Eric A. Kimmel, beloved author of over 150 children’s books, is the 2024 recipient of the Regina Medal, the prestigious annual award given by the Catholic Library Association (CLA) for a “continued, distinguished contribution to children’s literature.” The Regina Medal Award ceremony will take place during the CLA Conference on April 25-26, 2024.
Kimmel has written books for children of all ages. He is perhaps most famous for his 1990 Caldecott Award Honor Book Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Growing up in Brooklyn, Kimmel could hear numerous languages spoken as he walked his neighborhood. His youth provided him with many experiences so he could better value getting to know people and the cultures that created them.
The Catholic Library Association is honored and privileged to be able to add the Regina Medal to Kimmel’s already extensive list of honors and awards. In addition to the Caldecott Honor, he is a five-time recipient of the National Jewish Book Award and was presented in 2008 with the Sydney Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Various state school librarian associations have awarded him honors, including Iowa, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
Catholic school librarians may be particularly interested in The Lady in the Blue Cloak: Legend of the Texas Missions, which explores the history of these churches as well as many aspects of Catholic devotional life. This title received the June Franklin Naylor Award from the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 2006 for best portrayal of Texas history for grades K-6. Another title of interest could be Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow: Stories About Saints and Animals, which introduces readers to twelve saints and animals associated with them.