History of the
Red Clover Award

The Red Clover Book Award is designed for children in kindergarten through fourth grade. Each year thousands of Vermont school children read the 10 nominated picture books and vote for their favorite in the spring. The award has been handed out annually since 1997.

The Red Clover Book Award Program was created in 1995 by Windham County Reads, a non-profit literacy organization dedicated to bringing families and books together. Conceived by Eileen Christelow and named by Jesse Haas, this children's choice award was designed to help young children experience the unique genius of the picture book and develop a lasting appreciation for excellence in writing and illustration.

Program guidelines and materials were originally developed by Ruth Allard of Windham County Reads and Eileen Christelow, with encouragement from Grace Greene of the Vermont Department of Libraries and the help of many Windham County librarians, teachers and children's book authors and illustrators. The program was launched from the Windham County Reads Reading Room at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, accompanied by an exhibit which introduced children and adults to visual thinking strategies and provided educators with a model for discussing books with children.

The Eyes of Gray Wolf, written by Jonathan London and illustrated by Jon Van Zyle, was the award winner during an enthusiastically received initial year in Windham County, and the program quickly went statewide. Under the leadership of Mother Goose Programs/Vermont Center for the Book for over twenty years, the Red Clover Book Award Program became a keystone in elementary literacy programming in school and libraries. The award is currently under the auspices of the Vermont Department of Libraries, and the department is committed to upholding the award's reputation as a brilliant celebration of picture books and the wisdom of children to select the very best.

For more information, check out the Red Clover page on the Department of Libraries website.