Today@Sam Article

COE Faculty Named 2024 National Book Award Judge By National Book Foundation

May 15, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

By Lidia Gutierrez

Rose Brock, associate professor in Sam Houston State University’s College of Education (COE), will be serving as a judge for the National Book Awards (NBA) under the Young People’s Literature section. The awards recognize excellence in American literature across all genres and highlight authors’ contributions to American literature.

Brock believes her service is what got her a seat as a judge for the National Book Foundation. There is not a way to apply or volunteer as a judge, one must be selected by the organization themselves.

“It’s such a privilege to be selected as a judge of the National Book Awards,” Brock said. “It’s a dream come true and as a long-time and passionate advocate of books and reading experiences for youth, being selected to judge this year’s NBA’s for Young People feels a bit like finding a golden ticket.”

Brock is a faculty member in the Department of Library Science and Technology, where she teaches courses in youth literature. Books and literacy for young people have been the focus of her 30-year career. For the last decade, she has worked in the Library Science program at SHSU and teaches children’s and young adult literature courses. She is also the co-founder of the North Texas Teen Book Festival, the largest youth literature focused book festival in the country. She is the recipient of the Texas Library Association’s Siddie Joe Johnson Award, honoring outstanding achievement in children’s library service.

“It’s thrilling to represent our university and our college in this endeavor,” Brock said. “Everyone in the College of Education does such important service work, and they care deeply about children – it’s why we have collectively dedicated our careers to teaching, supporting, and uplifting educators, and we all know how much stories matter.”

Brock is the editor of “Hope Wins: A Collection of Inspiring Stories for Young Readers” and “Hope Nation: Young Adult Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration,” and the author of “Young Adult Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide.”

“I’ll be reading hundreds of books between now and November,” she said. “I think the biggest reward of serving as a judge will be knowing that I’ll have a hand in selecting and bringing attention and distinction to the very best books in my category.”

The finalists of these awards will receive a prize of $1,000, a medal and a judges’ citation, while the winners receive a prize of $10,000, along with a bronze sculpture.

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