Weekly Geeks 2011-2: ALA Awards

I haven't had an opportunity to write about his year's award announcements. 

Newbery Winner & Honors: I was THRILLED to hear that Moon Over Manifest had won the Newbery! This is one that I read and loved, loved, loved in the summer. (Loved so much I indulged in a reread this December!) I have read two of the Newbery honor books: Turtle in Paradise Jennifer L. Holm and One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. (My library does not have Joyce Sidman's Dark Emperor and other Poems of the Night. Heart of a Samurai is one I've got checked out from the library now. I hope to get to it soon!) As for disappointments, I would have LOVED to see some love for The Boneshaker by Kate Milford, A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, and Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper.

Caldecott Winner & Honors. I had not heard of the winner, A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, but I was happy to put a hold on it at the library. I have read and loved one of the honor books--Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein. Dave The Potter by Laban Carrick Hill may prove trickier to track down since my library doesn't have a copy.

Printz Winner & Honors. I was happy to see Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi win! It was one of the best YA books I read last year. I've only read one of the four honor books named: Stolen by Lucy Christopher.  Of the remaining three--Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King, Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick, and Nothing by Janne Teller--the one I am MOST interested in reading is Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. I would have liked to see Grace by Elizabeth Scott get some love. I think she definitely deserves it.

Coretta Scott King Author Winner & Honors. I was happy to see One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia win this one. I have read two of the three honor books named: Ninth Ward. Jewell Parker Rhodes and Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. The one I have not read--at least not yet--is Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri.

Schneider Family Book Award Winners. I have read all three winners! The children's winner was The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon. The middle grade winner was After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick. The teen winner is Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John. I am a bit surprised to see that there was no room for Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper either here or on the Newbery. But. That's how it goes.

I was ECSTATIC to learn that Sir Terry Pratchett is the 2011 Edwards Award winner! I read quite a few of his books last fall.

Geisel Winners & Honors. I have read the winner, Bink & Gollie,  and both honors, We Are In A Book! Elephant and Piggie Series by Mo Willems and Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin.

There were plenty of others announced. But if I had not read any of the winners or honors, I didn't feel the need to include it. After all, at best I would be saying my library has this or it doesn't. Or I want to read this soon, or I have no interest in this one ever. Either way, it doesn't *add* much.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews