A Home for Spike, Longyear Museum’s first illustrated book targeting young readers, recently received an Honorable Mention in the New England Museum Association’s 2024 Publication Award Competition. Spike was one of only two entries to be named in the “books” category, with first place going to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts for its coffee table-style book, Dutch Art in a Global Age.
Written by Heather Vogel Frederick and illustrated by artist Amber Hawks Schaberg, A Home for Spike is inspired by the true story of a little squirrel befriended by the staff at the final residence of Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer, Founder, and Leader of Christian Science. For Heather, an acclaimed author of books for teens and young readers, writing about Spike was “the fulfillment of a long-cherished dream. … From the time I first heard about Spike, I knew that her tale had all the makings of a splendid story.”
The tale blends fact with fiction, offering glimpses into Mrs. Eddy’s founding of The Christian Science Monitor as well as daily life at 400 Beacon Street, where she lived and worked with a staff of about 20.
The museum association’s award letter commended recipients in all categories for their “knowledge, care, and skill” and “compelling use of image and typography, and engaging designs.” Heather notes that putting together this award-winning book was a team effort. “Illustrator Amber Schaberg proved to be the ideal partner in the project … bringing my words to life with such vibrancy and joy,” Heather says. “This award is very much thanks to her artistic vision—and to that of Longyear’s Senior Graphic Designer Wendy Rankin.”
Longyear Museum has been a member of the New England Museum Association (NEMA) for several decades (NEMA itself was established more than 100 years ago) and staff have benefited from professional development through workshops and the annual conference.
According to NEMA, the publications awards celebrate member museums’ “often-unacknowledged design skills, marketing, and outreach initiatives” in 10 categories, including annual reports, books, development materials, and exhibition catalogs. This year, 32 museums submitted 92 entries. Copies of the winning entries will be on display at this year’s NEMA conference, being held in Newport, Rhode Island, in November.
To purchase a copy of A Home for Spike, click here.