Sparky!, written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Chris Appelhans (Random House/Schwartz & Wade), is the winner of the 18th annual Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book. The award is given by the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and will be presented in Madison this spring. In a release, the committee said: “The marvelous humor is never overplayed as Offill skillfully maintains a measured, evenhanded tone and perfect pacing.”
The award is given annually for outstanding writing in a picture book for up to age seven published in the preceding year. Offill’s writing credits have spanned adult and children’s since 2000 with her adult debut Last Things, and most recently Dept. of Speculation. Among her children’s credits are 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore and 11 Experiments That Failed, both illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, and While You Were Napping, illustrated by Barry Blitt (all Random House/Schwartz & Wade).
