Alison McGhee has won a Christopher Award for "Firefly Hollow," her middle-grade book published in 2015 by Atheneum. "Firefly Hollow" is the story of four creatures--a firefly, a cricket, a vole, and a little boy, all with big dreams.

McGhee's book is one of 12 to be honored by the award, which will be presented in May in New York City.

The Christopher Award was established in 1949 to recognize authors, illustrators, producers and idrectors whose work afirms the highest value of the human spirit.

McGhee, who lives in Minneapolis, is the author of many books for all ages, including the New York Times best-selling "Someday," and (with Kate DiCamillo) the Bink and Gollie series, which won a Theodore Seuss Geisel Award.