is out of the hand of the author. To think and write about the book is not to think and write about the author. We are not asking our author judges to defame or praise their colleagues and friends in the field. So, I don’t see why authors cannot be asked to examine books critically. Aren’t they also avid readers and thoughtful thinkers of children’s and YA books?

Indeed, many awards are juried and given out by industry insiders, such as the Golden Kite Awards (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), The Oscars, and the TONY. BoB, of course, differs from these three awards since it is not decided by votes but by one person’s opinions each step of the way. And I do see how it can be viewed as brutal and arbitrary, and how some people might find this an unfair process. I don’t really have words or thoughts to defend this point.

IT IS unfair, I agree — but I want to ask and maybe some of you can shed light on this: what IS fair, then?

by Maureen Sherry

This fun mystery, full of riddles and puzzles, is a perfect fit for my students who go to school in New York City’s upper east side (where the children in the book do) and who are familiar with most of the landmarks referenced in the book and yet will be intrigued to know more about the hidden history of them. Do I wish that the sentence-level writing a bit stronger and some of the more far-fetched scenarios handled more skillfully, yes. However, I thoroughly enjoyed following the clues and finally to see the big payback!

It also is refreshing to have a book where three school-aged children are collaborating with a grown up (the over-70 Eloise) who has much to offer, such as her own living knowledge of NYC history.

The major “gripe” I have about this book is in Sherry’s decision of featuring racially homogeneous main and supporting characters – Brid (the 9-year-old sister) is described as a “willowy, wiry blond” (with Patrick, the 6-year-old brother, having electric-blue eyes). Their next-door neighbor, Lukas Williamson talks to the main characters while “brushing back his blond hair”… and then, a very minor, but only school-friend character of CJ (the 12-year-old brother,) is described as having “thick blond hair that shrouded his blue eyes.” Or, perhaps my issue is the “mindlessness” or laziness of using stock and cliched phrases when one creates and describes any character. I work in a pretty high-profiled NYC upper east side private school, and I KNOW for a fact that well-to-do families in 2011 come in all colors and shades and children do not confine themselves in interacting with same-color/race peers any more. After listening to and reading her article Straight Talk on Race: Challenging the Stereotypes in Kids’ Books, I am hyper aware of such details.