Congratulations to Grady Thrasher!

Grady Thrasher, author of the award-winning Tim and Sally series of children's books, has been named 2011 Georgia Author of the Year in the category of Children's Picture Book for Tim and Sally's Year in Poems (Jonquil Books, 2010).

Presented by the Georgia Writers Association, the Georgia Author of the Year Awards "recognize Georgia's authors of excellence" and have the distinction of being the oldest literary awards in the Southeastern United States.

Katie Mason, one of the judges of the 47th Georgia Author of the Year Awards, said this about Tim and Sally's Year in Poems: "The sights and sounds of nature and living creatures -- dogs, birds, bunnies, and insects -- are prominent images in these multisensory verses. The illustrations and textual images will conjure and connect to readers’ own memories of the seasons and holidays depicted."

This is actually Grady's second time as Georgia Author of the Year: he won the 2008 award for the first book in the Tim and Sally series, Tim and Sally's Vegetable Garden.

Jonquil Books congratulates Grady for this well-deserved recognition!

Below are a few photos from the awards ceremony, held June 11, 2011, at Kennesaw State University.

Grady Thrasher accepting the award

Grady Thrasher & Kathy
Grady and his wife, Kathy

Elaine Rabon & Grady Thrasher
Elaine Rabon and Grady Thrasher holding a copy of Tim and Sally's Year in Poems