The American Library Association announced Monday that Philadelphia author Erin Entrada Kelly has won the John Newbery Medal for the outstanding children’s book of 2017 for Hello, Universe, a story about a diverse group of unlikely friends who form an alliance to take down a school bully after a prank gone wrong. The story is rooted in Filipino folk tales and is geared for ages 9 and up.
Kelly, who was raised in Louisiana, has written three other critically acclaimed books, including Blackbird Fly (2015) and The Land of Forgotten Girls (2016). She also writes short fiction and has been nominated for the Philippines Free Press Literary Award for Short Fiction. Kelly graduated from McNeese State University and identifies as Filipina American.
Kelly was driving on I-95 when she found out, a half hour before the honor was announced.
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