Interim Department Head for Creative Writing, Dr. Ryan Van Cleave, has been awarded the Gwen P. Reichert Gold Medal in Young Children鈥檚 from the 2025 Florida Book Awards. Van Cleave received the honor for one of this recent picture books, Once Upon a You, a collaboration with former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson and children鈥檚 voice actor Bettina Bush. The Florida Book Awards annually recognize the best books published each year by Florida authors (or books about Florida). The honorees for books published in 2025 were announced this past February.
鈥淩eceiving a Florida Book Award Gold Medal means a great deal to me,鈥� said Van Cleave. 鈥淚 live and teach here, so having this work recognized in my home state feels especially meaningful.鈥�
The book walks kids through the many dreams they may have and the successes they can achieve, from paleontology and treasure-hunting to painting a mural or fighting for fairness and equality.
鈥淚 collaborated closely with Keyshawn Johnson and Bettina Bush from the earliest stages, well before the book deal was even in place,鈥� said Van Cleave. 鈥淭his was Keyshawn鈥檚 idea from the start, though. He wanted to create something that spoke directly to kids about self-belief and authorship over their own lives.鈥�
At the back of the book, Johnson tells the story of his own early life in South Los Angeles, how he was told he wouldn鈥檛 be able to achieve his dreams, and how he chose instead to listen to his inner voice.
鈥淲orking with Keyshawn and Bettina was a true partnership鈥攖hey’re dynamic people who bring a lot of creativity to everything they do,鈥� said Van Cleave. 鈥淢y role as the Picture Book Doctor is to help translate lived experience and big ideas into language that connects with young readers. We鈥檙e still partnering today and are currently developing additional children鈥檚 books and animated series together.
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