St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press (SVS Press)— the publishing arm of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY—has garnered a gold medal for its storybook, Saint George & the Dragon, written by Jim Forest and illustrated in iconographic style by Vladislav Andrejev. SVS Press & Bookstore Marketing Manager Gregory Hatrak was recently notified that the children’s book had received a 2012 Moonbeam Spirit Award, in the category “Preservation.”

Moonbeam Spirit Awards are given “for dedication to children’s books and literacy and for inspired writing, illustrating and publishing,” according to Jenkins Group, Inc., which bestows the awards. This year, five books in five different areas were chosen, all gold-medal winners:

Mentoring: Your Stories, Volume 1, selected and edited by Taylor S. Joseph (Four Star Publishing)
Peacemaking: The Sky of Afghanistan, by Ana A. de Eulate; illustrated by Sonja Wimmer (Cuento de Luz)
Imagination: Pirate & Hoopoe, by Diarmid Cammell; illustrated by Karima Cammell (Dromedary Press)
Preservation: Saint George & the Dragon, by Jim Forest; illustrated by Vladislav Andrejev (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press)
Compassion: Operation Marriage, by Cynthia Chin-Lee; illustrated by Lea Lyon (Reach and Teach)

“St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press is honored that the Moonbeam Spirit Award has been bestowed upon our children’s book St. George & the Dragon,” said Theodore C. Bazil, senior advisor at SVS Press. “Many countries have appropriated this universal story, tying it to their particular culture and belief system. This book project—SVS Press—required the identification and blending of an appropriate author, artist, and designer to publish a unique book that would stir children’s imaginations and touch their hearts.”

According to Jim Barnes, awards director at Jenkins Group, Inc.: “The Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to support childhood literacy and life-long reading. The awards recognize and reward the best of these books and bring them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians—and to children themselves."

Awards are given in 39 categories covering the full range of subjects, styles, and age groups that children’s books are written and published in today. Each year's entries are judged by expert panels of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages.

An awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 10, 2012, in conjunction with the Traverse City Children's Book Festival. Award recipients will receive gold, silver and bronze medals and stickers, depicting a mother and child reading and silhouetted by a full moon.


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Contact

Deborah Belonick
914-961-8313 x363

Theodore Bazil
914-961-8313 x329