ALA Announces Caldecott and Newbery Medal Winners

On Monday, January 10, at its Midwinter Meeting in San Diego, 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.

Among this year’s winners were:

John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature:

Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool (Delacorte Press)

Four Newbery Honor Books were named: Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen (Houghton Miffin Books for Children); Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus (Amulet); One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (Amistad); and Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House).

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead; written by Philip C. Stead (Roaring Brook Press)

Two Caldecott Honor Books were named: Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little, Brown), and Interrupting Chicken, written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein (Candlewick).

Coretta Scott King Book 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:

One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (Amistad)

Three King Author Honor Books were selected: Lockdown, by Walter Dean Myers (Amistad); Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Little, Brown); and Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke (Lee & Low Books).

The Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator:

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Little, Brown)

One King Illustrator Honor Book was selected: Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe, written by Gary Golio (Clarion Books).

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award (New Talent) for Author:

Zora and Me, by Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon (Candlewick)

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award (New Talent) for Illustrator:

Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler; written by Jenn Cullerton Johnson (Lee & Low Books)

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in Young Adult Literature:

Ship Breaker,  by Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown)

Four Printz Honor Books also were named: Stolen, by Lucy Christopher (Chicken House); Please Ignore Vera Dietz, by A.S. King (Knopf); Revolver, by Marcus Sedgwick (Roaring Brook Press); and Nothing, by Janne Teller (Atheneum Books for Young Readers).

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, honoring an author or illustrator whose books, published in the U.S., have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children, was given to Tomie dePaola, author and illustrator of more than 200 books, including 26 Fairmont Avenue  and The Legend of the Poinsettia (both Putnam), Oliver Button Is a Sissy (Harcourt), and Strega Nona (Prentice-Hall).

The Margaret A. Edwards Award, honoring an author and a specific body of his or her work, for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature, was given to Sir Terry Pratchett. His works include The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, The Wee Free Men, and A Hat Full of Sky” (all HarperCollins Children's) and The Color of Magic, Equal Rites, Going Postal, Small Gods, and Mort (all HarperCollins Publishers).

The full list of Monday’s award winners can be found on the ALA website [1].