‘Little Tree’: First ABBY

The first-ever ABBY award, won by Forrest Carter’s “The Education of Little Tree” from the University of New Mexico Press, will highlight the annual American Booksellers Assn. convention and trade exhibit June 1-4 in New York City.

The ABA launched the new award this year to recognize “mid-list” books of quality that don’t have the advantage of large promotional budgets. ABA members voted on nominations they had submitted without restrictions on subject matter or publication date.

Bill Rickman of Chicago, an ABA board member who chaired the award committee, explained: “The ABBY was conceived as an award that would reflect the special viewpoint of the bookstore community. The nominees and winners are the books that booksellers love to read and sell.”

The award, a $5,000 cash prize and specially commissioned bronze statue by artist Barry Tinsley, will be made at a June 2 breakfast at the New York Hilton. Eleanor Friede, who worked with the late author on the original edition, will accept the prize on behalf of Carter’s estate.

The booksellers also selected four ABBY honors books:

* “The Civil War: An Illustrated History” by Geoffrey Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns (Alfred A. Knopf).

* “Cold Sassy Tree” by Olive Ann Burns (hardcover, Ticknor & Fields; paper, Dell).

* “The Shell Seekers” by Rosamunde Pilcher (hardcover, St. Martin’s Press; paper, Dell).

* “When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple” edited by Sandra K. Martz (Papier-Mache Press).