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WNBA Winner Announced

(Nashville, TN, August 6, 2012)

The Women’s National Book Association announces that author Ann Patchett has been chosen to receive the 2012-2013 WNBA Award. The award is presented by WNBA to a living American woman who derives part or all of her income from books or the allied arts and has done meritorious work in the world of books beyond the duties or responsibilities of her profession or occupation.
Ann Patchett is an award-winning and bestselling author of several works of fiction, among them, Patron Saint of Liars, named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year; Taft, winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for best work of fiction; Bel Canto, which won both the PEN/Faulkner and Orange Prize in 2002; The Magician’s Assistant; and her latest State of Wonder. Among her nonfiction titles are Truth and Beauty and What Now?
In addition, Ms Patchett has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, Gourmet and Vogue.
In 2011, Ann Patchett opened a bookstore, Parnassus Books, in Nashville with publishing veteran Karen Hayes, bucking the trend of the rising tide of closures among independents, the growth of “big box” outlets and internet buying. She has become a powerful advocate for independent bookselling throughout the country, having been interviewed by NPR and The New York Times, appearing on The Colbert Report; and was named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” for 2012.
The WNBA Award has been presented continuously since 1940. Previous recipients have included Doris, Kearns Goodwin, Carolyn Heilbrun, Barbara Bush, Eleanor Roosevelt, Perri Klass, and Kathi Kamen Goldmark.

2012 Pannell Winners Announced

(May 2012)

2012 Pannell Award Winners
The 2012 winner in the General Bookstore category is The Book Beat, in Oak Park, Michigan. The Children’s Specialty Store category winner isMonkey See, Monkey Do, in Clarence, New York.

A jury of five book industry professionals, after deliberating for four weeks, selected the winners based on creativity, responsiveness to community needs, and an understanding of young readers. Jurors expressed admiration for all the nominated stores and their comments on the winners revolved around how innovative they are in connecting to the communities they serve.

The Book Beat was lauded for its “passion and true understanding of children’s books and young readers,” for its “tremendous success as an independent haven within a tough urban environment,” and for going “beyond expectation to support and expand children’s and YA services, programs, and events.” Also impressive is the store’s initiation of the celebration of International Peace Day in local schools.
Monkey See, Monkey Do was commended for its enthusiastic and innovative approaches to getting kids engaged with reading. According to one juror: “I love the joyous tone this bookstore sets in all of its programs – and there are many! Eight weeks of summer camps, 300 children, 43 camps, is truly impressive.” Other jurors lauded its active book clubs, reading/writing/craft programs, and its “spirit of entrepreneurship, looking for ways to make money not just from book sales.”

In addition to sponsorship by the WNBA, the Pannell Award is underwritten by a generous gift fromPenguin Young Readers Group. Each winner will receive a check for $1000 and a framed piece of original art by a children’s book illustrator. This year the art will be contributed by Jenni Desmond, whose book Red Cat, Blue Cat will be published by Blue Apple Books (fall 2012), and George Ford (the first illustrator to win the Coretta Scott King Book Award in 1974) from Bright Eyes, Brown Skin (Just Us Books 1990), which won the Ben Franklin Award for illustration in 1991.

Jurors this year included Emma D. Dryden, children’s editorial & publishing consultant with drydenbks.com; Kelli Chipponeri, executive editor/children’s at Chronicle Books; Yolanda Scott, editorial director, Charlesbridge; Manuela Soares, lecturer and director of the Graduate Seminar, Pace University’s Publishing Program; and Gail Vinett, lead buyer, Ingram Content Group.
Nominations this year spanned all regions of the country. Made by authors, editors, book distributors, sales reps, and just plain admirers, the nominations illustrate a healthy support of independent bookselling and its importance in promoting the development of future readers.

In addition to the winners, the nominees included, in the General Bookstore category: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL; Lake Forest Bookstore, Lake Forest, IL; Mrs. Figs’ Bookworm, Camarillo, CA; Old Books on Front Street, Wilmington, NC; and Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO; and in the Children’s Specialty category: Alamosa Books, Albuquerque, NM; Books of Wonder, New York, NY; Bookworm Central, Manassas, VA; Wild Rumpus, Minneapolis, MN; and Spellbound, Asheville, NC.