Wow, I did not see that coming!  I am very pleasantly surprised.  What a lovely choice!

Katherine Paterson has written some of my favorite children’s books.  Note to self: must include at least one in my list for Fuse #8’s Top 100 Children’s Fiction. 

I adore two of her books in particular.  One from the 1980s, Jacob Have I Loved has so much going for it.  Rivalry, drama, tension, complex family relationships and beautiful writing that can carry such a strong story with ease.

The other is Paterson’s latest, The Day of the Pelican, which speaks to the plight of modern refugees.  It is a thin volume with such an important story.  You can see my review here.

Congratulations to Ms. Paterson may she reign with the same heroism and strength we see in her novels.