Pajama Press

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Pajama Press Celebrates Two Books on the 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List

Posted on February 7th, 2020 by pajamapress

Pajama Press is proud to announce that two of our books have been selected by the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) for their 2020 Outstanding International Books List, including: Girl of the Southern Sea, written by Michelle Kadarusman, and The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women, written by Ailsa Ross and illustrated by Amy Blackwell.

Cover: Girl of the Southern Sea Author: Michelle Kadarusman Publisher: Pajama Press
Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman
Cover: The Girl Who Rode A Shark: And Other True Stories of Daring Women Author: Ailsa Ross Illustrator: Amy Blackwell Publisher: Pajama Press
The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women by Ailsa Ross and illustrator Amy Blackwell

Michelle Kadarusman was in attendance at the 2020 presentation, held at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Philadelphia. Committee member Amy McClure spoke about how the protagonist Nia from Girl of the Southern Sea embodied resilience during challenging times.

Michelle Kadarusman with USBBY committee members. From left to right: Amy McClure, Michelle Kadarusman, Anamaría Anderson, and Patrick Gall. Absent from the photograph is committee member Doris Gebe.

The USBBY is “a nonprofit organization devoted to building bridges of international understanding through children’s and young adult books.” The Outstanding International Books List began in 2006 and aims to honor international books that are published and distributed in the United States and deemed the most outstanding of those published during the calendar year. Learn more at www.usbby.org/outstanding-international-books-list.

Pajama Press extends our congratulations to our talented creators. Our sincerest thanks go to the USBBY for their support of international books through this incredible program for young readers.

Dance of the Banished a USBBY Outstanding International Book

Posted on January 9th, 2016 by pajamapress

DanceOfTheBanished_websiteDance of the Banished by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch has been selected as an Outstanding International Book by the United States Board on Books for Young People for 2016. This is a high honour given to a shortlist of books first published outside of the United States that are “deemed most outstanding of those published during the calendar year.” (USBBY website). These books:

  • Represent the best of children´s literature from other countries
  • Introduce American readers to outstanding authors and illustrators from other countries
  • Help American children see the world from other points of view
  • Provide a perspective or address a topic otherwise missing from children´s literature in the U.S.
  • Exhibit a distinct cultural flavor
  • Are accessible to American readers.

Dance of the Banished is also the winner of the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, a White Ravens Selection, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Best Books for Kids & Teens selection.

Graffiti Knight receives USBBY “Outstanding International Book” honour

Posted on February 2nd, 2015 by pajamapress

Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass has been honoured by the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) as one of six Outstanding International Books for grades 9–12 in 2015.

Chosen from among all books published outside of the United States but first distributed within that country in a given  year, the Outstanding International Books list is chosen based on the following criteria (taken from the USBBY website):

  • Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass, winner of the Geoffrey Bilson Award and the CLA Young Adult Book AwardBooks that represent the best of children´s literature from other countries
  • Books that introduce American readers to outstanding authors and illustrators from other countries
  • Books that help American children see the world from other points of view
  • Books that provide a perspective or address a topic otherwise missing from children´s literature in the U.S.
  • Books that exhibit a distinct cultural flavor
  • Books that are accessible to American readers.

Graffiti Knight has already received a number of significant awards, including the CLA Book of the Year Award, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, the R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature, and the CAA Exporting Alberta Award. Pajama Press congratulates author Karen Bass on yet another well-earned accolade.

Click here to view the full list of 2015 selections.