Award Honors Dr. Seuss Legacy

Dr. Megan Brown, assistant professor of education at Cedarville University, has been selected to serve on the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award committee.

The committee of educators and librarians each year honor the author and illustrator of the best new book for beginning readers. The award is named for Theodor Geisel, the famed children’s author who wrote under the pseudonym “Dr. Seuss.”

The winning books entertain, engage and educate young readers through page-turning plots, intriguing syntax and charming illustrations.

Brown’s role on the committee entails researching all new and notable books published for beginning readers. She will join six other committee members appointed by the American Library Association (ALA) in January 2023 for the LibLearnX conference to discuss contenders for the award and select a winner.

Brown’s deep knowledge of early childhood and special education is rooted in her years of field experience, making her a perfect candidate for the committee. She is an expert in early childhood literacy and regularly organizes community family reading nights in the Greene County, Ohio, area. She teaches a children’s literature course and part of a fine arts education course at Cedarville University, giving her special insight into the illustration portion of the award.

Brown already uses the Geisel award to find high-quality books to use in her classroom. “This specific award is helpful to understand because I use books for beginning readers in my classroom with my soon-to-be teachers,” she said. “It is exciting to think about being able to use this experience and my exposure to many newly published books to enrich my future teachers’ learning as well as my own. The award also allows me to analyze the text and illustrations, unlike many other awards that only look at one of the elements.”

Brown also looks forward to learning more about the behind-the-scenes process for the award. “I am excited to see the inner workings of the ALA and Association for Library Service for Children award systems,” she said. “After years of teaching about the awards, I can see them played out through my own experience.”

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,715 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in Primary (P5) Education , strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu .