We still miss good books, though. We, even as a unified Children’s Department, cannot possibly read every excellent kid’s book that comes out every year. So how do we make sure that we aren’t missing anything? How do we make sure that the best of the best are shelved in our collections? The American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards definitely help.
Every year, dedicated librarians from around the country form committees that read a mind-staggeringly huge number of new books. These committees then get together to discuss, debate, and evaluate the qualities of these books. Different committees focus on different facets of the literature: the writing, the illustrations, the portrayal of members of different communities (such as African American, GLBT, differently/disabled, etc.), their scientific accuracy, and so forth. Afterwards, they distribute awards to the cream of the crop.
Below, you will find a select list and some reviews of this year’s winners and honorees. For a complete list, see the ALA website.
Also, if you’re looking for good, up-to-date reading materials, please visit the ALA website for past and current winners.
(All award descriptions are taken directly from the ALA website.)
John Newbery Medal
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Much to our collective dismay, none of our staffers have finished this book yet, though it was very high on our to-read lists. This book has been generating excellent reviews all year, and none of us are surprised that it took home the gold.
The John Newbery Honor books are:
The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Ages: 8 – 12
The medieval setting in this story is so realistic that you can almost smell the manure. Boy – who has no other name – is living in plague-ravaged France when a mysterious pilgrim named Secondus shows up. Secondus is on a religious quest, wending his way to Rome. Boy isn’t sure what to make of him, but the next thing Boy knows, he’s travelling with Secondus anyway, carrying his mysterious pack on his crooked back. But what is the purpose of Secondus’ quest? Why is he collecting relics? Isn’t stealing wrong? And will Boy ever be cured of his strange…condition (which is not what you think it is)? A quest fantasy unlike any you’ve read before, using Christian symbolism and themes in a way rarely seen in children’s literature, though it would be a major stretch to call it religious fiction. Boy is a likable, relatable character: his way of seeing the world is refreshing and his character growth is believable. A great choice for the travel-loving philosophers in your life.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Ages: 8 – 12
Nisha has trouble with words. They just don’t want to come out of her mouth. Her twin brother has trouble with reading. His brain just doesn’t want to make sense of words written on the page, much to the annoyance of their father. Their mother died when the twins were born, and the cook, Kavi, gives a diary to Nisha for her twelfth birthday, where she decides to write a series of letters to her mother. Little does she realize the upheaval she’s about to experience and record. The year is 1947, the British have just relinquished India, and the country is being split into two. Muslims will live in the newly-minted Pakistan, where Nisha’s family currently lives, and Hindus like Nisha’s father need to live in the new India. Which means that Nisha and her family must leave their home, cross a huge amount of territory, and start over. With religious tensions running high and food running low, will the family survive the trip? With all the news about refugees in the media, it’s fascinating to read about this little-known (in the West) mass migration. Excellent choice for thoughtful readers and fans of realistic adventures.
Randolph Caldecott Medal
Hello Lighthouse illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall
Ages: 4 – 8
This visually stunning book truly deserves the highest award for children’s illustration in the land. It is tall and narrow, like the lighthouse itself, and the spreads switch between showing the lighthouse keeper’s life (and, eventually, his family’s life) inside the building and the weather and sea outside. The readers see several years pass in just a few pages, and feel that they are left with an excellent sense of the occupants’ lives. Not only is the story surprisingly engrossing, the pictures are downright gorgeous. The different moods of the ocean completely steal the show, and every color is expertly wielded to its best effect. A beautiful homage to a time gone by.
The Randolph Caldecott Honor books are:
Alma and How She Got Her Name illustrated and written by Juana Martinez-Neal
A Big Mooncake for Little Star illustrated and written by Grace Lin
The Rough Patch illustrated and written by Brian Lies
Thank You, Omu! illustrated and written by Oge Mora
Coretta Scott King Awards
The author winner is:
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 by Claire Hartfield
There were three Coretta Scott King (Author) Honorees:
Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
Ages: 9 – 12
Candice Miller is having a terrible summer. Her parents are recently divorced, and she and her mother have moved from Atlanta to her late grandmother’s house in a small town in South Carolina where she has no friends and nothing to do. Then Candice finds a letter in the attic that describes an incident of terrible discrimination that occurred in the town’s past. The letter writer offers the town a chance for redemption - and a hidden fortune - if someone can follow the clues in the letter and solve the puzzle. Her grandmother’s attempt to find the treasure had ended badly – can Candice, with the help of Brandon, the bookish boy from across the street, succeed where her grandmother failed? With chapters alternating between past and present, a story of racism and discrimination is interwoven with a suspenseful mystery. In this contemporary novel, the puzzle solving is reminiscent of the classic The Westing Game. - Review by Miss Lori
The Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Award goes to:
The Stuff of Stars illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Marion Dane Bauer
Ages: 4 – 8
Books about the Big Bang and the interconnectedness of the universe are rare in the children’s world. Books this gorgeous don’t come along very often, either. According to the copyright page, “The illustrations were done with hand-marbled paper and collage,” but those words don’t do justice to the finished product. The vibrant artwork has complex layers and unexpected pops of color that complement the text perfectly.
The Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Honorees are:
Hidden Figures illustrated by Laura Freeman, written by Margot Lee Shetterly
Let the Children March illustrated by Frank Morrison, written by Monica Clark-Robinson
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award
This year’s Children’s award winner is:
Julián Is a Mermaid written and illustrated by Jessica Love
Ages: 4 – 8
Julian loves mermaids. When he sees some women dressed in costume on the subway, he is inspired to let his own inner mermaid out using supplies from around the house. But how will his abuela react? Honestly, there isn’t a single thing not to love about this story. The scenes where Julian’s imagination takes off are lovely, and the family relationships are heartwarmingly perfect. Share with your favorite dress-up artist – or mermaid! – today.
The Young Adult winner is:
Hurricane Child written by Kheryn Callender
The Honorees are:
Picture Us in the Light (Young Adult) written by Kelly Loy Gilbert
Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake
Ages: 10 – 13
When a tornado destroys Ivy Aberdeen's home, the 12-year-old manages to save her journal in which she draws her deepest secrets. After her family is relocated to a temporary shelter and the journal goes missing, Ivy attempts to determine who took it and is leaving messages with her journal drawings in her locker. Ivy's feelings are brilliantly portrayed, including her uncertainty about her feelings for another girl, her loneliness within her family, and her moments of overwhelming emotion due to her current circumstances. - Review by Miss Amanda M.
Other children’s literature awards given out by the American Library Association include:
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award to affirm new talent.
Pura Belpré Awards honoring Latino writers and illustrators whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book.
Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children.
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