91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – “This Day in June” written by Gayle E. Pitman, Ph.D., illustrated by Kristyna Litten and published by Magination Press, an imprint of the American Psychological Association, is the 2015 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. The award was announced today by the 91´«Ã½’s (91´«Ã½) Stonewall Book Awards Committee of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table, during the 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting, held Jan. 30 – Feb. 3 in Chicago.

The Stonewall Book Awards are given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. The award will be presented to the winning authors or editors at the 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference in San Francisco in June.

“‘This Day in June’ celebrates the pride and diversity of the LGBTQ community from a child’s point of view. This is the first picture book to win the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. In fact, this is the first time in the 44-year history of the awards a picture book was selected. It reflects the ever-growing quality and quantity of LGBTQ picture books being published,” said Stonewall Book Awards Committee Chair Dr. Rebecca D. Hunt.

“This Day in June” depicts a child’s eye view of a Pride Parade, and conveys the excitement, energy and diversity of the many varieties of queer life.

Three Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Award Honor Books were named: “Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out,” written and photographed by Susan Kuklin and published by Candlewick Press. In Beyond Magenta, six transgender teens speak candidly and emotionally about their own experiences.

“I’ll give you the sun,” written by Jandy Nelson and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC. In this heart-wrenching novel, sibling rivalry soars to beautiful and painful heights, spanning three monumental years in the lives of Jude and Noah, fraternal twins and art geniuses.

“Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress,” written by Christine Baldacchino, with pictures by Isabelle Malenfant, and published by Groundwood Books/ House of Anansi Press. A tender treatment of a little boy who wants to wear a dress, this picture book veers between reality and fantasy, all tied together by the vibrant tangerine motif of his dress.

The members of the 2015 Stonewall Book Awards Committee are: Chair Dr. Rebecca D. Hunt, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill.; Ellen M. Bosman, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.; Alyson Feldman-Piltch, Brookline, Mass.; Gina Marie Roberson, Moorpark (Calif.) City Library; Joel Nichols, Free Library of Philadelphia; Holly Okuhara, Weber County Library System, Roy, Utah; Heather Shockey, Greenville (S.C.) County Library System; David Geier-Suarez, Spartanburg (S.C.) County Public Libraries; Wick Thomas, Kansas City, Mo.; Don Yarman, Delaware (Ohio) County District Library; and Elizabeth DeCoster, administrative assistant, Baltimore.

For information on the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award and other 91´«Ã½ Youth Media Awards, please visit .

Contact:

Macey Morales

Media Relations Manager

312-280-4393

mmorales@ala.org

Heather Cho

Media Relations Specialist

312-280-4020

hcho@ala.org

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