J.B. Cheaney receives Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Award

Author J.B. Cheaney was honored as the 2024 Laura Ingalls Wilder Children’s Literature Award recipient during an awards ceremony held at the LIW Museum in Mansfield Nov. 7.
Cheaney has published six novels, that include “My Friend the Enemy,” “In the Middle of Somewhere,” “Somebody on This Bus is Going to Be Famous,” “I Don’t Know How the Story Ends,” “The Playmaker” and “The True Prince.”
The 2023 LIWC literature award winner, William T. Anderson, talked about his friend before presenting her the honor.
During some remarks, Cheaney said she had people from as far as Virginia and from the Kansas City area who attended the event to see her receive the award.
“I’m just thankful for you all being here and I am very blessed,” Cheaney said at the end of her remarks.
During her acceptance speech, Cheaney noted that when she was younger she had an active imagination, but did not want to be a writer.
As she found out herself, she said everybody has what they need inside them to write their own stories. She used an illustration of the world, noting that everyone has a world of experience inside of them.
In fine tuning each of the important elements of a good story, her world on a folded piece of paper turned into something that could fly away and take off, much like how an author can turn many ideas and concepts into a book or novel.
Earlier in the evening, Rae Lynne Swopes recognized young artist Ryan Parsons as the winner for the bookmark competition. Plans include having his bookmark on sale at the Laura Ingalls Wilder store during the spring of 2025.
For entertainment, Herbie Johnston played a large selection of tunes on the famous Pa’s fiddle.
The Rev. Nicholas Inman (Executive Director) was the emcee for the event.
During the day on Nov. 7-8, the Chldren’s Literature Festival was held inside the Ann Short Turner Community Center (ASTCC), providing those who attended an opportunity to meet authors and purchase their books.
This year’s authors included, Tiffany Coryell, Darla Noble, Kizzi Hutcheson, Suzanna Lynn, Gabrielle Martin, Steve Murrie, Amy O’Quinn, Dakotah Pike, Stephanie White and William T. Anderson.