Announcing the 2024 Margaret Wise Brown Prize Winners
Honoring the best picture book text from the previous year
Roanoke, Va. – Hollins University has named author/illustrator Brendan Wenzel as the recipient of the tenth annual Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children’s Literature for his title, Two Together (Chronicle Books). They have also chosen one honor winner, Deborah Hopkinson, author of On a Summer Night (Chronicle Books). Judges for this year’s prize were, author Carter Higgins, author Mitali Perkins, and Dr. Nancy Tolson of the University of South Carolina.
Wenzel will receive an engraved medal and a $1,000 cash prize for Two Together. Intended for ages four through eight, the picture book is described by the publisher as, “In this companion book to They All Saw a Cat and Inside Cat, a journey home leads to unexpected adventures for a cat and dog. A playful, imaginative story of friendship, empathy, and discovery by Caldecott Honor winner Brendan Wenzel.”
The judges added that “This tale of the fun and adventure enjoyed by friends dog and cat feels both epic and everyday. The playful art and beguilingly simple poetic text presents the beautiful night landscape as a backdrop. The journey taken by these two friends tumbles nimbly along, transporting children through a few spine-tingling moments towards a familiar, safe home. This book begs to be read again and again as part of a unifying, comforting bedtime routine.”
Brendan Wenzel is a NY Times bestselling author and illustrator, with great affection for all things furred, feathered and scaly. When not creating books for children, he is a proud collaborator with many groups working to protect and conserve wild places and creatures. Brendan’s book They All Saw a Cat received a 2017 Caldecott honor.
Judges for this year’s Margaret Wise Brown Prize also named one Honor Book: On a Summer Night written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Kenard Pak (Chronicle Books). Judges said that “The beauty of the natural world settles on pages that dare to hold a few words that welcome curiosity. Who or what has awakened the child? Night colors of brownish purples, dark greens, and browns are tapped by the growing light from the moon. The soft descriptions of movements within darkness give homage to the nocturnal life in a child's own backyard. Rich language and repetitive cadences invite the reader and listener into a peaceful unity with the quiet night.”
“I am thrilled by this year’s choices,” stated Dr. Elizabeth Dulemba, director of the graduate programs in children’s literature and illustration at Hollins. “Two Together does what Wenzel does so well, sharing a delightful adventure through the very different eyes of the friends who share in it, while On a Summer Night showcases the magic that comes alive in the quiet of the night.”
Each year, Hollins invites nominations for the prize from children’s book publishers located across the country and around the world. A three-judge panel, consisting of established picture book authors and academics, reviews the nominations and chooses a winner.
Hollins established the Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children’s Literature in 2016 as a way to pay tribute to one of its best-known alumnae and one of America’s most beloved children’s authors. Margaret Wise Brown graduated from Hollins in 1932 and went on to write Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and other children’s classics before she died in 1952. The Margaret Wise Brown Prize is one of the few children’s book awards that has a cash prize attached—those prizes are made possible by an endowed fund created by James “Pebbles” Rockefeller, Brown’s fiancé at the time of her death.
The engraved medal presented to the winners was conceived by award-winning sculptor, painter, and Hollins alumna Betty Branch of Roanoke. Winners and Honor Book recipients are presented with an original linocut certificate designed and donated by Ashley Wolff, author and/or illustrator of over 50 children’s books and visiting associate professor in the university’s graduate programs in children’s literature and illustration.
The study of children’s literature as a scholarly experience was initiated at Hollins in 1973; in 1992, the graduate program in children’s literature was founded. Today, Hollins offers M.A. and M.F.A. programs in the study and writing of children’s literature; a graduate-level certificate in children’s book illustration; and an M.F.A. in children’s book writing and illustrating with both summers-only and new, year-round programming options.
Hollins’ will release information on how to submit books for consideration for the 2025 Margaret Wise Brown Prize in November. Please email Dr. Elizabeth “e” Dulemba at dulembaeo@hollins.edu to be added to the announcement list.