EBMA Names David Wiesner Winner Of The 36th Annual Jeremiah Ludington Memorial Award

WARRENTON, Va., Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Educational Book and Media Association (EBMA) today announced that David Wiesner is the recipient of the 2014 Jeremiah Ludington Award. The award, named after EBMA's founder, is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the educational book business.  Recent past winners include Brian Selznick, Russell Freedman, Jon Scieszka, Kevin Henkes, Sharon Draper, and Mary Pope Osborne.

Mr. Wiesner is an award winning illustrator and author whose most notable works include Flotsam (2006 Caldecott Medal), The Three Pigs (2001 Caldecott Medal), and Tuesday (1991 Caldecott Medal), all published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Mr. Wiesner is one of only 2 author/illustrators to have won the Caldecott Medal 3 times. He has also won the Caldecott Honor 3 times: for Mr. Wuffles (2014), Free Fall (2009), and Sector 7 (2000). He will accept the award at EBMA's annual conference in New Orleans, LA, in January.

"The EBMA board and membership are proud to present this year's Ludington Award to David Wiesner," said Jennifer Allen, EBMA President.  "His contributions to children's literature are nothing short of amazing. Mr. Wiesner takes an ordinary day and creates magical fun."   As part of the award, EBMA will present a $2,500 check to the charity of Mr. Wiesner's choice.

Born and raised in New Jersey, David Wiesner was known as "the kid who could draw." He went on to become a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he was able to commit himself to the full-time study of art and to explore further his passion for visual storytelling. He soon discovered that picture books were the perfect vehicle for his work.

Wiesner generally spends several years creating each new book. He creates three-dimensional models of objects he can't observe in real life, such as flying pigs and lizards standing upright. His work has been described in SLJ as "visual storytelling at its best." 

EBMA is an association of over 30 wholesalers and 70 publishers who are reputable and authoritative suppliers of educational paperbacks, pre-bound books, and other materials to the school and library market.  For more information about EBMA and the Ludington Award, visit www.edupaperback.org.

SOURCE Educational Book and Media Association (EBMA)