“Knight Owl,” Christopher Denise’s author-illustrator debut, has received the Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award for 2024. The award aims to promote an appreciation of quality literature in young children across Kansas. “Knight Owl” is a New York Times Bestseller and a Caldecott Honor by the American Library Association.
Denise has illustrated more than 20 books for children which include Brian Jacques’ acclaimed Redwall series and Rosemary Wells’ “Grandfather.” “Knight Owl” and Denise were celebrated at the 2024 Kansas Book Festival Saturday, September 28, during the session “Pictures + Story = Delight!”
“Knight Owl” was published by Christy Ottaviano Books in 2022.
Nominees for the 2025 award, along with previous years’ winners and nominated works can be found at www.emporia.edu/bmjaward.
Each year, books are suggested by teachers, parents, communities, and librarians. A committee chooses nominations from the list of suggested books. The annual nominations are announced in the spring and during the following winter, Kansans vote for the winning title. This provides time for children and adult interaction before voting for a winner.
The Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award was established in 1996 by the Kansas Reading Association. In March 2018, the award became a statewide award presented by Emporia State University. The purpose of the award is to promote an appreciation of quality literature in young children across Kansas.
The award is named for Kansas native Bill Martin Jr., an American educator and author of more than 300 children’s books. Martin graduated with a teaching certificate from Kansas State Teacher’s College (now known as Emporia State University). He worked as a teacher and principal before starting his career as a children’s book author. Through the years he gave children some of their favorite books, including “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do you See?” (illustrated by Eric Carle), “The Ghost-Eye Tree,” “Barn Dance,” “Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom” and many more.