2009 Caldecott & Newbery Award Winners Announced

On Monday, January 26, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the winners of its Caldecott and Newbery medals and other awards for the best children's and young adult literature at its Midwinter Meeting in Denver.

Among this year's winners were:

JOHN NEWBERY MEDAL for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, HarperCollins Children's Books

NEWBERY HONOR BOOKS

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

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

Savvy by Ingrid Law, Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group in partnership with Walden Media

After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson, G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Books for Young Readers

RANDOLPH CALDECOTT MEDAL for the most distinguished American picture book for children

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

CALDECOTT HONOR BOOKS

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee, Harcourt

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, an imprint of Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARDS recognizing African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults that demonstrate sensitivity to "the true worth and value of all beings"

THE CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD FOR AUTHOR

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group

KING AUTHOR HONOR BOOKS

The Blacker the Berry, by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Keeping the Night Watch, by Hope Anita Smith, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Henry Holt and Company

Becoming Billie Holiday, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Wordsong, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press

THE CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATOR

The Blacker the Berry, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, written by Joyce Carol Thomas, Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

KING HONOR BOOKS FOR ILLUSTRATOR

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group

Before John Was a Jazz Giant, by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls, published by Henry Holt and Company

The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group.

CORETTA SCOTT KING/JOHN STEPTOE NEW TALENT AWARD

Shadra Strickland, illustrator of Bird, written by Zetta Elliott, Lee & Low Books

Information about these and other ALSC award winners are posted on the ALSC website [1].