Stacy Innerst wins the 2017 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration

Winner of the 2017 SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration: 

The Music in George's Head, illustrated by Stacy Innerst

The Music in George's Head, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (written by Suzanne Slade, published by Calkins Creek), was honored at the 2017 SCBWI Golden Kite Ceremony for Excellence in Picture Book Illustration. Stacy's dream-like paintings accompany the story of how George Gershwin composed his masterpiece Rhapsody in Blue.

In his acceptance speech, Stacy credited his achievement to the harmony of his collaborative partners:  George Gershwin's music and author Suzanne Slade's manuscript which "illustrated itself, and read like a piece of music."

"My mother used to play the piano. My twin brother and I used to sit on either side of her while she played the music of Gershwin. I still remember the music resonating through the wood of the piano. Suzanne's manuscript brought me right back to that place."

Stacy's artwork for The Music in George's Head also reads like a piece of music (or maybe like a beautiful, unforgettable melody stuck in your head). As Sarah Baker (Director of Illustration and Artist Programs at SCBWI) stated in her introduction, his visual interpretation -- rendered in indigo and sepia-toned illustrations -- invites readers to feel the liveliness of Gershwin's music, and the sights and sounds of New York in the 1920's that inspired his work.

Stacy Innerst’s picture books have earned numerous honors including the BCCB Blue Ribbon, two Parents’ Choice Gold Medals, and a Smithsonian Notable Book Citation. His illustrations for The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue, written by Suzanne Slade (Boyds Mills), received the 2017 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration. Visit www.stacyinnerst.com.