2003 Beatty Award Winner
The Beatty Committee traveled to San Luis Obispo, the heart of the central coast, Saturday March 1, 2003 to select the 2003 John and Patricia Beatty Award Book. We couldn't have picked a more appropriate location than one of California's oldest communities, an area deeply steeped in history and tradition. Established in 1772 with the founding of Mission San Luis Obispo by Father Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is the site of the 5th oldest California mission.
The process began in spring 2002. The committee chair sent out letters to publishers nationwide describing the criteria for the Beatty Award and requesting that appropriate publications be submitted to each of the six committee members for review. In addition to reviewing titles nominated by publishers, committee members gleaned review journals and local resources for additional books that might qualify. This year we received over 40 titles from 35 publishers. Nominations were from a variety of genres including Old Crump: A True Story of a Trip West (picture book), California Gold Rush (easy reader), The Boy who Could Fly Without A Motor (fiction), and California Condors (nonfiction).
The first phase of the committee meeting focused on selecting books that met the criteria of highlighting "California, its heritage, people and/or future." The outstanding titles from this group are added to the Eureka Bibliography during its annual update. Four titles rose to the top: Patricia Pfitsch's Riding the Flume, Brenda Wood's Red Rose Box, Diana Cohn's !Si, Se Pueda! Yes, We Can! and Beverly Gherman's Ansel Adams, America's Photographer.
Gherman's Ansel Adams, America's Photographer was a unanimous selection of this year's committee. This is an outstanding biography for children. It is an inspiring account of Ansel Adams' life and seamlessly blends text and photography. From his childhood in San Francisco to his final years in Carmel, Beverly Gherman carefully documents his evolution from amateur photographer to artistic genius.
In Ansel Adams, America's Photographer, Beverly Gherman has done an exceptional job of documenting Ansel Adams' influence on "California, its heritage, people and/or future." The committee is proud to present this year's John and Patricia Beatty Award to such a deserving publication.