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

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

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