Poetry and Dance – Columbus, Ohio, beginning on Friday, February 5th poetry readings will be held prior to BalleMet’s performances of A Midsummer Night Dream. The poets who will be reading include both the Ohio student winners of the Poetry Out Loud contest and award winning central Ohio poets. Read more . . . .

Congratulations to Yellow Springs, Ohio filmmaker’s Steven Bognar and whose film The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant was nominated for an Oscar for Documentary. Read more . . . .
And, to Woody Harrelson, who grew up in Lebanon, Ohio, who was nominated for best Supporting Actor for his role in The Messenger. Read more . . . .

Congratulations to Robert Olmstead the author of Coal Black Horse, which was selected by Nantucket to kick off this year’s “One Book One Island” program. Olmstead received the 2008 Ohioana Book Award in the category of fiction. He lives in Delaware, OH and teaches at Ohio Wesleyan University. Read more . . . .

Congratulations to Cincinnati native Edmund White who’s book City Boy: My Life in New York During the 1960s and ’70s was selected as a finalist for the National Book Critic Award in the category of Autobiography. Read more . . . .

Congratulations to Jeff Smith of Columbus the author and illustrator of Little Mouse Gets Ready, which just received the ALA’s Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book.  The Geisel award is given for the most distinguished beginning reader book.

Congratulations to Pat Mora, former Cincinnati resident, who authored Gracias Thanks which received the Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Honor Book. The book was illustrated by John Para, not an Ohio. The Belpré illustrator award is given to Latino illustrators whose children’s books portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book: The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani.  The Silbert Award is given for most distinguished informational book for children.  Neither Bartor nor Persiani are from Ohio, but the Switzer brothers, who created Day-Glo, established their business in Cleveland.

There are also two newly illustrated books by Langston Hughes that were named winner and honor books for the Coretta Scott King Illustrator award.  My People illustrated by Charles R. Smith won and T The Negro Speaks of Rivers illustrated by E.B. Lewis was the honor title.  Langston Hughes graduated from Cleveland’s East High School and he started his writing career in Cleveland.