This award is named for the organization's founder, Dorothy C. McKenzie. The award is given periodically in recognition of an individual's contribution to the field of children's literature.

Dorothy C. McKenzie taught children's literature at California State College at Los Angeles in the 1950's and 1960's. Her courses required students to write papers as well as read 125 children's books and report on them. She was known to have at least 4 sections of her popular children's literature course, filled to more than usual capacity, with long waiting lists to get into a section. When asked about her course, McKenzie replied, "It is a course which is vitally important to all teachers, both elementary and secondary. I believe this type of course helps to develop critical sensitive readers - first the prospective teachers, then the children."     

MORE about Dorothy C. McKenzie

Dorothy C. McKenzie Award Winners

Dr. Isabel Schon
Dr. Schon is the Director of the Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents and founding faculty at California State University, San Marcos. She has been a consultant on books in Spanish for young readers and bilingual/bicultural educational materials to schools, libraries and ministries of education in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Spain, Italy, Ecuador, and the United States. She has written twenty-two books and over 300 articles and chapters in books.

Dr. Steven Krashen
Professor Emeritus, USC Department of Education, Learning & Instruction. An expert in the field of linguistics, Dr. Krashen specializes in theories of language acquisition and development. His recent research has focused on reading and its effect on language acquisition and success. He has published hundreds of books and articles, including The Power of Reading (Libraries Unlimited, 1993).

Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser
Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser are the founders of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, an organization that, under their guidance, has nurtured and inspired many of the creators of literature for children for over 30 years.

Today, the organization is international in 70 regions and has approximately 18,000 members. The organization produces several publications, sponsors two international conferences and several regional conferences each year and is also active in presenting awards and grants to writers, illustrators, and organizations such as libraries and schools that promote children's literature.

Because of their love of children's literature, Ms. Oliver and Mr. Mooser have helped hundreds of writers and illustrators achieve their potential.

Charlotte Huck
Through her teaching, writing, and research, Charlotte Huck has encouraged many adults to bring literature and the joys of reading to thousands of children. Charlotte developed the graduate level program in children's literature at The Ohio State University, was past president of the National Council of Teachers of English, a former chair of the American Library Association's Caldecott Medal Committee, and an Arbuthnot Award winner.

Renny Day
Renny Day was recognized for a lifetime of service on behalf of young people and their books. While working as a children's librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library and in her retirement, Renny has been an organizer in the community, teaching classes and advocating for children's literature. She founded FOCAL (Friends of Children and Literature) and serves as a mentor to many public and school librarians. On the national level, Renny has been active in ALA and has contributed to publications in the field; she served as editor of the Horn Book Index 1924-1989. She is currently an Emeritus member of the Children's Literature Council Board, serving as Historian.

Mary Purucker
Library consultant and former head librarian and library media teacher for the William S. Mortensen Library at Santa Monica High School, Mary Purucker has taught courses in children's literature and young adult literature at UCLA, CSULB, CSULA, and Pepperdine University. She was appointed to the Library of California Board in 1997. She is currently on staff at the Beverly Hills Public Library where she conducts seminars in children's literature for the staff.

Virginia Walter
Virginia is a professor and chair at the Department of Information Studies in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research interests are: children's information needs and information resources, childhood and family literacy, the sociology of children's literature and childhood reading, evaluation of library services, citizen participation and voluntarism in public libraries. She also loves to write books for children and is the author of the novel, "Making Up Megaboy," and the picture book, "Hi, Pizza Man!"

Peter Neumeyer
Peter F. Neumeyer, Ph.D., has taught at Harvard, Stony Brook, San Diego State, and other universities both in the United States and in Europe. He has written numerous books for grownups and children, and for six years had a children's book review column in The Boston Globe. His most recent books are The Collector of Moments and The Annotated Charlotte's Web (HarperCollins, 1994).

Penny Markey
Penny Markey is the Coordinator of Youth Services and Assistant Llibrary Administrator at the County of Los Angeles County Public Library. Penny has been tireless in her efforts to bring library services and books to children, parents and caregivers. She instituted The Begin at the Beginning with Books Programs, in which bilingual library workers brought books and parenting information into the clinics where low-income women receive care during their pregnancy. This was the prototype for the Association of Library Service to Children (ALSC) sponsored “Born to Read” program which serves underserved children throughout the United States, encouraging reading and using the library at an early age. Penny is an Emeritus Board Member of the Children's Literature Council.

Zhita Rea
Zhita has a long and impressive list of accomplishments at boththe state and local levels on behalf of improving literacy and quality education in schools and libraries. "But even more impressive," says Judy Kantor who presented the award to Zhita, "are the feelings for Zhita expressed by those who wished to see her recognized. They described her as unassuming, and quick to give others credit, while being modest and her own leadership, professionalism, and hard work." Dr. Marilyn Robertson wrote, "Her advocacy on behalf of literacy, children, and libraries continues to make a profound difference to us all."

Sandy Schuckett
"I knew early on that there had to be a librarian in every school. . . I somehow knew instinctively that kids needed this. . .I drew on my own experiences in libraries (since age three), and I felt that if kids could experience the joy and fun learning that happens in libraries it would definitely be to their advantage.

I began questioning people - first in my own school district - as to why there wasn't a librarian in every school. This became my "mission". . .I used to say, "Before I die or retire - whichever comes first - I want to see a librarian in every single K-12 school in L.A." Then I enlarged my scope to California, and now I believe that there should be a credentialed librarian in every K-12 school in the U.S.!

I got involved in the CSLA (them CMLEA) Governmental Relations Committee in 1981 or 1982. . . basically because I opened my big mouth and said, "Why don't they. . . . whatever?" I made that statement to Edna Sewill, who I consider my CSLA "mother," and her response was, "Why don't YOU get involved in the Governmental Relations Committee?" The rest, as they say, is history. It developed that I became Chair of the committee, which I did for a few years, and then I was asked to run for VP/Legislation in 1994. I am now serving my third 2-year term. And I have gotten really good at nagging!"

Peggy Miller
In Dr. Marilyn Robertson's presentation of this award to Peggy, she said and was later quoted in The Sampler:

"Peggy is a trailblazer - a leader - a one-woman network. She was instrumental in establishing libraries in the elementary schools in the LAUSD. She worked with the district staff to convert a space, get shelving put in, and purchase a core collection in school after school over an eighteen-year period. She was also instrumental in making sure that library media centers were included as part of the basic design of any new schools. Today, (1993), Los Angeles's over 400 elementary schools all have school library media centers.

"Peggy was Supervisor of library Services when the district authorized the use of federal funds to hire over ninety elementary teacher/librarians to provide a library instructional program in inner-city schools. She develped an evaluation process for books that involved librarians and teachers in schools. She became a mentor to others. She and her staff got a tremendous amount of information out to schools for ordering purposes - and all this before the advent of computers.

"Peggy also taught Children's Literature classes at USC for 16 years in addition to editing the Booklist for Elementary School Library media Centers, a core collection published and distributed state-wide. She was president of CASL during the time when this state school library organization and the state school media organization, CAEMAT, laid the groundwork for their merger into CMLEA. Peggy also served on the first California Young Reader medal Committee, helping to develop guidelines for our own state book award, the winners of which are decided by votes from children. She was one of the pioneering members of the Children's Literature Council (formerly, SCCLCYP) and a founding member of FOCAL, the support group of the Children's Literature Department of the Los Angeles Public Library.

"Peggy has served as president to SCCLCYP, FOCAL, LASLA, CASL (CMLEA) and has served on numerous ALA Committees including the Newbery/Caldecott, Notable Books, Reluctant Readers, and Best Books for Young Adults."

When accepting the Dorothy C. McKenzie Award, Peggy Miller said that she "believes that a librarian is a catalyst who brings book and child together."

Peggy died in 2006.  The Children's Literature Council established the Peggy Miller Young Adult Award to acknowledge contributions to the Young Adult genre.  It was first awarded in 2007.

Barbara Karlin

Betty Takeuchi

Betsy Brown

Terry Dunnahoo

Carolyn Johnson

Caroline Feller Bauer
DR. CAROLINE FELLER BAUER is a teacher, librarian, storyteller, art editor, book reviewer, producer-instructor of her own educational television show, university professor­­ -- all related to her specialty: children and books. She is the author of seventeen books, including the recently published Read for the Fun of It, the resource book Celebrations: Read-Aloud Holiday and Theme Book Programs, the classic This Way to Books, and the well known Handbook for Storytellers. Caroline has served on the Board of Directors of the children’s division of the American Library Association and the Ersted Award for distinguished teaching. A dynamic instructor, she has presented in every one of the fifty states, across Canada and in over sixty-three other countries on five continents.

Clifton Fadiman

Winifred Ragsdale

Michael Cart
Former Director of the Beverly Hills Public Library, Michael Cart is now a full-time writer, lecturer and consultant. The author or editor of eleven books, he is a columnist for "Booklist" magazine, teaches at UCLA and Texas Woman's University, and is the recipient of the 2000 Grolier Foundation Award for distinguished service to young people and reading. He is the Founding Editor of RUSH HOUR, a new literary journal for older young adults that will be published by Random House, beginning in April 2004.

Ruth and Edward Radlauer

Miriam Cox

Sue Alexander
The author of more than twenty well-received books for young readers, Sue Alexander enjoys putting librarians and teachers in contact with authors, illustrators and others involved with young people and books. Her wide array of friends throughout the publishing industry as well as her involvement in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - and her love of books and libraries -- provides the impetus to be a "matchmaker." The late John Donovan, in the introduction to the 1992 Children's Book Council volume "Children's Books: Awards and Prizes, refers to Sue as "…children's book promoter extraordinaire." Sue joined the Council the year her first book, "Small Plays for You and a Friend" was published, at the insistence of Dorothy C. McKenzie, and has been active in the organization ever since.

Nettie Frishman

Helen Fuller

Sylvia Ziskind

Edith Wynn Horton

Betty Kalagian

Lloyd Severe

Laramee Haynes
A storyteller from San Marino, Laramee Haynes received this award for his outstanding community service in his storytelling. "Anyone who can talk can tell a story. But first he must be moved or touched by the story and feel an urge to communicate. The storyteller needs only to learn the hinges of the story. He can tell it in his own words pretty much, leaving his listeners to weave out of their own imaginations such details as they like." (Pasadena Union, November, 1971)

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Los Angeles State College Times - December 7, 1964