The View from Bank Street

Well, no - not exactly. Because the day was so jam-packed I forgot to take pictures. Except for this one, capturing active resistance by an award-ceremony date, en route inside our deluxe ride:

The highlight for Ada was Paul O. Zelinski's hilarious PowerPoint presentation on the making of his latest book (with Kelly Bingham), Z IS FOR MOOSE, during the keynote address for the Black Prize. "But yours was the next best speech after that," she assures me. (This is why it's critical to have daughters on your payroll.)

There were multiple highlights for me: getting to the last word of my speech without crying or throwing up; receiving this beautiful certificate:

receiving, too, this original bee drawing by Ada Grazia Cowan to accompany my certificate:

And really, being asked to be a part of this incredible day to begin with. So, so many thanks to all the Bank Street committee members who chose THE HONEYBEE MAN as a finalist; to all the super kids who read and voted on it; and to librarian extraordinaire, Lisa Von Drasek for, well, beyond "everything," her incredible support and enthusiasm.