Children's Book Awards Winners!

It's that time of year again! The American Library Association has announced its 2012 award winners in children's literature.  Here's the scoop:


John Newbery Medal
For the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature.
Winner:
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos


Randolph Caldecott Medal
For the most distinguished American picture book for children
Winner:
A Ball for Daisy illustrated and written by Chris Raschka


Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award
Recognizes an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults.
Winner:
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson


Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
Winner:
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom illustrated and written by Shane W. Evans


Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement
Winner: Ashley Bryan
“Storyteller, artist, author, poet and musician, Bryan created his first children’s book in first grade. He grew up in the Bronx and in 1962, he became the first African American to both write and illustrate a children’s book. After a successful teaching career, Bryan left academia to pursue creation of his own artwork. He has since garnered numerous awards for his significant and lasting literary contribution of poetry, spirituals and story.”


Schneider Family Book Award
For books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience.

• Children ages 0 – 8: “The Jury chose not to award a book in the category for because no submissions were deemed worthy of the award.”
• Middle school award (ages 9 – 13): Close to Famous written by Joan Bauer and Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures written by Brian Selznick
• Teen (ages 14-18) award: The Running Dream written by Wendelin Van Draanen

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

•Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
•In Zanesville by Jo Ann Beard
•The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan
•The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens by Brooke Hauser
•The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
•Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
•Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson
•Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
•The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston
•The Talk-Funny Girl by Roland Merullo


Andrew Carnegie Medal For Excellence in Children’s Video
Winner:
Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard of Weston Woods Studios, Inc., producers of Children Make Terrible Pets. The video is based on the book written by Peter Brown, and is narrated by Emily Eiden, with music by Jack Sundrud and Rusty Young, and animation by Soup2Nuts.


Margaret A. Edwards Award
For lifetime achievement in writing for young adults.
Winner:
Susan Cooper, author of The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; and Silver on the Tree


May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award
Recognizes an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site.
Winner: Michael Morpurgo
“Born in England, Morpurgo was teaching when he discovered the magic of storytelling and began writing. His books are noted for their imagination, power and grace. In 1976, he and his wife established the charity Farms for City Children. He is an officer of the Order of the British Empire and served as Britain’s third Children’s Laureate. His novel, “War Horse,” has wowed theater audiences in London and New York and movie audiences all over.”


Mildred L. Batchelder Award
For an outstanding children’s book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States.
Winner:
Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by Philip Hopman, translated by Laura Watkinson


Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production
For best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.
Winner:
Rotters by Daniel Kraus and narrated by Kirby Heyborne


Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award
Honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.
Winner:
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh


Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
For most distinguished informational book for children.
Winner:
Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade written by Melissa Sweet


Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Book Award
Presented annually to English language books that have exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered experience.
Winner:
Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy written by Bil Wright


Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
For the most distinguished beginning reader book.
Winner:
Tales for Very Picky Eaters written and illustrated by Josh Schneider


William C. Morris Award
For a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens.
Winner:
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley



Michael L. Printz Award
The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.
Winner:
Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley



For more information & to see past award & honor books, visit the ALA site.