Anne Izard Award Eligibility

Noted librarian and storyteller Anne Izard, who died in 1990, is being honored with this award. It was established in her name by the Westchester Library System, where she served as the Children’s Services Consultant for many years.

Another noted storytelling librarian from New York Public, Augusta Baker, is also honored by the “Baker’s Dozen” chosen  for each cycle. Mrs. Baker’s legacy of cultivating collections of books portraying African-American culture is honored in our mission to include books that are culturally, racially, and ethnically representative of our world.

This award highlights and promotes distinguished titles published in the field of storytelling, and in doing so, brings the many riches of storytelling itself to a much greater public recognition.

Books considered for the sixteenth award must be original material, reprints, or new English translations published in North America between January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

Selection Criteria:

  • While mindful of the established standards of excellence in literature, the primary intention of this award is to honor books that can be used with confidence as resources for storytellers.

  • Stories must be entirely successful without depending upon illustrations, graphic elements, or audio-visual media.

  • Collections, as well as individual picture book versions of stories, will be considered.

  • Folk tales should be distinguished by an outstanding style, which makes the particular version notable. Authenticity, scholarship, and documentation will be taken into consideration, but are not the sole criteria. Sources should be given for folktales unless it is clear that the author grew up with the story as a member of the culture from which it comes.

  • Distinguished examples of original stories should preserve, promote and/or honor an oral tradition.

  • Non-fiction narratives, including poetry and biography, will be considered.

  • Books which deepen and enrich a storyteller’s understanding of the meaning and uses of story, as well as books pertaining to folk traditions, aesthetics, methods and study of storytelling are eligible.

Three copies of any eligible books should be mailed to Ellen Tannenbaum, committee co-chair, for consideration at the following address:

Ellen Tannenbaum  
475 Fair Street
Carmel, NY 10512

The Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award was supported by the Westchester Library System since its inception.  Commencing in 2012 the award is now under the auspices of the Westchester Library Association.