Monday, January 23, 2012

Quick Thoughts on the ALA Youth Media Awards

You can find all the winners on the ALA website, but here are some of my first impressions. I was able to attend the announcements this morning, and it was exciting!

The Newbery went to Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, which I mentioned briefly in a recap.

I LOVED this! The characters and the setting are so wonderfully created, and it's oh-so funny. What I loved, definitely outweighed the problems...that being said, I thought it was a surprise win.

The Robert F. Sibert Medal, for the most distinguished informational book for children, went to Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet.

Truly, I loved everything about this book!

One more book I really want to mention: See Me Run by Paul Meisel is a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book, a distinguished beginning reader.

I actually first read this in the Holiday House (the publisher of this title) booth yesterday. Honestly, I picked it up because, cute dogs on the cover! I made a note of it, to find a copy and review it later because I thought it was so good. It's bigger in size than the typical beginning reader, and it has full-page color illustrations, yet the text is very much that of an easy reader. And while it has some repetition in it, it's not overkill. It's funny, and it has a cute ending, and I am so glad it was recognized. It's part of a new series from Holiday House, I Like To Read. This is the only book in the series that I've read, but I'm eager to look for more.



I have had Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley sitting in my TBR pile since reading this review by Patti at Oops...Wrong Cookie. Which she wrote back in August! I keep renewing the book and not reading it, and I'm not sure why. But, now that it has won both the Printz Award, for excellence in literature written for young adults, and the William C. Morris Award, for a debut book published by a first time author writing for teens, and I got to hear Whaley accept the Morris Award this morning, it's what I'm reading tonight. Tonight!

What didn't win...I really expected Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt to get a Newbery Honor, and I'm surprised Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming didn't get any awards, but you never really know what goes on in the deliberation process.

What were you excited to see win this year?
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11 comments:

  1. PerogyoJanuary 24, 2012 at 1:56 AM

    Is it thrilling to love a winner?

    I am very happy that there are two Canadian authors in the Honour books this year, Jon Klassen and Paul Yee!

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  2. AnnieJanuary 24, 2012 at 5:59 AM

    I loved Inside Out and Back Again, and I ran out and I ran out to my Indie and got the very last (!) of both Dead End in Norvelt and Where Things Come Back. (I am such a book nerd!)

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    1. AmyJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:43 PM

      I still have not read Inside Out and Back Again, but am looking forward to it. Yay for getting the last copies!!

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  3. Blessy MathewJanuary 24, 2012 at 11:25 AM

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the ALA winners. I was excited to see SCORPIO RACES win one a Printz Honor, INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN by Thanhha Lai for the Newbery Honor, HEART and SOUL: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson for the Coretta Scott King Award.

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    1. AmyJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:47 PM

      I enjoyed The Scorpio Races and was glad to see it recognized - the characters and the setting were so spectacularly drawn! And how exciting for Nelson to get recognized for both the writing and the illustrations. While I haven't read this one yet, based on everything else he has done, I can only imagine how wonderful it must be.

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  4. UnknownJanuary 24, 2012 at 7:57 PM

    So glad that Kadir Nelson won the Coretta Scott King Award - I think "Heart and Soul" is one of the most incredibly moving books I've ever read, hands down. Also thrilled that "Inside Out and Back Again" took an Honor, though I was disappointed that "Okay for Now" didn't get more recognition.

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    1. AmyJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:49 PM

      Heart and Soul is still on order at my library, and I can't wait for it! I really thought Okay for Now would get an Honor...do you follow the Heavy Medal blog over at SLJ? There have been some interesting discussions about this book, and issues people have had with it.

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  5. Madigan MirzaJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:28 PM

    As soon as I saw Heart and Soul, I KNEW it would win. How could it not?

    I just posted my quick thoughts on the winners on my blog... it's going to take me a few days at least to sort through my experiences at ALA Midwinter and come up with a coherent, comprehensive post.

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  6. AmyJanuary 24, 2012 at 8:50 PM

    I am still anxiously waiting to get my hands on a copy of Heart and Soul!!

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  7. Lee Wind, M.Ed.January 30, 2012 at 5:16 PM

    I liked your commentary on the awards - thanks! And thanks as well for being part of the 2012 Comment Challenge!
    Keep on commenting,
    Lee

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  8. CarylFebruary 9, 2012 at 1:53 PM

    I just started reading Amelia Lost last night, and I'm captivated. I thought Inside Out & Back Again was a beautiful book. I just finished and enjoyed The Scorpio Races; I mostly read the text, but also listened a bit to the audiobook, which was well done and also won an award. I'm very happy about Wonderstruck, and I think the Schneider Family Book Award is a nice honor for it.

    I'm looking forward to Dead End in Norvelt, Balloons Over Broadway (I love Melissa Sweet!), Where Things Come Back, and Okay for Now.

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