Author and illustrator Mordicai Gerstein will receive the 2008 Young Authors’ Roberta Long Medal for distinguished contributions to diversity in children’s literature at 4 p.m. Friday, April 25 in Sterne Library Room 158.

Gerstein also will participate in the 23rd annual Young Authors’ Conference, 9 a.m.–noon, Saturday, April 26 on the UAB campus. Children from local school districts will attend workshops led by Gerstein and other nationally recognized children’s book authors and illustrators.

The Roberta Long Medal is named after the retired UAB professor of education for her passion for multicultural children’s books, and for her efforts to encourage teachers to use diverse literature in their classrooms. The sponsors for the award ceremony are the UAB School of Education, the Alabama Young Authors Conference and the Red Mountain Writing Project.