5th Annual Raab Associates Prize for Illustration (2003)

Press Release for 2003 Raab Associates Prize
Poem, "Under the Arbor," by Jane Yolen

Press Release

"2003 Raab Associates Prize"

Susan Salzman Raab is a University of Connecticut Alumna who graduated in 1980 with a degree in English. She has experience in the retail book business and has worked at Bantam, Dell, and Scholastic. With her husband, David, she began her own children's book marketing agency, Raab Associates in 1986, now based in Chappaqua, New York. During the summer of 1999, Ms. Raab approached Terri J. Goldich, Curator of the Northeast Children's Literature Collection at the Dodd Center with the idea of creating a contest open to UConn students of art, for the best illustration of a children's story to bring attention to the field of children's book illustration as well encouraging students who have an interest in the arts and the world of publishing. A cooperative agreement was developed with the School of Fine Arts Professor Cora Lynn Deibler, who assigns an entry for the contest as part of her fall curriculum.

This is now the fifth year of the Raab Associates Prize. This year the assignment was to create an illustration to accompany the following poem by Jane Yolen. Dean of the School of Fine Arts, David Woods read Ms. Yolen’s poem at the Book Fair dinner on November 8, 2003, at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, with the prizes awarded by Ms. Raab. The winners, in addition to receiving the prize courtesy of Susan Raab, will receive a year's membership in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators courtesy of SCBWI President Stephen Mooser. The judges were Jane Yolen, Dean Woods, Susan Raab, and Terri J. Goldich.

This year the students produced a wonderfully diverse and fine group of artwork. The size and strength of the pool of entries made the decision of the judges very difficult once again, so it was decided to split the prize. There is one First Place winner with one Second Place winner. The First Place prize is a check for $400 provided by Susan Raab, with the Second Place winner receiving $100.

The 2003 Raab Associates Prize First Place winner is Ashley Dorner, a senior from Southington, CT. Ross Sullivan-Wiley, a senior from Middlebury, is the Second Place winner. Both of the winners this year are interested in pursuing careers in children’s book illustration. The contest judges congratulate all of the contestants and are sincerely grateful for their participation.

 

Poem, "Under the Arbor," by Jane Yolen

Under the Arbor © 2003 By Jane Yolen Under the arbor, Red roses and pink, the fairies meet To eat and drink. Their dishes aren't Of glass or metals But made of softest Red rose petals. They cut up berries, Rose hips, too. In acorn cups They drink sweet dew. Until a swift wind Comes to play And blows the fairy meal Away.
	1st Prize Illustration by Ashley Dorner, from Southington, CT
	2nd Prize Ilustration by Ross Sullivan-Wiley, from Middlebury, CT