June 2, 2004

Hicklebee’s wins Pannell Award

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Hicklebee’s Children’s Books on Lincoln Avenue won this year’s Lucile Micheels Pannell Award in the children’s specialty category. The award will be presented at the BookExpo America in Chicago on June 4. Hicklebee’s will receive a check for $1,000 and a framed piece of original art created and contributed by either children’s book illustrator Denise Fleming or Mo Willems. The awards are given by the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA).

Hicklebee’s was one of two children’s bookstores chosen. The winners were selected based on their creativity, responsiveness to community needs, passion and understanding of children’s books and young readers.

Hicklebee’s offers a number of features above and beyond many children’s bookstores. Besides author events and story time on Thursdays at 7 p.m., the store has a Book of the Month Club, Birthday Wish List, Hicklebee’s Game Card, Baby Registry and Book Bonus. The store also picks its book of the year award in the fall; for 2003 it was “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds.

“We were thrilled to win the award, but the award turns out to be the frosting on the cake,” said Valerie Lewis, co-owner of the bookstore along with her sister Monica Holmes. “The extraordinary thing was to realize all we had actually accomplished in the 25 years we’ve been in business. What an amazing opportunity for us to realize, the community events, the visiting authors and the children who’ve grown up to become part of our staff,” she said.

All the staff members are there because they want to be there, Lewis added. It’s certainly not for the money. “These people love what they do, our customers have a sense that our people care, and I think that works.”

Besides the community projects, story time and author visits, both Lewis and Holmes are active in the national children’s book community. Lewis does book reviews for CBS Early Morning News and has written books for children including “Val and Walter’s Best Books for Kids,” and Holmes is president of the Associa-tion of Booksellers for Children.

“The entries from our nominees this year were so inspiring,” said Eileen Hanning, WNBA’s Pannell committee chair. “These stores are really on the right track, not only in terms of helping young readers develop a passion for books, but also in terms of running smart, responsive businesses. The winners this year demonstrated an extraordinary desire and ability to engage young readers and energize their growing love of books while simultaneously reaching out to the entire children’s book buying market. From expectant parents to budding readers, elusive teens, proud grand-parents and those adults who just like to read children’s literature, Hicklebee’s and U Conn Co-op do an amazing job serving children and the adults who buy books for them.”

One juror’s comment sums up the impression Hicklebee’s made: “How can you beat this store?  It is a truly amazing example of energetic, proactive and involved book selling with a tremendous focus and understanding of the children’s book marketplace. The jury was especially impressed with Hicklebee’s efforts to reach the young reader from before birth through their teen years.”

“Their baby registry program,” says another juror, “is an excellent way to get expectant parents to visit a children’s book store and see that it’s never too early for books to be part of a child’s life. Their innovative press conference format for Paul Fleischman’s book, “Dateline Troy,” resulted in standing-room only turnout of elusive young adult readers. 

“The Hicklebee’s Book of the Year Award showcases their staff’s 200 years of combined children’s book selling experience and makes their favorite books bestsellers,” added the juror. “They have excellent models for community outreach programs and author and media relations. For example, these two ideas draw patrons specifically to Hicklebee’s: their Book Bonus Program raises funds for schools to buy books.  Each time a patron buys books at Hicklebee’s, the school they designate earns credit toward book purchases. Hicklebee’s collection of author artifacts throughout the store encourages customers to seek out new titles and old favorites, making a trip to their store a trip to a museum too!” 

The Pannell Award was created in 1983 to honor Pannell, a model book woman and children’s bookseller. It recognizes retail bookstores who excel at creatively bringing books and children together and inspiring children’s interest in books and reading.

This year’s jury consisted of: Jenny Abrami, Chronicle Books; Geck, Greenwillow Books; Judy Hijikata, The Reading Connection; Angus Killick, Hyperion Books for Children; and Susan Raab, Raab Associates.

The Women’s National Book Association, founded in 1917, is a national organization of women and men who work with and value books.  WNBA, an all-volunteer organization, exists to promote reading and to support the role of women in the community of the book. To learn more about the organization, visit their Web site at www.wnba-books.org.