Laura Ingalls Wilder Committee Statement

...the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award which honors an author or illustrator whose books have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.

This year's recipient is Tomie dePaola.

Tomie dePaola's books range from autobiographical stories to retellings of folktales and legends, to original tales and stories. His works reflect an innate understanding of childhood, a distinctive visual style, and a remarkable ability to adapt his voice to perfectly suit the stories. With books that are often humorous - sometimes quietly, sometimes outrageously - and almost always contain a strong, emotional core, dePaola has made a contribution to children's literature that is broad, deep and lasting.