Friday, January 14, 2011

Yay, Book I've Never Heard Of!

This Monday morning, the air was filled with the sound of children's lit nerds going, "Fwa?"

The announcement of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards--the Newbery, the Caldecott, the Printz, and many more--is more predictable some years than others. This year, the winner was Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool. It was not a well-known book, not a book with buzz. Notice I said "was." Now, lots of people are talking about this story that alternates between the Depression era and the World War I era. Lots of bookstores and libraries have ordered this novel that just won the top honor in children's literature. I, for one, can't wait to read it.

Of course, the collective surprise means we all had our eyes on lots of other books, and those books are just as good now as they were before Monday morning. Come on in and let us talk your ear off about them, or about the books that won, or could have won, any of the other awards. Looking for a cream-of-the-crop picture book, young adult book, or nonfiction book? Want a book that positively portrays people of a particular culture or way of life? There are lots of categories, and that means there's something for everyone.

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