Cokie Roberts named 2015 Humanist of the Year

             The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities will honor Louisiana native Cokie Roberts as its 2015 Humanist of the Year at an April 23 awards dinner in Baton Rouge.

            The award is given annually by the state’s humanities council as part of its efforts to recognize the individuals and organizations making invaluable contributions to the culture of Louisiana.

            A native of New Orleans, Roberts is a political commentator for ABC News. She has served as senior news analyst for National Public Radio and from 1996-2002 she and Sam Donaldson co-anchored the weekly ABC interview program “This Week.” In her more than 40 years in broadcasting, she has won countless awards, including three Emmys, and has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and was cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the 50 greatest women in the history of broadcasting.

            Roberts’ books have included the bestsellers “We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters,” “Founding Mothers” and “Ladies of Liberty.” Her book with husband, Steven, “From this Day Forward,” an account of their more than 40-year marriage and other marriages in American history, was a New York Times bestseller.

            In addition to Humanist of the Year and other 2015 LEH awards, the Humanities Book Awards goes to Rick Bragg, author of “Jerry Lee Lewis,” about Ferriday’s famous musician, and Clayton Delery-Edwards for “Upstairs Lounge Arson,” a horrific fire that occurred in a French Quarter gay bar in the 1970s.            

            The inaugural Light Up for Literacy Award, given in partnership with the Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana and the Library of Congress, goes to Ann Dobie, a retired English professor who taught almost 40 years at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, directed the Acadiana Writing Project, and continues to serve as the literature section editor for KnowLA.org. Dobie has published more than 50 scholarly works and serves as the head judge for Louisiana Letters About Literature, a statewide student writing competition.
          For more information about the 2015 LEH Awards, visit www.leh.org.

Louisiana Book News is written by Cheré Coen, the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “ExploringCajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Nov. 1's Louisiana Book Festival to provide programs, author events for children and teens

            The Louisiana Book Festival on Saturday, Nov. 1, will offer programs for children and teens at the Young Readers Pavilion and the Teen HQ. 

            The Young Readers Pavilion will host children’s authors such as Whitney Stewart, author of “A Catfish Tale: A Bayou Story of the Fisherman and His Wife,” which was chosen to represent Louisiana at the National Book Festival and John Grandits, winner of the 2014 Young Readers’ Choice Award for his book “Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Bus.”

            Temporary tattoos, storytelling and book-related crafts and activities will also be offered in the Pavilion. Storybook characters Mittens, Lyle the Crocodile, Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Snow White from Grimm’s Fairy Tales will be available for pictures and autographs.

            In a related note, Cokie Roberts, author of “Founding Mothers: Remembering theLadies,” highlighting the women patriots of the American Revolution for ages 7-12, will speak at 10 a.m. in the Senate Chamber.

            Brain Quest will bring its curriculum-based question and answer game to life with Brain Quest Challenges throughout the day. Children ages 5 to 12 are encouraged to play and compete individually or as a team. All participants receive giveaways while they last and official challenge participation certificates.

            Teen HQ will feature author presentations, crafts, trivia, raffles and a scavenger hunt for teenagers. Kendare Blake will receive the 2014 Louisiana Teen Readers’ Choice Honor Book award for “Anna Dressed in Blood.” Jennifer Anne Moses, author of “Tales from My Closet,” and Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of “13th Sign,” will be among the many young adult authors at this year’s Book Festival.
              The festival will be held inside and on the grounds of the Louisiana State Capitol, the Louisiana State Library and the Louisiana State Museum in Baton Rouge.

            For more information or to sign up to volunteer visit LouisianaBookFestival.org. Also look for festival updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Cheré Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.