MotherReader

There is a lot going on in the kidlitosphere to write about, but for now I’m going back to the ALA Youth Media Awards. There are complete lists everywhere, most notably in that there link, so my post is more about my reactions than any official summary.

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Coretta Scott King Book Award
Recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award:

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
Sorry, I don’t know it.

CSK Author Honor Book:

Mare’s War
by Tanita S. Davis
Holy crap! The winner is a longtime KidLitosphere author and Blogging Friend Forever! This win is right on the money as the book is wonderful. When you hear complaints about African American books only focused on slavery or civil rights, look to Mare’s War as a model for another way to portray the experience of people of color in current and historical times. The positive and strong characters also earned the author an nomination for a NAACP image award. Yeah, Tanita!

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:

My People
illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr., written by Langston Hughes
I saw this as a Cybils Fiction Picture Book nominee, and it didn’t impress me nearly as much as the next book.

CSK Illustrator Honor Book:

The Negro Speaks of Rivers
illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes
I didn’t make any CSK predictions here, but at Fuse#8’s prediction post I suggested this book for an illustrator award. It is stunning. I’ve liked the artwork of E.B. Lewis in other books, but with the evocative poem as his guideline he came up with some amazing interpretations.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:

The Rock and the River
by Kekla Magoon
I put this book on hold at the library after I realized it was never going to just be there when I went. I’ve heard wonderful things about it, and met the author in New York City this year. We talked about blogs and the Liar cover.

Coretta Scott King/Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:

Walter Dean Myers
This is the first time the award was given out, and they couldn’t have chosen a better person to honor.

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Schneider Family Book Award
Honoring books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
Django
written and illustrated by Bonnie Christensen
The picture book winner and I haven’t seen it. D’oh!

Anything but Typical
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
The winner for middle grade, a Cybils finalists — and I nominated it for that category. I really liked this book, and seemingly forgot about it when making my Newbery predictions. Now that I think about it, I would have loved to see this on that list too.

Marcelo in the Real World
by Francisco X. Stork
The winner for young adult literature is an amazing book that will stay with you long after you’ve read it. The biggest surprise here is not its win in this category, but its exclusion from the Printz awards. I’m not the only one saying that either.

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Pura Belpré Award
Honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award:

Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El día de los niños/El día de los libros
illustrated by Rafael López, written by Pat Mora
Well, I wish I had seen this, but I didn’t.

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Books:

Diego: Bigger Than Life, illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand; Gracias Thanks, illustrated by John Parra, written by Pat Mora; My Abuelita, illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston;
Liked Diego. Liked Gracias Thanks. But the illustrations of My Abuelita creeped me out. There, I said it.

Pura Belpré (Author) Award:

Return to Sender
written by Julia Alvarez
Vaguely remember hearing of it, but it feels like a long time ago. Oh, released January 2009, that would explain it. Putting it on hold now. Be right back...

Pura Belpré Author Honor Books:

Diego: Bigger Than Life, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz; and Federico García Lorca, written by Georgina Lázaro, illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro
This is an interesting aspect to this award. The book can win for both author and illustrator, but in separate categories. With all respect to Dora the Explorer — Go, Diego, go!

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Andrew Carnegie Medal
Given for excellence in children’s video
Paul R. Gagne and Mo Willems of Weston Woods, producers of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!”
Narrated by Willems and Jon Scieszka with animation by Pete List
There wasn’t a video of this, like seven years ago? Huh.