ALA Midwinter: Youth Media Awards!

I am totally late in the day for this but I am too excited not to talk about this.  I stuck with the book awards that get me excited because well that is what I am all about. The full list with all the awards, their books, and their descriptions is available here on the ALA site.  I’ve highlighted books I’m intrigued by in gold…but first there is something that makes me more excited than anything else.

Margaret A. Edwards Award: Tamora Pierce.

The quote from the press release “Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: Tamora Pierce is the 2013 Edwards Award winner. Pierce was born in rural Western Pennsylvania in 1954. She knew from a young age she liked stories and writing, and in 1983, she published her first book, Song of the Lioness. She continues to write and even record her own audiobooks. She currently lives with her husband (spouse-creature) and a myriad of animals in Syracuse, New York.”  There is more on her and the award here.

If there is one thing you should know about me it is that I adore Tamora Pierce endlessly.  I don’t think she has been honored enough and so I was giddy to see her on this list, literally dancing and squealing.  I will admit that it annoys me that there is even an error in the quote I just gave you.  Her first book was Alanna: The First Adventure which is the first book of the Song of the Lioness quartet.  Song of the Lioness was the working title before the manuscript was rewritten as a quartet.  Anyway… she was honored for that series and The Protector of the Small quartet.  If you’ve ever heard me talk about my “comfort” books, here you go.  I love her characters, I love her writing and she is the reason that I keep reading and keep writing.  I think this calls for a binge reading celebration.  If yo want to know more about her, visit her website.

And I promise not to obsess any longer, onto the rest of my favorite awards!

Michael L. Printz Award:
Winner – In Darkness written by Nick Lake
Honor – Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Honor – Code Name Verity written by Elizabeth Wein
Honor – Dodger written by Terry Pratchett
Honor – The White Bicycle written by Beverley Brenna

John Newbery Medal:
Winner – The One and Only Ivan written by Katherine Applegate
Honor – Splendors and Glooms written by Laura Amy Schlitz
Honor – Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon written by Steve Sheinkin
Honor – Three Times Lucky written by Sheila Turnage

Randolph Caldecott Medal:
Winner – This Is Not My Hat illustrated and written by Jon Klassen
Honor – Creepy Carrots! illustrated by Peter Brown, written by Aaron Reynolds
Honor – Extra Yarn illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett
Honor – Green illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Honor – One Cool Friend illustrated by David Small, written by Toni Buzzeo
Honor – Sleep Like a Tiger illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue

Alex Awards:
Caring is Creepy written by David Zimmerman
Girlchild written by Tupelo Hassman
Juvenile in Justice written by Richard Ross
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore written by Robin Sloan
My Friend Dahmer written by Derf Backderf
One Shot at Forever written by Chris Ballard
Pure written by Julianna Baggott
The Round House written by Louise Erdrich
Tell the Wolves I’m Home written by Carol Rifka Brunt
Where’d You Go, Bernadette? written by Maria Semple

William C. Morris Award:
Winner – Seraphina written by Rachel Hartman
Finalist – Wonder Show written by Hannah Barnaby
Finalist – Love and Other Perishable Items written by Laura Buzo
Finalist – After the Snow written by S. D. Crockett
Finalist – The Miseducation of Cameron Post written by emily m. danforth

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