How My Reading Matched Up With This Year's Awards

Main idea:  Both of the "biggies" (Newbery/Caldecott) were COMPLETELY off my radar: never saw them, never heard about them. However, I did pretty well with honor books and the smaller awards.

Disclaimer:  To slightly shorten this gargantuan post, I left out the awards that didn't contain any books I read this year. No offense intended by omission.  All the awards are listed here.


Details:


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

“Moon over Manifest,” written by Clare Vanderpool (not read)

Four Newbery Honor Books also were named: 

“Turtle in Paradise,” by Jennifer L. Holm (not read)

“Heart of a Samurai,” written by Margi Preus (next up on my TBR pile)

“Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night,” written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen (LOVED)
“One Crazy Summer,” by Rita Williams-Garcia (LOVED)

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 (not read)

Two Caldecott Honor Books also were named: 

“Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill (LOVED -- heard him speak at the CLA Workshop at NCTE)

“Interrupting Chicken,” written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein (read)

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author of outstanding books for children and young adults 
“One Crazy Summer,” written by Rita Williams-Garcia (LOVED)

Three King Author Honor Books were selected: 

“Lockdown,” by Walter Dean Myers  (read)
“Ninth Ward,” by Jewell Parker Rhodes (LOVED) 

“Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty,” written by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke (read)

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award recognizing an African American illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
“Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill (LOVED)

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 (LOVED)

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience
“The Pirate of Kindergarten,” written by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Lynne Avril (LOVED)
“After Ever After,” written by Jordan Sonnenblick (LOVED)

Laura Ingalls Wilder Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. 

The 2011 winner is Tomie dePaola, author and illustrator of over 200 books. (Totally deserving.)

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults

“The True Meaning of Smekday,” written by Adam Rex and narrated by Bahni Turpin.

Four Odyssey Honor Recordings also were selected: 

“Alchemy and Meggy Swann,” written by Karen Cushman and narrated by Katherine Kellgren (I actually listened to this!!  LOVED IT! Loved it so much, I will likely listen to all the Odyssey winners!)

“The Knife of Never Letting Go,”written by Patrick Ness and narrated by Nick Podehl
“Revolution,” written by Jennifer Donnelly and narrated by Emily Janice Card and Emma Bering 

“will grayson, will grayson,” written by John Green and David Levithan, and narrated by MacLeod Andrews and Nick Podehl

Pura Belpré (Author) Award honoring a Latino writer whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
“The Dreamer,” written by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sís (LOVED)

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
“Grandma’s Gift,” illustrated and written by Eric Velasquez

Three Belpré Illustrator Honor Books for illustration were selected:
“Fiesta Babies,” illustrated by Amy Córdova, written by Carmen Tafolla

“Me, Frida,” illustrated by David Diaz, written by Amy Novesky (LOVED. Heard him at the CLA Workshop at NCTE)

“Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin,” illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh (LOVED)

Robert F. Sibert Medal for most distinguished informational book for children
“Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot,” written by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop (read)

Two Sibert Honor Books were named: 

“Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring,” written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca (read)
“Lafayette and the American Revolution,” written by Russell Freedman (read)

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book
“Bink and Gollie,” written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile (read)

Two Geisel Honor Books were named: 

“Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!” written and illustrated by Grace Lin (LOVED)

“We Are in a Book!” written and illustrated by Mo Willems (LOVELOVELOVED)

William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens
“The Freak Observer,” written by Blythe Woolston (I haven't read her book, but we sat at the same table at the KidLitCon dinner, and she's become a Poetry Friday Regular. Congrats, Blythe!)