Writing for Children and Young Adults lecturer wins national children’s book award

Annette Bay Pimentel, an online lecturer in McDaniel College’s Writing for Children and Young Adults program, has won a national award for her children’s book titled “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything.”

Pimentel’s book was among those honored by the American Library Association (ALA) with the 2021 Schneider Family Book Awards, which recognizes authors and illustrators for the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Her book received an honor in the younger children category, geared towards children ages 0-8.

“The awards committee had our publisher arrange a Zoom call to break the news to us. It was a thrill to listen with Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, who the book is about, as committee members talked about why they valued the book,” said Pimentel. “We are excited that this award will help connect more kids with our book.”

Pimentel, who has taught at the college since 2020, teaches “Nonfiction: Writing for Grades PreK-12” and “Writing Workshop for Children and Young Adults Books” for the Writing for Children and Young Adults program. The program consists of five non-consecutive, eight-week courses and students who choose to complete all five courses receive a certificate in Writing for Children and Young Adults. These courses also count toward a Master of Liberal Arts degree.

“All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything” is the true story of how an eight-year-old girl became a disability rights activist and captured Congress’s attention with her demonstration in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The book is illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, foreword by Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, and published by Sourcebook eXplore, an imprint of Sourcebook Kids.

“The best nonfiction picture books are true stories, well-told,” Pimentel said. “I like to get people to tell me their own stories. I worked closely with Jennifer, interviewing her often, to get all the details I needed to tell the story in ‘All the Way to the Top.’”