NEWS AND NOTES

AWARDS ANNOUNCED

PHILADELPHIA - The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults - including the Caldecott, King, Newbery, Schneider Family and Printz awards - at its Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.

The following is a list of all ALA Youth Media Awards for 2008:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.

“Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village,” written by Laura Amy Schlitz, is the 2008 Newbery Medal winner, published by Candlewick.

Three Newbery Honor Books were named:
“Elijah of Buxton,” by Christopher Paul Curtis, published by Scholastic
“The Wednesday Wars,” by Gary D. Schmidt, published by Clarion
“Feathers,” by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Putnam.

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children.

“The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” illustrated by Brian Selznick, is the 2008 Caldecott Medal winner. The book is published by Scholastic.

Four Caldecott Honor Books were named:
“Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad,” illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Ellen Levine, and published by Scholastic;
“First the Egg,” illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, and published by Roaring Brook/Neal Porter;
“The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain,” illustrated and written by Peter Sνs, and published by Farrar/Frances Foster
“Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity,” illustrated and written by Mo Willems, and published by Hyperion.

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults.

“The White Darkness,” by Geraldine McCaughrean, is the 2008 Printz Award winner, published by HarperTempest, an imprint of HarperCollins.<.P>

Four Printz Honor Books were named:
“Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet,” by Elizabeth Knox, published by Frances Foster Books, an imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux;
“One Whole and Perfect Day,” by Judith Clarke, published by Front Street, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press, Inc.;
“Repossessed,” by A. M. Jenkins, published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins
“Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath,” by Stephanie Hemphill, published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books.

Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.

“Elijah of Buxton,” written by Christopher Paul Curtis, is the King Author Book winner, published by Scholastic.

Two King Author Honor Books were selected:
“November Blues,” by Sharon M. Draper, published by Atheneum Books for Young Adults
“Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali,” written by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, published by Candlewick Press.

“Let it Shine,” illustrated and written by Ashley Bryan, is the King Illustrator Book winner, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Two King Illustrator Honor Books were selected:
“The Secret Olivia Told Me,” by N. Joy, illustrated by Nancy Devard, published by Just Us Books
“Jazz On A Saturday Night,” by Leo and Diane Dillon, published by Scholastic Blue Sky Press.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

“Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It,” written by Sundee T. Frazier is the Steptoe winner, published by Delacorte Press.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

“Kami and the Yaks,” written by Andrea Stenn Stryer, illustrated by Bert Dodson and published by Bay Otter Press of Palo Alto, Calif. wins the award for young children (age 0 to 10).

“Reaching for Sun,” by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, New York is the winner in the middle grades category (age 11-13).

“Hurt Go Happy,” written by Ginny Rorby, a Starscape Book, published by Tom Doherty Associates, is the winner in the teen category (age 13-18).

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award the most distinguished book for beginning readers.

"There Is a Bird on Your Head!,” written and illustrated by Mo Willems is the 2008 Geisel Award winner, published by Hyperion.

Four Geisel Honor Books were named:
“First the Egg,” written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger and published by Roaring Brook/Neal Porter;
“Hello, Bumblebee Bat,” written by Darrin Lunde, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne and published by Charlesbridge;
“Jazz Baby,” written by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and published by Harcourt
“Vulture View,” written by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Steve Jenkins and published by Holt.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. Orson Scott Card is the recipient of the 2008 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring his outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens for his novels “Ender's Game” and “Ender's Shadow.”

The Pura Belprι Award honoring Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children's books.

Yuyi Morales, illustrator of “Los Gatos Black on Halloween,” written by Marisa Montes and published by Holt is the winner of the 2008 Pura Belprι Illustrator Award.

Margarita Engle, author of “The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano,” illustrated by Sean Qualls and published by Holt, is the 2008 Pura Belprι Author Award recipient.

Two Honor Books for illustration:
“My Name Is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcνa Mαrquez/Me llamo gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcνa Mαrquez,” illustrated by Raϊl Colσn, written by Monica Brown and published by Luna Rising
“My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo,” written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez and published by Children's Book Press.

Three Author Honor Books were named:
“Frida: ‘Viva la vida! Long Live Life!” by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and published by Marshall Cavendish;
“Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale,” retold by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Michael Austin and published by Peachtree
“Los Gatos Black on Halloween,” written by Marisa Montes, illustrated by Yuyi Morales and published by Holt.

Robert F. Sibert Medal for most distinguished informational book for children.

“The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain,” written and illustrated by Peter Sνs, is the 2008 Sibert Award winner, published by Farrar/Frances Foster.

Two Sibert Honor Books were named:
“Lightship,” written and illustrated by Brian Floca, published by Simon & Schuster/ Richard Jackson
“Nic Bishop Spiders,” written and illustrated by Nic Bishop, published by Scholastic/Scholastic Nonfiction.

Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video.

VIZ Media is the winner of the 2008 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for “Brave Story.” Originally published in Japanese in 2003 as “Bureibu Sutori,” the book was written by Miyuki Miyabe and translated by Alexander O. Smith.

Two Batchelder Honor Books also were selected:
“The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity,” published by Milkweed Editions, originally published in German as “Die Katze,”
“Nicholas and the Gang,” published by Phaidon Press, originally published in French as “Le petit Nicolas et les copains.”

The first-ever Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production is Live Oak Media for “Jazz.”

Five honor titles were named:
“Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary 'Jacky' Faber, Ship's Boy,” produced by Listen & Live Audio;
“Dooby Dooby Moo,” produced by Scholastic/Weston Woods;
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” produced by Listening Library;
“Skulduggery Pleasant,” produced by HarperChildren's Audio;
“Treasure Island,” produced by Listening Library.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences

“American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China,” by Matthew Polly, published by Penguin/Gotham Books;
“Bad Monkeys,” by Matt Ruff, published by HarperCollins;
“Essex County Volume 1: Tales from the Farm,” by Jeff Lemire, published by Top Shelf Publications;
“Genghis: Birth of an Empire ,” by Conn Iggulden, published by Delacorte;
“The God of Animals,” by Aryn Kyle, published by Scribner;
“A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier,” by Ishmael Beah, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux/Sarah Crichton Books;
“Mister Pip,” by Lloyd Jones, published by Random/Dial Press;
“The Name of the Wind,” by Patrick Rothfuss, published by DAW;
“The Night Birds,” by Thomas Maltman, published by Soho;
“The Spellman Files,” by Lisa Lutz, published by Simon & Schuster.

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture recognizing an individual of distinction in the field of children's literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site. Walter Dean Myers, widely acclaimed author of picture books, novels, poetry and non-fiction for children and young adults, will deliver the 2009 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture.

The 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Awards
Sarah Gershman and Kristina Swarner, author and illustrator of The Bedtime Sh'ma: A Good Night Book,
Sid Fleischman, author of The Entertainer and the Dybbuk
Sonia Levitin, author of Strange Relations, are the 2008 winners of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award of the Association of Jewish Libraries honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience. The award memorializes Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series. The winners will receive their awards at the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Cleveland, Ohio this June at a special ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the award.

Gershman and Swarner will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Younger Readers Category for The Bedtime Sh'ma: A Good Night Book, published by EKS Publishing. With accessible language, this book helps young children understand the meaning and concepts of the Sh'ma prayers. The stunning artwork matches the mood of the text, and the words of the prayer (in Hebrew, English, and transliteration) are beautifully integrated into double spread illustrations. "The soothing and soulful voice of Rabbi Julia Adelman on the included CD will lull the listener to sleep with sweet dreams," adds Kathy Bloomfield a member of the Award Committee. The book is recommended for children up to grade 2.

Fleischman will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Older Readers Category for The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, published by HarperCollins Children's Books. When the spirit of a 12-year old Jewish boy, murdered by the Nazis, possesses the body of an American GI traveling through Europe as a second-rate ventriloquist, the pair is able to unmask the Nazi responsible. "Fleischman's knowledge of ventriloquism and senses of humor and humanity craft an imaginative and haunting story, and although all the action takes place after the war, the sense of loss and tragedy echo through the book," comments Kathe Pinchuck, incoming Chair of the Award Committee. "Wry humor adds dimension to the characters and suspense accelerates the pace." The book is recommended for grades 6-8.

Levitin will receive the 2008 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Teen Readers Category for Strange Relations, published by Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. Fifteen-year-old Marne decides to spend the summer with her Aunt Carole in Hawaii. But, Aunt Carole is now Aunt Chaya, married to a Chabad Rabbi with seven children. What Marne anticipates will be a relaxing summer of jogging on the beach, surfing, sun tanning, and shopping turns out to be a summer of exploration, spirituality, and growth. "Levitin skillfully writes from the perspective of a contemporary teenager and realistically deals with issues such as drinking, drugs, sexuality, and peer pressure," notes Rachel Kamin, Chair of the Award Committee. Levitin also won the 1987 Sydney Taylor Book Award for The Return and two honor awards for The Singing Mountain (1998) and Silver Days (1989).

Six Sydney Taylor Honor Books were named for 2008:

For Younger Readers, Honor Books are:
The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller with illustrations by Boris Kulikov (Simon & Schuster)
It should be noted that The Castle on Hester Street won the Sydney Taylor Book Award when it was first published in 1982 by the Jewish Publication Society, and its Honor Award this year is due to Boris Kulikov's new illustrations.
Letter on the Wind by Sarah Lamstein with illustrations by Neil Waldman (Boyds Mills Press)
Light written and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben (Dutton Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group).

For Older Readers, the Honor Books are:
Holocaust: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Angela Gluck Wood with consulting by Dan Stone (DK Publishing in association with USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education)
The Secret of Preist's Grotto by Peter Lane Taylor and Christos Nicola (Kar-Ben).

For Teen Readers, the Honor Book is :
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Mirjam Pressler, translated from the German by Erik J. Macki (Front Street).