awards

2024 Wisconsin Library Association Notable Children’s Author of the Year (Miranda Paul)

2023 Amazon Best Book of the Month (October 2023; 365: How to Count a Year)

2023 CCBC CHOICES selection (365: How to Count a Year)

2023  Nami Concours 6th Edition Shortlist Nomination (Illustrations; 365: How to Count a Year)

2022 Bank Street The Best Children’s Books of the Year – (Peace)

2022 Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Grades K-2 (Right Now! Real Kids Speaking Up for Change)

2021 SLJ Best Book of the Year (Peace)

2021 Northern Lights Book Award, Mindfulness & Food Categories (Peace, I Am Farmer)

2021-2022 Texas 2×2 Award – (Speak Up)

2021-2022 Connecticut Charter Oak Children’s Book Award Nominee – (Peace)

2021-2022 Lectio Book Award Nominee – (Thanku: Poems of Gratitude)

2020-2021 Editor’s Pick – Best Books for Ages 3-5 – Amazon – (Speak Up)

Bank Street College Best Books of the Year Ages 5-9 – (Speak Up)

2021-2022 Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award Nominee – 3-6 grade strand – (Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2021 Kansas NEA Reading Circle TOP PICK – (Speak Up) – *seal/sticker

2020-2021 NEA Read Across America Book of the Month – August ’20 – (Speak Up)

2020 Great Reads from Great Places Winner (WI) – National Book Festival & Library of Congress (READ.gov) – WI Selection from the Wisconsin Center for the Book (Little Libraries, Big Heroes – WISCONSIN)


2020 Green Earth Book Award Honor Book (I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon) – *seal/sticker

2020 BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR, with Merit  (Nine Months)

2020 BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR, with Merit  (Thanku: Poems of Gratitude)

2020 BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR (I Am Farmer)

2020 BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR (Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2020 CYBILS Award – Elementary Nonfiction Winner (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2020 – Children’s Book Council CBC NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books For Young People (Little Libraries, Big Heroes)


2020 – National Science Teachers Association NSTA Outstanding Trade Book for Students (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2020 – American Library Association (ALA) Notable Book List (Thanku: Poems of Gratitude) – Readers of All Ages

2020 – LFL Action Book Club Pick For Young Readers – Reading is All Around (Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2020 –  Wisconsin State Reading Association – Picture This! – Recommended Reading Booklist (I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon & Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – 50 Must Read Picture Books From Around the World – Book Riot (Adventures to School: Real-Life Journeys of Students from Around the World)

2019 Kirkus Best Informational Book of the Year (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – Society of Illustrators Art Show Selection (John Parra; Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2019 – A Mighty Girl Best of 2019 List (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best” (Thanku: Poems of Gratitude)

2019 – Review, The Wall Street Journal (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – Review, New York Times (Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2019 – Nerdy Book Award Selections – “The Nerdies” – Poetry Anthology (Thanku: Poems of Gratitude); Nonfiction/Informational (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born & Little Libraries, Big Heroes)

2019 – Junior Library Guild Selections (Little Libraries, Big Heroes & I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon)

2019 – Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor for Nonfiction (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – The Horn Book Fanfare List (Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born)

2019 – Junior Library Guild Selection (I Am Farmer: Growing an Environmental Movement in Cameroon)

2018 Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries – Award of Excellence in Children and Young Adult Literature WINNER (Are We Pears Yet?)

2018 Sakura Medal Shortlist for Picture Books (Water is Water)

2018 North Carolina Children’s Book Award Nominee, Picture Book Category (Water is Water)

2017-2018 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Reading List (One Plastic Bag)

2017 International Literacy Association (ILA) Teacher’s Choice List (Whose Hands Are These?)

2017-2018 Missouri Building Block Award WINNER! (10 Little Ninjas) – *seal/sticker

2017-2018 South Carolina Book Award Nominee – Picture Book Category (One Plastic Bag)

2017-2018 Minnesota Star of the North Award Nominee (One Plastic Bag)

2017-2018 Nebraska Golden Sower Nominee List (One Plastic Bag)

2017 Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award Nominee – Elementary Category (One Plastic Bag)

2016 Best in Rhyme Award Longlist (Trainbots)

2016-2017 Read On Wisconsin list (One Plastic Bag) – Sept. 2016

2016-2017 Florida Reading Association Children’s Book Award Nomination (Water is Water)

2016 Maryland Blue Crab Award – WINNER, Children’s Beginning Nonfiction (Water is Water)

2016 Green Earth Book Awards – HONOR BOOK, nonfiction (One Plastic Bag) – *seal/sticker

2016 Children’s Africana Book Awards – Notable (One Plastic Bag) – *seal/sticker

2015 Eureka! Honor Award – California Reading Association (One Plastic Bag) – *seal/sticker

2016 Charlotte Zolotow Awards – Highly Commended Title (Water is Water)

2016 American Library Association ALA Notable Book (Water is Water)

2016-2017 Star of the North Book Awards (Minnesota) – Nominee (Water is Water)

2017 Monarch Book Awards (Illinois) – Nominee (One Plastic Bag)

Best of the Year 2015 – School Library Journal (Water is Water)

Best of 2015 – Creative Nonfiction for Kids – Huffington Post (Water is Water)

Best of 2015 – Informational Books for Young Readers – Chicago Public Library (One Plastic Bag & Water is Water)

Best of 2015 – 100 Recommended Titles – New York Public Library (One Plastic Bag & Water is Water)

Amelia Bloomer Project 2016  (One Plastic Bag)

2015 Eureka! Honor Book – California Reading Association (One Plastic Bag)

2015 Bookpage Best of the Year Children’s Book list (Water is Water)

Junior Library Guild Selection
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia (Lerner/
Millbrook, 2015). Read more about JLS here.

Junior Library Guild Selection
Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle (Roaring Brook / Macmillan, 2015)

Named to “The Best is Yet to Come: An Early 2015 Picture Book Preview”
by the Huffington Post Books blog, for Water is Water

★Starred Reviews
★School Library Journal – Peace
★School Library Journal – One Plastic Bag
★School Library Journal – Water is Water
★Publisher’s Weekly – Water is Water
★Kirkus Review – Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born
★Horn Book – Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born
★Publisher’s Weekly – Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born
★Booklist – Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born

Other Reviews:
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Star Tribune, Journal Sentinel

Other Nominations:
Capitol Choices – Seven to Ten (Water is Water)

See press kit for full list of reviews

Other Awards
Michael S. Glaser Creative Writing Award – (SMCM, 2004)
Natalie and Ben Parran Award for Excellence in Education – (SMCM, 2003)
Ethics in Business Award Nominee/Finalist – (AFCS, 2008)

Click here for a Press Kit with author bio, book synopsis info, and image files.