Monday, January 27, 2014

And the Winners Are....

Today is one of my favorite days of the year: the Youth Media Awards announcements! Not only are the Newbery and Caldecott winners announced, but we also learn the winners of other great awards such as the Sibert, the Coretta Scott King, the Geisel, the Belpre, and others. It's a day that launches books into the children's literature canon, and it's a wonderful way to celebrate another fine year in children's/YA literature.

Last night, I participated in an awesome pre-awards Twitter chat.  I'm on record for several picks now! Here's what I favored last night (keep in mind that these choices are purely from the heart):

Geisel: Penny and Her Marble 

Sibert: On a Beam of Light, The Animal Book, Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard

Caldecott: Lucky Ducklings, Count the Monkeys, The Dark, Baby Bear Counts One, The Day the Crayons Quit 

Printz: Reality Boy, Rose Under Fire, Boxers & Saints, If I Ever Get Out of Here 

Newbery: True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, Lulu and the Dog From the Sea (can't believe I forgot The Boy on the Porch, but by this time, I was dizzy from the fast-moving tweets!)

Also threw out Gone Fishing for a hopeful, namely Newbery (Honor).

Belpre: Yaqui Delgado, Gaby Lost and Found, Nino Wrestles the World (also for Caldecott)

So....how did I do?


Newbery Medal:



Winner: Flora and Ulysses

Honor: Doll Bones, The Year of Billy Miller, One Came Home, Paperboy

Caldecott Medal:


Winner: Locomotive (a nonfiction pick!)

Honor: Journey, Flora & the Flamingo, Mister Wuffles



Schneider Family Award (for portraying the disability experience)



Children: A Splash of Red
Middle: Handbook for Dragon Slayers
Teen: Rose Under Fire

Coretta Scott King Awards (African-American authors and illustrators):





Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement: Patricia & Frederick McKissack
John Steptoe Award for New Talent: Theodore Taylor III (Virginia Commonwealth University alum!) for When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc & the Creation of Hip Hop
Illustrator Honor: Kadir Nelson for Nelson Mandela
Illustrator Winner: Brian Collier for Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me
Author Honor: March: Book One, Darius & Twig, Words With Wings
Author Winner: P.S. Be Eleven 




Pura Belpre Award (Latino authors/illustrators):
Illustration Honor: Maria Had a Little Llama, Tito Puente: Mambo King, Pancho Rabbit & the Coyote
Illustration Winner: Nino Wrestles the World 

Text Honor: The Lightning Dreamer, The Living, Pancho Rabbit & the Coyote
Text Winner: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass



Batchelder Award (for translation)
Honor: The Bathing Costume, Or the Worst Vacation of My Life; My Father's Arms Are a Boat, The War Within These Walls
Winner: Mister Orange





Sibert Medal (for children's informational book)
Honor: A Splash of Red, Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard, Locomotive, The Mad Potter
Winner : Parrots Over Puerto Rico 






Geisel Award (for beginning readers)
Honor:  Ball, A Big Guy Took My Ball! Penny & Her Marble
Winner: The Watermelon Seed 






Margaret A. Edwards Award (for lifetime achievement in YA literature, naming specific titles): Markus Zusak for The Book Thief, I Am the Messenger, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, Getting the Girl 

William C. Morris Award for debut author: Charm & Strange






YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction: The Nazi Hunters




Printz (for YA literature)
Honor: Eleanor & Park, Kingdom of Little Wounds, Maggot Moon, Navigating Early 
Winner: Midwinterblood


Did you see that?! Did you see that we have the NEWBERY Medal, the CALDECOTT Medal, AND the PRINTZ Medal winners? WOO HOO!

I am satisfied with the winners. I am happy that A Splash of Red was recognized several times. Well deserved.

Was THRILLED that Look Up! Bird Watching in Your Own Backyard received a Sibert Honor.

I was disappointed that The Boy on the Porch and Boxers & Saints were shut out. A shame.

LOVE that Penny and Her Marble. Mo Willems's Elephant and Piggie books are hilarious and fantastic, but I'm glad the Medal went to someone else.

Super happy that Nino Wrestles the World got the Belpre.  Was not surprised that Yaqui Delgado got the Belpre as well. People might have issues with the title, but it's authentic to the story. Nothing to sugar coat about bullying.

I ordered Flora and the Flamingo AND Parrots Over Puerto Rico at the last minute. Very glad that I made that decision!

I am happy and relieved.  Youth Media Awards is a great morning, but somewhat stressful. I would hate to not have the Medal winning books in our collection and available to patrons and staff.

Onward to the 2014 publishing season! I have some catching up to do, though!

Jennifer Schultz, Youth Services Librarian, Fauquier County Public Library

To learn more about Fauquier County Public Library's collection, events, and programs, visit us on Facebook, Twitter (Kiddosphere's Twitter is here), or on our website.










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