Sugarbush Spring author accepts award Marsha Wilson Chall traveled to Cincinnati from Minnesota to accept OFBF's Outstanding Children's Literature Award during the annual meeting. The former teacher also visited Hyde Park Elementary School, where she read excerpts from her winning book, Sugarbush Spring, and she participated in a book signing as part of the meeting's Hospitality Corner Thursday morning. The annual award recognizes the author of a children's book that is considered to be a distinguished contribution to American literature. A selection committee reviews books that are nominated by Ohio Farm Bureau members, librarians and publishers each year. Sugarbush Spring is a heart-warming story of three generations of a family working together to make maple syrup. Chall's text describes the process required to successfully produce the "fine, light amber" syrup, and Jim Daly's realistic pictures add to the atmosphere of togetherness that creates this important family tradition. During the school visit, Chall told the children that the book was written based on her real experiences of making maple syrup with friends in northern Minnesota. She encouraged the children to dream big, work hard and keep reading. Hamilton County Farm Bureau member Dominic Costanzo organized the school visit. In her acceptance speech, Chall said that she loves writing for kids and sharing her work with them and thanked Farm Bureau for putting books into the hands of children. Farm Bureau has distributed more than 2,800 copies of Sugarbush Spring. Check with the county Farm Bureau in your area to purchase Sugarbush Spring and other previous Ohio Farm Bureau award-winning books. For more information contact the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Promotion & Education program at 614-246-8245 or visit OFBF’s Web site at www.ofbf.org and click on Learning Resources. Cutline: Marsha Wilson Chall visited with kindergarten and first grade students at Hyde Park Elementary School while in Cincinnati. Chall's book Sugarbush Spring was honored with the Outstanding Children's Literature Award. | |