Looking For a Good Book For Kids? Brandon Author Earns Honors

TALLAHASSEE, FL – If you've been searching for an engrossing book for yourself or something that will spark your child's love of reading, you can't go wrong with these award-winning books by Florida authors.

After considering more than 200 submissions, the Florida State University Libraries presented its 12th annual Florida Book Awards to authors from across the state. And some of these authors may be closer than you think.

Coming out on top this year with the Gwen P. Reichert Gold Medal for Children’s Literature and a Gold Medal for Younger Children’s Literature was Brandon resident and children's author Rob Sanders for his book, “Rodzilla.”

Published by Simon and Schuster, “Rodzilla,” suitable for children ages 4 to 8, is the story of a wide-eyed anthropomorphic dinosaur wearing a shirt emblazoned “Totally Rod.” He wreaks havoc, stomping, drooling and sending “slime missiles” (globs of green snot) onto people and cars careening about. Ultimately, Rodzilla is revealed as a metaphor for the chaos toddlers can bring to a household.

If there’s one thing Sanders knows, it’s what kids like to read. By day, Sanders is a teacher at Mintz Elementary School in Brandon. His previous children’s books have proven wildly popular. They include “Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag,” “Outer Space Bedtime Race,” “Ruby Rose, Big Bravos” and “Cowboy Christmas.”

Now in its third year, the Gwen P. Reichert Gold Medal for Children’s Literature is given in memory of Gwen P. Reichert, a rare book collector, mentor of authors and educator of children. It comes with a $1,000 cash award.

Also honored by the Florida State University Libraries were authors Jared Beck and Pamela Miner who received the Gold Medal for Visual Arts for “River and Road,” published by University of Florida Press, and Arlo Haskell who was awarded the Gold Medal for Florida Nonfiction for “The Jews of Key West,” published by Sand Paper Press.

Other winning authors that you might want to check out are:

YOUNGER CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Silver: Carrie Clickard (Gainesville), “Dumpling Dreams” (Simon and Schuster)

Bronze: Marianne Berkes (Orange City), “Baby on Board: How Animals Carry Their Young”

OLDER CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Gold: Ed Masessa (Florida), “Wandmaker’s Apprentice” (Scholastic)

Silver: R.M. Romero (Miami Beach), “The Dollmaker of Krakow” (Penguin Random House)

Bronze: Rodman Philbrick (Florida Keys) “Who Killed Darius Drake?” (Scholastic)

COOKING

Gold: Norman Van Aken (Miami), “Norman Van Aken’s Florida Kitchen” (University of Florida Press)

FLORIDA NONFICTION

Silver: Frank Cassell (Sarasota), “Suncoast Empire” (Pineapple Press)

Bronze: Julio Capó Jr., “Welcome to Fairyland” (UNC Press)

GENERAL FICTION

GOLD: Laura Lee Smith (Palm Coast), “The Ice House” (Grove Press)

SILVER: Elizabeth Sims (Bradenton), “Crimes in a Second Language” (Spruce Park Press)

BRONZE: Randy Wayne White (Sanibel), “Mangrove Lightning” (G.P. Putnam Sons)

GENERAL NONFICTION

GOLD: Edwidge Danticat (Miami), “The Art of Death” (Graywolf Press)

SILVER: D. Bruce Means (Tallahassee), “Diamonds in the Rough” (Tall Timbers Press)

BRONZE: Kristine Harper (Tallahassee), “Make it Rain: State Control of the Atmosphere in Twentieth-Century America” (University of Chicago Press)

POETRY

GOLD: Kaveh Akbar (Tallahassee), “Calling a Wolf a Wolf” (Alice James Books)

SILVER: Terry Ann Thaxton (Winter Springs), “Mud Song” (Truman State University Press)

BRONZE: Michael Hettich (Miami Shores), “The Frozen Harbor” (Red Dragonfly Press)

POPULAR FICTION

GOLD: Patricia Gussin (Longboat Key), “Come Home” (Oceanview Publishing)

SILVER: Robert Macomber (Pine Island), “An Honorable War” (Pineapple Press)

BRONZE: Ward Larsen (Sarasota), “Assassin’s Code” (Forge Books)

SPANISH LANGUAGE

GOLD: Pedro Medina León (Coral Gables), “Varsovia” (Sudaquia Editores)

SILVER: Carlos García Pandiello (Miami), “Jaspora” (Aduana Vieja Editorial)

YOUNG ADULT

GOLD: Jenny Torres Sanchez (Orlando), “Because of the Sun” (Delacorte Press)

Authors must be full-time Florida residents, except in the Florida nonfiction and visual arts categories, where the subject matter must focus on Florida.

The winning authors from across the state will be honored at the Abitz Family Dinner, the annual awards banquet April 12 at Mission San Luis in Tallahassee.

For information, visit the Florida Book Awards website.

Image via Rod Sanders