Notable Book for a Global Society
February 2, 2009

Dear Boyds Mills Press,

On behalf of the International Reading Association’s Notable Books for a Global Society, it is my distinct pleasure to inform you that our committee has selected one of the extraordinary titles from your publishing house to appear on our 2009 Notable Books for a Global Society list:  Child of Dandelions.  The list of award-winning books will be presented in May at the International Reading Association’s Annual Convention, and the books will be highlighted in a literary journal called Dragon Lode this spring.  The nine members of the committee found this title to be particularly noteworthy and deserving of our commendation. Several committee members praised Child of Dandelions for teaching us about an often-forgotten aspect of the world’s history and expanding readers’ perspectives on the world. The protagonist is complex, and our committee was quite impressed with how her innocence and trust are challenged the events around her. Many of us considered this title to be a page turner, and we found it hard to put the book down. We are delighted that your publishing house chooses to publish books that celebrate the diversity of the world in such exceptional ways, and this is a memorable title worthy of our notice.

As you know, our annual list consists of books that honor and celebrate diversity as well as common bonds in humanity; provide in-depth treatment of cultural issues; include characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact substantively and authentically; and include members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.” The books on our list invite reflection, critical analysis, and response; demonstrate unique language or style; meet generally-accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written; and have an appealing format and be of enduring quality. We are proud of the 25 titles that have been selected by our nine committee members from among the 400 titles that were submitted to us during 2008.

I was particularly impressed by Child of Dandelions from my first read, and my regard for the book throughout the year never ebbed. It became my own personal pick for the final list. I am delighted that the committee concurred. We appreciate all your publishing house does to promote great children’s and young adult trade books. Thank you so much for getting this title to our committee. We appreciate your support and the worthwhile work you do. Again, congratulations on this award! Child of Dandelionsistruly deserving of this distinction and deserves much attention from the next generation of readers.

Sincerely,

Barbara A. Ward
NBGS Chair