SOUTH BRISTOL — Sally Loughridge of South Bristol has been awarded the 2015 Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award for her picture book Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket: A Story of Illness and Sibling Love (Maine Authors Publishing, 2015).

The book was awarded the Gold Medal in the "Lifestyle Emotions and Feelings" category. The national Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award program highlights excellence in family-friendly books covering the broad expanse of a child's existence, helping them grow socially, emotionally, ethically, intellectually, and physically. Gelett Burgess Children's Book Awards are given to 40 books in four distinct classifications: Lifestyle, Arts and Letters, Society and Culture, and Education.

Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2015 New England Book Festival, which makes awards based on "general excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story and the potential of the work to reach a wider audience."

As the author-illustrator of Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket, Loughridge created the book for families on the perilous journey through catastrophic pediatric illness. The book presents the story of the healthy younger sibling of a girl who gets cancer and, from his perspective, far too much of their family's attention. A vehicle for encouraging discussion and understanding, Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket can be used in home, school, counseling, and medical settings.

Maine Authors Publishing works with independent authors to get their books published and in the hands of readers. Their goal is to offer authors affordable local printing and marketing.

For more information about the author visit sallyloughridge.com. Daniel and His Starry Night Blanket is available through your local bookstore, the author's website, and maineauthorspublishing.