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A Big Round of Applause!

The Oscars of the KidLit world, the ALA Youth Media Awards were announced today in Seattle. Here in snowy PA, I had to be content with watching them on webcast. Like all fancy award shows, the big ticket items were saved for the end.

The Caldecott went to This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. I was surprised, since I hadnt realized it was in the running and the reviews Id read didnt rate it as highly as his previous book, I Want My Hat Back (which I loved). 

For lovers of picture books, there were five, count em five, honor books: Extra Yarn (written by Mac Barnett and again illustrated by Klassen), Creepy Carrots (Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown), Green (Laura Vaccaro Seeger), One Cool Friend (Toni Buzzeo and David Small), and Sleep Like a Tiger (Mary Logue and Pamela Zagarenski).

Katherine Applegates The One and Only Ivan snagged the Newbery. I havent read it yet (I have a hold on it), but I love the backstory. The novel is based on a silverback gorilla who spent 27 long years along in a cage, an attraction in a mall, before finally being moved to a zoo. The real Ivan died last year at the ripe old age (for a gorilla) of 50.

The honor books are Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the Worlds Most Dangerous Weapon (Steve Sheinkin), Splendors and Gloom (Laura Amy Schlitz) and Three Times Lucky (Sheila Turnage).

The Theodore Seuss Geisel Award is given to the most distinguished beginning reader, so naturally I gripped the edge of my seat when it was announced. The winner is Up, Tall, and High, a picture book by Ethan Long. Another title that slipped through my radar, I will read it pronto and report back. The honor books are: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons (Eric Litwin), Lets Go for a Drive (Mo Willems), and Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover (Cece Bell). You can read my reviews for Lets Go for a Drive here and for Rabbit & Robot here.

Congrats to all the winners! Click here to see a full list.