And the winners are...

Yes, believe it or not - it is that time again.  No, not the Globe and Academy!  The Youth Services Media Awards!  Newbery, Caldecott, etc. There are always surprises with the awards.  Lots of congratulations; lots of grumbling.  Fifteen people spend a year reading books, and rereading books, and finding new books to read.  While we enjoy TV, movies, vacations, reading for pleasure, etc. committee members are reading an average of 250 books to find the few that are worthy of an award for going above and beyond.  Kudos to those brave souls!

I was happy with the winners this year.  I thought it was great that a picture book – The Last Stop on Market Street - won the Newbery and also very happy that it went to Matt de la Peña – the first Hispanic author to win. I really liked Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley but it was not on any of the lists. I might have chosen that instead of Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. But I loved, loved, loved The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and was thrilled it received an Honor. And how great is it that Roller Girl, a graphic novel written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, picked up an honor?  

I loved Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. There’s an interesting discussion on Mr. Schu’s site about the cover that you might want to check out. I have read Waiting, illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes, Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Last Stop on Market Street, (yes - it won a Caldecott Honor in addition to a Newbery) illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de le Peña. Again – I thought they were all great books. I have Trombone Shorty on my TBR pile.

As usual, I have not read any of the Michael L. Printz award winners - they are YA Lit. 

Bone Gap written by Laura Ruby was the winner. It is in my pile of books waiting to be read.
Two Printz Honor Books also were named: Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez and  The Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick. I loved Revolver by Sedgwick but his more recent works are a bit darker/spooky.  So I have not read this one.

 

My favorite selection was a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book - The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Please get your hands on a copy of this book and read it. Actually, read all of the Coretta Scott King winners this year.  Read Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia, the third book in the Gaither Sisters series.  I promise you will fall in love with Delphine and her sisters.  Read Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Last Stop on Market Street (yep - it won a King award also!)  They will rattle your world and make you look at things from a different perspective.

The only award I truly disagreed with was the Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book. Don’t Throw It to Mo!, written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Sam Ricks, won and I just wasn't impressed with the book. It was OK but I thought A Pig, a Fox, and a Box,  written and illustrated by Jonathan Fenske and Supertruck written and illustrated by Stephen Savage were better. I have been raving about Supertruck for many months so I was truly happy to see it receive something. Should have won! 

And now - school has started again so this blog may look a bit different over the next few months.  Hang in there!  I'm taking an adult literature and services class plus a History of Youth Services class.  I'll be reading a lot of different books from a lot of different genres!