Author Donates Award Prize to Traveling Stories
The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), an international children's writing organization, to recognize excellence in children’s literature. Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. More than 1,000 books are entered each year.
This year, local author Meeg Pincus, M.A., was awarded the Gold Kite Honor Award in Nonfiction Text for Younger Readers for her picture book Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery. She selected Traveling Stories to receive the $250 prize the came along with the award.
Meeg is the author of 25 picture books in the trade and school/library markets and has been involved with Traveling Stories for several years. Traveling Stories recently caught up with Meeg about her award and wanted to share our conversation with her with you!
TS: How did you hear about Traveling Stories?
MP: I was looking at a website of volunteer opportunities, seeking some service to do with my then 13-year-old daughter in the summer, when I saw the call for reading mentors and thought it could be a perfect fit for us, as we both adore books, reading, and working with young kids. Then I did some digging on Traveling Stories and got excited about your mission and work. I volunteered in the summer with my daughter at the Vista story tent, and later joined a group of children's book authors and illustrators at the gala, where a basket of our books was also an auction item.
TS: What made you select Traveling Stories to receive the $250 prize that came with your award?
MP: I really believe in what Traveling Stories does, locally and globally, and I wanted to highlight it to others who love children's books and feel passionate about literacy, as the members of SCBWI do. I thought it was a great chance to both sponsor some kids in the program and raise awareness about Traveling Stories (as we had six thousand people watching the virtual awards gala!).
TS: What inspired you to write Winged Wonders?
MP: I've always loved butterflies and, as a writer and educator, I also love to ask "whose voices are being heard and not heard?" when I study or teach about historical events. I took my kids to a wonderful IMAX movie at the Fleet Science Center about the white Canadian scientist who "discovered" the Great Monarch Butterfly Migration and I got curious about the other people involved in putting the pieces together, especially those in Mexico. Winged Wonders uses questions to inspire kids to get curious about all the people who contributed to this discovery—from that white scientist and his researcher wife to many citizen scientists to the people of central Mexico who knew where the monarchs roosted for generations. In the end, I hope it also inspires kids to take action for the monarchs and other wildlife, and to think about how many people are really behind any great scientific discovery or innovation.
TS: You've won many awards! What was most special to you about winning this particular award (the Golden Kite Honor Award)?
MP: This award is special because it's a widely respected one for children's books (a big honor!) and also because it's from SCBWI, which is really an amazing organization that supports children's book authors and illustrators at all career stages, from pre-published to veterans. It's the place I send anyone at all who tells me they want to write or illustrate children's books ("Start with SCBWI!") and the place I started to really learn the craft and business of children's books myself. I'm honored to now be a SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Award winner (the second one ever from our San Diego chapter) and to be teaching SCBWI workshops and paying forward the learning and connections I've received from SCBWI.
TS: Do you have any advice for parents trying to get their children more interested in reading?
MP: I really think it's about finding out what books a kid gets excited about, then finding every book we can on those topics or in those genres for that kid (love the library for that!). It doesn't matter if it's sci-fi fantasy, humorous novels (or joke books), narrative biographies, fact-filled nonfiction, or graphic novels, just find books that make their eyes light up and make them want to tell you all about what they're reading. I believe this joy in books—which I believe everyone can have if they find the books that light them up—is the gateway to becoming a lifelong reader.
To learn more about Meeg or her resources for children and writers, visit her website at www.meegpincus.com!
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