Rush Limbaugh wins Children's Choice Book Awards Author of the Year prize
After Rush Limbaugh's name appeared on the list of nominees for the prize, the Children's Book Council released a statement explaining that nominees were selected based only on their sales numbers.
After Rush Limbaugh's name appeared on the list of nominees for the prize, the Children's Book Council released a statement explaining that nominees were selected based only on their sales numbers.
Conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh won out over such authors as 鈥淒ivergent鈥� writer Veronica Roth and 鈥淗eroes of Olympus鈥� writer Rick Riordan to take the Author of the Year prize at the Children鈥檚 Choice Book Awards.
Limbaugh won the award for his title 鈥淩ush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims.鈥�
鈥淚 love America,鈥� Limbaugh said in his acceptance speech, according to industry newsletter Shelf Awareness. 鈥淚 wish everybody did. Someday, I hope everybody will." He added, "I am honored and humbled to be among you.鈥�
Some objected after Limbaugh鈥檚 name surfaced on the list of nominees for the Author of the Year award, a reaction that Kirkus Reviews children鈥檚 and teen editor Vicky Smith described as 鈥渢he children鈥檚-literature world [going] ballistic.鈥� For example, McGraw-Hill Education book editor Harold Underdown wrote on Facebook that he objected to Limbaugh being included because his book 鈥渞eceived no starred reviews, or even positive reviews, in the children鈥檚 book review world."
According to Shelf Awareness, so many people contacted the Children鈥檚 Book Council, those behind the CCBA, with concerns that the organization released a statement about how nominees and winners are selected.
鈥淲e at the Children鈥檚 Book Council and Every Child a Reader sincerely appreciate your concerns about this year鈥檚聽Children鈥檚 Choice Book Awards, and wanted to take a moment to clear up some confusion,鈥� the letter began.
The CBC explained that nominees for the Author of the Year category are chosen based only on how authors鈥� books performed on bestseller lists. The organization noted that some expressed concerns that these numbers are 鈥減otentially-manipulable.鈥� (As noted by Publishers Weekly, Limbaugh asked his fanbase to vote for him on his radio show.)
The winner of each category is then determined by 鈥渒ids and teens鈥� and that 鈥渨e have procedures in place to eliminate duplicate, fake, and adult votes during the voting period as much as possible.鈥�
Of the fact that sales numbers determine finalists, the CBC wrote that 鈥渨e can take this into consideration going forward, but cannot change our procedure for selecting finalists after the fact.鈥� 聽