Caldecott and Newbery Winners for 2011

Well, I was only a tiny bit surprised by the biggest award out there this year... The Newbery Winner came out in October 2010 and I have vague memories of shelving it, but I don't remember reading the flap and thinking, "I need to check this one out!" However, I do plan to read it as soon as my CYBILS work is over. I love historical fiction. There are always a slew of other intersting awards announced each year and this year, noting some of my favorites among the winners and honorees, I decided to include them in this post. This is not a complete list of all the awards given by the ALA and YALSA, the Young Adult Librarian Services organization that also gives out awards, but you can click on either one for links to all the listings and you can click on the links to the awards themselves for more information. Although I have only just begun my experience as a judge on a panel for a book award, I have a new appreciation and gratitude for what these librarians do every year! I may not always agree with their picks, but I definitely get how hard it is to make that one choice...

Newbery Award

Moon Over Manifest

by Clare Vanderpool

NEWBERY HONOR WINNERS

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Read my review here

Dark Emperor & other Poems of the Night

written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen

Turtle in Paradise written by Jennifer Holm

The Heart of a Samurai:

Based on the True Story of Nakhama Manjiro
by Margi Preuss
Read my review here.

CALDECOTT MEDAL

A Sick Day for Amos McGhee

written by Philip C Stead and illustrated by Erin E Stead

CALDECOTT HONOR WINNERS

Dave the Potter, Artist, Poet, Slave

written by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier

You can read a review that was in the NYTimes book review last year.

Interrupting Chicken byDavid Ezra Stein

Read my review here

THEODORE SEUSS GEISEL

This award is given to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers.

Bink and Gollie
written by Kate Di Camillo and Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile

Read my review here

GEISEL AWARD HONOR WINNERS

Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same
by Grace Lin
read my review here

(Lin won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon in 2010!)

We Are in a Book

written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Coretta Scott King Awards

Recognizes outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience.

WINNER

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Read my review here

CORETTA SCOTT KING HONOR AWARDS

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Read my review here

Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri

WINNER

Dave the Potter, Artist, Poet, Slave

written by Laban Carrick Hill, illustrated by Bryan Collier

CORETTA SCOTT KING - JOHN STEPTOE

AWARD FOR NEW TALENT

Zora & Me by TR Simon and Victoria Bond

Read my review here

PURA BELPRÉ AWARD

Honors a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience with an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sís

Grandma's Gift by Eric Velasquez

MARGARET A EDWARDS AWARD

This award honors an author as well as a specific body or his/her work that has proven popular over a period of time. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society and the world.