In early 2019, OpenIDEO launched the Early Childhood Book Challenge with support from the William Penn Foundation, asking authors the question:
How might we inspire children and their caregivers to read together?
We called on manuscripts that would:
- Excite and educate caregivers about the opportunities and importance of reading, singing or talking together
- Engage young children in their earliest years to support early language development
- Reflect the lived experience of families living in urban contexts in the U.S., in communities like Philadelphia
We were amazed by the response. Over 500 manuscripts were submitted by authors from five continents. We saw authors share their beautiful words, community members provide important perspective and feedback, early childhood experts impart key wisdom, illustrators bring submissions to life, and editors provide deep and thoughtful builds for participants.
After a significant evaluation process involving a cohort of professional editors and a Selection Committee of key stakeholders, ten manuscripts were selected for the Challenge shortlist. Their authors were each given editor feedback and paired with an illustrator to prototype their book.
Check out all 10 shortlisted manuscripts in their prototyped form.
Top Manuscript: I’ll Build You a Bookcase
While all 10 shortlisted manuscripts were exceptional in their storytelling and dedication to early literacy, we are proud to announce that I'll Build You a Bookcase was selected as the Early Childhood Book Challenge Top Manuscript. Congratulations to its author, Jean Ciborowski Fahey! She'll be receiving $20,000 in award money and the opportunity to work with a publisher to share her book widely.
I’ll Build you a Bookcase
Author: Jean Cibowoski Fahey
Bio: Jean is a parent educator, author and speaker on the topic of getting our youngest children ready to read. In this capacity, she also consults for a variety of early literacy initiatives and organizations, and creates home literacy curriculum for Parent-Home visitors and Early Intervention Specialists.
The Refinement Phase Shortlist
The following nine manuscripts advanced to the Refinement Phase of the Challenge. Each shortlisted manuscript was identified by our Selection Committee of experts as a promising manuscript that models different methods to encourage children and their caregivers to read together. We’re honored to celebrate the authors of these submissions.
Crosstown Bop, by Kelly Bennett
Books for Everyone!, by Nadine Gamble
Let's Find Colors!, by Virginia Brackett
City Block Rock, by Mary Kate Bolinder
With Me, Baby, by Marni Fogelson
I See, I Think, I Wonder!, by Aixa Perez-Prado
The City's Backyard, by Kelly Andrews
Whose Face is That?, by Sophia Ezomoghene
Lots to See, Lots to Say!, by Leslie Bockol
It Takes A Village
The Early Childhood Book Challenge would not have been possible without the support, guidance, and dedication of many individuals. We’re pleased to feature some of the village who helped make this vision a reality:
