'TIS THE SEASON FOR AWARDS

Not Oscars or Golden Globes - the American Library Association Youth Media Awards will be announced on Monday, January 30th, at 8 AM Central Time. I'll post the winners but here or you can watch them yourself using the link above. But here are my totally unscientific predictions, based mainly on what I've read and really liked. I am sure on Monday I will be saying, "Oh, of course! How could I have missed that one?"

The Newbery is a book for ages 0-14 selected for literary merit. It's not necessarily a book that will be popular with kids... since it is chosen by adults. But one can always hope.  The Caldecott is an award for illustration - it is most often a picture book but a graphic novel or longer, illustrated book can also win - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is one example. Perhaps not as well known is the Geisel award (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel) which is awarded to "distinguished" books written for beginning readers. 

There are many other awards besides the three mentioned here - Alex; Coretta Scott King; Pura Belpré; Sibert; Batchelder; Printz; Schneider plus affiliate awards including Asian/Pacific American Literature Award and Sydney Taylor book award (Jewish lit).  Hopefully my faves will win something!  And maybe you will find something to add to your TBR stack.

CALDECOTT maybes 

 My struggle with Caldecotts is I'm not an artist so I tend to pick things that I liked because of content or cleverness -- and that's not the basis of a Caldecott award. But maybe out of twelve I will get lucky and at least pick an Honor? Several of these have illustrators that have won before - Erin Stead; Jon Klassen; Sophie Blackall; Jason Chin; etc. but that should not matter to the selectors. My top two faves are Knight Owl and Hot Dog.

 

NEWBERY hopefuls

Fantasy books - The Midnight Children; The Last Mapmaker; The Ogress and the Orphans

Realistic Fiction - Jennifer Chan is Not Alone; A Duet for Home; Invisible; Swim Team

Graphic Novel - Invisible; Swim Team

Historical Fiction - Maizy Chen's Last Chance; Northwind; The Door of No Return; My Own Lightning; I Must Betray You

Books in Verse - The Door of No Return; Odder

Science Fiction - A Rover's Story

Some of these books blur genres. Odder is a novel in verse about a sea otter told from the prospective of the otter. It is scientific and realistic but it anthropomorphizes the otter. A Rover's Story is science fiction because it tells us the story of a fictional Mars Rover (Res) being built and sent to Mars but also includes realistic fiction. I shed a few tears reading this one. The Midnight Children is a bit fantastical because there are hints of magic; it's also historical because it is set in a world without cell phones; and it has realistic elements plus a bit of a mystery. I Must Betray You leans more towards Young Adult but that has not stopped committees in the past. 

I would love to see ALA establish a new award just for graphic novels - until then, I'm hoping Invisible wins. Though The Last Mapmaker seems to be a huge favorite.

 

GEISEL possumbilities

Beginning Readers do deserve their very own award. It is extremely challenging to write a beginning reader that is truly entertaining but also at the level of someone learning to read. Cornbread & Poppy is delightful. Sir Ladybug is more of a graphic novel format.