New York, NY — August 11, 2016 — Acclaimed illustrator Christian Robinson has agreed to design the 2017 Children’s Book Week poster distributed by Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council in commemoration of the 98^th annual Children’s Book Week, to take place on May 1-7, 2017. Robinson is the artist behind such beloved picture books as Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio and Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, for which he received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor and a Caldecott Honor.

Reviving a Children’s Book Week tradition, the poster will feature the new official Children’s Book Week slogan, “One World, Many Stories,” highlighting the power of books to unite readers of all backgrounds. Each year since the program’s inception in 1919, a distinguished children’s book illustrator has been asked to create an official Children’s Book Week poster for national distribution. Over the literacy initiative’s 98 storied years, posters have been designed by children’s literature icons including Ezra Jack Keats, Jerry Pinkney, Brian Selznick, Ellen Raskin, Maurice Sendak, Rosemary Wells, and Garth Williams. Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council are honored to add Christian Robinson’s beautiful artwork to these historic commemorations of the longest-running national literacy initiative.

Robinson says of the Children’s Book Week commission: “Illustrating picture books for a living is already quite a prize. Being invited to design the 2017 Book Week poster might just take the cake! Many artists who inspire me — including Bruno Munari, Paul Rand, and Roger Duvoisin — have designed it in the past, so it’s a huge honor.”

Chair of the Every Child a Reader Board Judith Haut says of the 2017 poster: “I am delighted that Christian Robinson will be lending his dynamic illustration to the 2017 Children’s Book Week poster. His commitment to representing our diverse world in all its beauty epitomizes the theme of ‘One World, Many Stories.’ We can’t wait to share his inspiring poster with readers from coast to coast.”

Posters from Book Weeks past are available for purchase at the official Children’s Book Week Store. All proceeds benefit Every Child a Reader, a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. Stay tuned for the official poster reveal leading up to Children’s Book Week 2017.

About Christian Robinson

Christian Robinson is “one of the most exciting children’s book artists working today,” according to the New York Times. He received a Caldecott Honor for Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, which was also a Newbery Medal winner and a New York Times Bestseller. He also illustrated Rain! by Linda Ashman, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award, and Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell, recipient of a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. Readers will be delighted to see his illustrations in Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant, which will be published in October. He lives in San Francisco. Learn more at TheArtOfFun.com.

About Children’s Book Week
Established in 1919, CBW is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Each year, official events give kids the opportunity to connect with their favorite authors and illustrators in person. In 2016, official events were held in all 50 states. To learn more about Children’s Book Week and how you can join the fun, visit bookweekonline.com.

About Every Child a Reader

Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. Every Child a Reader creates and supports programs that strive to make the reading and enjoyment of children’s books an essential part of America’s educational and social aims; and enhance public perception of the importance of reading. Every Child a Reader’s programs include Children’s Book Week, a nationwide celebration of books and reading, and the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country; the Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens of all ages; and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Program, the country’s “Children’s Literature Laureate.” Please visit www.cbcbooks.org/about/every-child-a-reader/ for more information.

About the Children’s Book Council

The Children’s Book Council is the national nonprofit trade association for children’s book publishers. The CBC offers children’s publishers the opportunity to work together on issues of importance to the industry at large, including educational programming, literacy advocacy, and collaborations with other national organizations. Our members span the spectrum from large international houses to smaller independent presses. Membership in the CBC is open to U.S. publishers of children’s trade books, as well as in some cases to industry-affiliated companies. The CBC is proud to partner with other national organizations on co-sponsored reading lists, educational programming, and literacy initiatives. Please visit www.cbcbooks.org for more information.

###

Contact:

Emma Kantor
Communications Coordinator
The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader
212-966-1990
emma.kantor[@]cbcbooks.org