The Phoenix Award by: Holly Wilson Are You Ready To Go Back? The Phoenix Award by: Holly Wilson

history & Significance: Back in Time The Phoenix Award began in 1985 to honor books published 20 years prior Symbolism of the Phoenix which rises from the ashes and is reborn “Phoenix books also rise from the ashes of neglect and obscurity and once again touch the imaginations and enrich the lives of those who read them.” (Children’s Literature Association)

Organization Non-profit, scholarly organization “Dedicated to the academic study of literature for children.” Member Opportunities: Annual Conference Peer-Reviewed Journals: Children’s Literature Children’s Literature Association Quarterly Gives several awards for: Contributions to children’s literature, scholarship, or criticism Literary essays by Graduate and Undergraduate students Books of literary essays Previously unrewarded significant children’s literature

Selection Criteria Children’s book (chapter book) Originally published in English language High literary merit Published 20 years prior Known for its excellence in that time Has not won a significant award for literature in that time Nominated by ChLA members Selected by elected Phoenix Award Committee from ChLA Honor books may also be chosen (since 1989), but not always

Representative Titles: Back to 1992 Letters from Rifka, 2012 Author: Karen Hesse Tells the story of Rifka and her family, who leave Russia for America in 1919 to escape Jewish persecution. Rifka writes her story in letters to a cousin she left in Russia. She experiences many challenges, including sickness and storms. The book is based on a true story from Hesse’s family.

Representative Titles: Back to 1991 The Mozart Season, 2001 Author: Virginia Euwer Wolff Tells about Allegra, a twelve-year-old girl who plays the violin and is the youngest person in a music competition. The books centers on Allegra’s world: her personality, the people in her life, and how all of that figures into the Mozart concerto she is practicing for the competition.

Representative Titles: Back to 1987 Memory, 2007 Author: Margaret Mahy Jonny’s journey for answers about his sister’s accidental death lead him to befriend an elderly woman named Sophie who has Alzheimer’s. The two begin a lovely friendship, and Jonny helps care for Sophie as he heals from his loss.

Representative Titles: Back to 1986 Howl’s Moving Castle, 2006 Author: Diana Wynne Jones Sophie lives in the town of Market Chipping in her father’s hat shop. While in the shop one day, the Witch of Waste comes in to buy a hat, but turns Sophie into an old woman when she is dissatisfied. Sophie is then left to make a deal with the Wizard Howl, and face the Witch of Waste.

References Bulletin board. (1984). Children's Literature Association Quarterly 9(4), 208-210. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved June 28, 2012, from Project MUSE database: http://muse.jhu .edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/childrens _literature_association_quarterly/v009/9.4.article02.pdf Children’s Literature Association. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.slab500.com/chla/index.php?page=homepage Children’s Literature Association. (2012). Phoenix Award brochure [Brochure]. N.p.: Children’s Literature Association. Retrieved from http://www.slab500.com/chla/images/resources/resources-Children- squo-s_Lit_-_Phoenix_Award Brochure_2012.pdf Do you remember Back to the Future? [Blog posting and image]. Retrieved from Awesome Headquarters website: http://www.awesomehq .com/television/movies/back-to-the-future/ Howl’s Moving Castle. (2012). Retrieved from http://www .goodreads.com/book/show /6294.Howl_s_Moving_Castle

References Hutcheson, B. (1988). Memory. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com /Memory-Collins-Flamingo- Margaret-Mahy/dp/000712337X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie =UTF8&qid=1340933964&sr=1-1&keywords=memory +by+mahy Letters from Rifka. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.goodreads .com/book/show/1943720.Letters_from_Rifka Memory. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com /book/show/47893.Memory Rockman, C.C. (1991). The Mozart Season. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www. amazon.com/Mozart-Season -Virginia-Euwer-Wolff/dp/0312367457 The Mozart Season. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.goodreads .com/book /show/827988.The_Mozart_Season