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PHILADELPHIA — Susan L. Roth and Cindy Trumbore and illustrator Susan L. Roth of “Parrots over Puerto Rico,” were named the winners of the 2014 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children published in 2013. The award was announced today by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the 91��ý (91��ý), during the 91��ý Midwinter Meeting held Jan. 24 – 28 in Philadelphia.

“Parrots over Puerto Rico,” published by LEE & LOW BOOKS Inc., is the story of the rescue and return of the Puerto Rican parrot, a species once so abundant it blotted out the sun. Through the efforts of a valiant, dedicated and committed team of scientists and island residents the fate of this native bird is now inching out of extinction.

“The Sibert committee was swept into the lush collages and unique layout of the exciting efforts to rescue the iridescent Puerto Rican Parrot,” said Sibert Medal Committee Chair Cecilia P. McGowan.

Susan L. Roth resides in New York and has written and illustrated numerous children’s books. Cindy Trumbore lives in New Jersey and is a former children’s book editor and has written several children’s books. Roth and Trumbore co-wrote “The Mangrove Tree,” featuring collage illustrations by Roth, which was a 2012 91��ý Notable Book and Orbis Pictus Honor Book.

The Sibert Medal Committee selected four Honor Book(s).

“A Splash of Red: the Life and Art of Horace Pippin,” written by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Readers will be inspired by the passion and perseverance of artist Horace Pippin in this engaging picture book biography. The tightly woven narrative coupled with mixed media collage, watercolor and gouache illustrations capture the essence of Pippin's life and work.

Jen Bryant lives in Pennsylvania. She has written dozens of fiction, nonfiction and poetry books for children. Melissa Sweet lives in Maine. She is the winner of the 2012 Sibert Medal for “Balloons Over Broadway.” Bryant and Sweet collaborated on "A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams,” for which Sweet won a 2009 Caldecott Honor.

“Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard,” written and illustrated by Annette LeBlanc Cate and published by Candlewick Press.

This spirited, accessible introduction to the art and science of birding features immersive, fact-filled cartoon art punctuated with tongue-in-beak bird commentary via word bubbles and humorous asides. Cate's can-do tone empowers children and reminds them that they too can be citizen scientists if they only, "Look Up!"

Annette LeBlanc Cate, a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston, is the author/illustrator of "The Magic Rabbit." She resides in Massachusetts.

“Locomotive,” written and illustrated by Brian Floca and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

CHUG-CHUG! HUFF-HUFF! Brian Floca invites us back in time to experience the excitement and danger of a family’s 1869 transcontinental rail journey. Flowing, detailed blank verse text and warm, thoroughly researched illustrations fuel the adventure. ALL ABOARD! for this stunning aural and visual celebration of early rail travel. WHOO-WHOO!

This is author and illustrator Brian Floca’s fourth Sibert Honor Book. Floca lives and works in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius,” written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership.

Greenberg and Jordan provide a fascinating account of the life and work of the eccentric and inventive ceramic artist, George E. Ohr. The text is enhanced by photographs and information about where to see his art today. He was, in his own words, “The Greatest Art Potter on Earth. You prove the contrary.”

Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan have been award winning collaborators since the 1990s. Greenberg lives in St. Louis and Jordan lives in New York.

The award was established by ALSC and named to commemorate Mr. Robert F. Sibert, founder of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., of Jacksonville, Ill. Sibert is known for his early work in establishing standards of bookbinding.

Members of the 2014 Sibert Medal Committee are: Chair Cecilia P. McGowan, King County Library System, Issaquah, Wash.; Barbara A. Genco, BAGenco Consulting, Brooklyn, N.Y.;

Christine A. Jenkins, University of Illinois, Champaign; Dr. Allison G. Kaplan University of Wisconsin SLIS, Madison; Sally L. Miculek, Austin (Texas) Public Library;

Catharine Potter, Falmouth (Maine) Elementary School; Victor Lynn Schill, Fairbanks Branch, Houston; Letitia A. Wilson, Dayton (Ohio) Metro Library; and Terrence E. Young, Jr., Metaire, La.

ALSC is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit their website at .

For information on the Robert F. Sibert Medal and other 91��ý Youth Media Awards, please visit .

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