Sparky!, written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Chris Appelhans, is the winner of the 18th annual Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book. The award is given by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and will be presented in Madison this spring. In a release, the committee said: “The marvelous humor is never overplayed as Offill skillfully maintains a measured, evenhanded tone and perfect pacing.”