And the Winners Really Are...

On January 15th the Association for Library Services to Children announced their winners for the 2010 Newberry Medal for excellence in literature for children.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the one everyone is talking about, and you don't want to miss it. Miranda is getting mysterious messages from someone. He knows what's going to happen, and he knows all about her. She's just a girl trying to get by in middle school and missing her best friend. How can she decide who to trust, and what's going to happen when the mysterious man arrives?

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See the full list of winners here.

The Caldecott Medal for excellence in illustration goes to:
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
From the striking cover showing nothing but the lion's perplexed face, to the nearly wordless pages, that tell an old and well loved story, this book well deserves the Caldecott Medal.

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Check here for a full list of winners.

Caldecott Pick

The Caldecott Award is given for quality and innovation in illustration, so I'm looking for some really good pictures. There are so many to choose from, but my favorite this year is...
Waiting for Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Three friends wait for the first signs of winter with excitement and wonder. Squirrel, Hedgehog and Bear are usually sleeping when the first snow comes, so they decide to stay up this year and see what all the fuss is about. The illustrations are beautiful, soft and have just the right tone for a crisp fall woods and drifting snowflakes. The friends confusion about what exactly the snow will look like adds humor and fun to the story.

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And the Winner Will Be...

Next week many of us will be waiting not so patiently for word from Boston as the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children will announce their picks for the Newbery and Caldecott Medal. The Newbery is awarded each year for excellence in writing for children, the Caldecott for excellence in illustration. Many librarians enjoy predicting which books will win, and we are usually way off, but, in the interest of fun, here is my pick for the Newbery.:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Minli lives with her parents in a tiny house in a tiny village, and her mother wants a better life. Minli listens to her father's tales and sets out on a journey to change the family's fortune. With the help of a goldfish, a dragon, and many other magical meetings, she learns about true happiness. I loved this book. All the different tales went well with the main story, and kept me interested in what was happening. However, Minli spent the whole story learning that she didn't need a fortune to be happy, but in the end, got a fortune anyway. Doesn't that seem wrong? Still, a wonderful book to read and share.

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Tomorrow I'll reveal my pick for the Caldecott Medal.