Hunger Mountation, a print and online journal, based in Vermont College of Fine Arts published WLT 2009 Children’s Book Award winner, Kathi Appelt. She contributes to the theme with her piece, “Blurring the Lines,” a creative discussion on the ever-shifting audience line of children’s books.

The Winter Issue for Hunger Mountain is dedicated to “Confronting Controversy.” The theme explores the controversy in children’s and young adult’s literature.
“In a field as dynamic as ours, where merit is subjective and opinions are strong, how do we distinguish the best of the best? Who gets to decide what’s good, and what’s appropriate, and how do they do so?”
Appelt is the author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. Her numerous awards include the Growing Good Kids Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, the Irma and Simon Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, the Paterson Poetry Prize for Young Adult Literature, and the Institute of Texas Letters Award for Children’s Literature. Her first novel, The Underneath, was a National Book Award Finalist, a Newbery Honor Book, a Writers’ League of Texas Award Winner, and most recently the PEN USA Literature for Children Award. She was also named the 2009 “Texas Distinguished Author.”

Our very own office manager, Bethany Hegedus, is one of the co-editors of Hunger Mountain. She is also actively involved in the thriving Austin kid lit scene. Her second novel Truth With a Capital T, is forthcoming with Delacorte Press in fall 2010.
Don’t forget that we’ve extended the 2010 WLT Book Award deadline to March 15. Sumbit your book before it’s too late! Click here for more information.