CHICAGO — Illustrator Melissa Sweet, of Rockport, and writer Jen Bryant received two major accolades — the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal for "the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year" and a Randolph Caldecott Honor, one of the highest distinctions that can be given to any illustrated children's book, for their most recent collaboration, The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus.

This is a second Caldecott Honor for the creative team of Bryant, Sweet, and EBYR, whose picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, A River of Words, earned a Caldecott Honor in 2009.

The Right Word is a picture book biography about Peter Mark Roget and the creation of his Thesaurus. Sweet's mixed media collages detail the story of Roget's life with meticulously hand-lettered word lists, depicting Roget's love of words, collecting, and organization — and his quest to find the right word for every occasion.

Mikis and the Donkey, written by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by Philip Hopman, and translated by Laura Watkinson, was awarded the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for "the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States." This is a second Batchelder Award for Dumon Tak, Hopman, Watkinson, and EBYR, who also won in 2012 for Soldier Bear.

Mikis and the Donkey tells the story of a young boy living on the Greek Island of Corfu. One day Mikis' grandfather surprises him with a new donkey, stressing that she is a working animal and not a pet. Nevertheless, Mikis and the donkey, which he names Tsaki, become fast friends and share some grand adventures. In the end both Mikis and his grandfather learn something about what it means to care for another creature.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of The American Library Association (ALA),is the world's largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. From creative programming and best practices to continuing education and professional connections — ALSC members are innovators in the field of children's library service. The annual ALSC Youth Media Awards, which are selected by committees composed of librarians and other relevant experts, encourage original and creative work in the field of children's and young adult literature and media. Learn more about ALSC at www.ala.org/alsc.

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers began in 1995 as an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, an independent, family-owned publisher in business since 1911. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans publishes books ranging from board books for babies to picture books, nonfiction, and novels for children and young adults. For more information visit eerdmans.com/YoungReaders.