ALA Award Winners Announced: Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Geisel, Edwards, etc.

This news is going to be everywhere, of course, but I would be remiss if I didn't share this morning's ALA Youth Media Awards. Here are the winners (I heard them first from Sharon Levin, and then from Susan Kusel) of the Caldecott, Geisel, Newbery, Printz, and Edwards awards. I'm especially happy to see Laurie Halse Anderson win the Margaret A. Edwards award, and to see Ingrid Law's Savvy win a Newbery Honor, and to see a kid-friendly title, a fantasy no less, winning the Newbery. They look like excellent choices overall. I've made notes below on what I've read, and on which titles were shortlisted for the Cybils.

Caldecott Medal:

"The House in the Night," illustrated by Beth Krommes and written by Susan Marie Swanson, Houghton Mifflin Co.

Caldecott Honor Books:

"A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever" by Marla Frazee, Harcourt, Inc. (I haven't read this one yet, but I'm a big fan of Frazee's illustrations in the Clementine books)

"How I Learned Geography" by Uri Shulevitz, Farrar Straus Giroux

"A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams," illustrated by Melissa Sweet and written by Jen Bryant, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (This one is a Cybils short list title in nonfiction picture books)

Geisel Award:

"Are You Ready to Play Outside?" by Mo Willems, Hyperion Books for Children (this one didn't make the cut-off for the Cybils, but we have two other books from this series on the Easy Reader shortlist, the category where I'm a judge)

Geisel Honor Books:

"Chicken said, 'Cluck!'" by Judyann Ackerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell, HarperCollins Children's Books

"One Boy," written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, a Neal Porter Book published by Roaring Brook Press

"Stinky," written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis, The Little Lit Library

"Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator" by Sarah C. Campbell, with photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell, Boyds Mills Press.

Newbery Medal:

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman, HarperCollins Children's Books (I read this one, but didn't review it because it felt like everyone else in the world had already reviewed it. It is a Cybils shortlist title in fantasy and science fiction.)

Newbery Honor Books:

"The Underneath" by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (My review)

"The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom" by Margarita Engle, Henry Holt and Company, LLC

"Savvy" by Ingrid Law, Dial Books for Young Readers (My review. This is one of my favorites this year. This one is also a Cybils shortlist title in fantasy and science fiction.)

"After Tupac and D Foster" by Jacqueline Woodson, G.P. Putnam's Sons

Printz Medal:

"Jellicoe Road" by Melina Marchetta, HarperTeen (This is a shortlist title in the Cybils young adult fiction category.)

Printz Honor Books:

"The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Volume II: Kingdom on the Waves" by M. T. Anderson, Candlewick Press

"The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks" by E. Lockhart, Hyperion Books for Children (I didn't review this one, but I enjoyed it, and bought it for my niece for Christmas. This is also a shortlist title in the Cybils young adult fiction category)

"Nation" by Terry Pratchett, HarperCollins Children's Books (I didn't review this one because I listened to the audio, and it's hard to quote that way, but I LOVED it)

"Tender Morsels" by Margo Lanagan, Alfred A. Knopf

Margeret A. Edwards (lifetime achievement for Young Adults) recipient: Laurie Halse Anderson (my reviews of Speak and Chains)

You can find the winners in the other categories here.

Comments

[Vivian]

I have a few books to read...though of the ones I did read, I'm very happy with the choices.

[Terry]

I listened as the video played in one tab and I typed in another. I had been debating about creating a winner's post, but I think I'm going to use the same logic you did for not reviewing The Graveyard Book: I feel like everyone else in the world has got it covered. And I'll use the time to start putting holds on books at the library!

[Jennifer, Snapshot]

I popped over here precisely because I knew you would have the info, so don't feel redundant :)

I am thrilled about Savvy as well, and I haven't read the Underneath, but it's a book I've had on the radar for Amanda to read.

[Jen Robinson]

I'm always amazed, Terry and Vivian, by how few of the winners I've read. I'm pretty happy to have at least read the Newbery winner this time. Terry, I kind of felt that way, too (about covering the winners), but I figure it's going in my newsletter, and some of those people may not be quite so up on current events. Plus, maybe I'll get some Amazon commissions.

Jennifer, I adore Savvy. It's the winner that I'm most personally excited about (bearing in mind that there are many I haven't read yet). I hope that Amanda likes The Underneath. It's unique, I think.

[Rebecca Reid]

Thanks for posting this list! I heard these were awarded but the ala website wouldn't work for me today (apparently, everyone else was checking too!)

I never read books that have just been published so I haven't read any of these yet. But I am certain to get to them *some day*. Especially since I've just heard good things about them.

[Jen Robinson]

Happy to help, Rebecca. I'm not one of those people who rushes out to get all of the books as soon as they get onto an award list, either. But when books get these awards, and especially when people I respect are happy about it, that definitely bumps them up on my list.

[Erin Hibshman]

As a elementary school librarian, I try to read as many books as I can, and I cannot tell you how much blogs like yours make my job a bit more manageable! Glad to see A Couple of Boys... was an Honor Book - my students LOVED it. Mo Willems is just a delight, and I cannot wait to read The Graveyard Book - it's been on muy list, but this shoots it to the top!

[Jen Robinson]

Thanks for taking time to comment, Erin. It's rewarding to me to hear that my blog helps elementary school librarians such as yourself. You're there on the front lines getting books into kids' hands, and I'm honored to think that I can help with that in some small way. I still have such fond memories of my elementary school librarian (Mrs. Tuttle) - she made a difference in my life, and it's nice to think that people like you are helping me to close the circle by giving back.

I really have to read A Couple of Boys... And yes, you definitely must read The Graveyard Book - there's going to be a lot of interest in it at the library.