Newbery Award:
This award is given annually "to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year." The criteria for the award defines children's literature as material appropriate for children up to age 14. Each year one winner is named and the committee can choose any number of honor books that they choose. This year's committee selected 4 honor books.
Winner- Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Abilene Tucker's story takes place in Kansas during
the Great Depression. While learning her story, we
also discover the stories of Ned and Jinx through a
box of trinkets Abilene finds hidden under a
floorboard. While some say the book has a slow
pace it didn't bother me, and the ending is worth
waiting for. Overall an excellent book. Ideal for
more advanced readers as the text is on the heavy
side, but is also a book that boys will enjoy despite
a female main character.
Honor- Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm
Also set in the depression era, this book is set in the
Florida Keys. It follows the story of Turtle who is
sent to live with her aunt because her mother's
employer doesn't like kids. Turtle hangs out with
the "Diaper Gang" and has an adventurous summer
involving piratetreasure and a long-lost
Grandmother. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and
recommend it for grades 4 and up.Also know that the
cover of this book is misleading...it is not as "fluffy" as the cover implies.
Honor- One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
This book was heavily predicted as the Newbery winner in the kidlit community. While I enjoyed the book, I did not like it as much as Moon Over Manifest or Turtle in Paradise, so I was happy to see it named as an honor book. 11 year old Delphine and her younger sisters are sent to spend the summer with their mother who abandoned them several years before. The heart of this book is in the relationships between friends and family, but it also has a focus on the Black Panthers group and their involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Recommended for grades 4 and up.
Honor- Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
In the mid 1800's, 15 year old Manjiro is stranded on a deserted Japanese island after a bad storm. Rescued by "barbarians" (Americans) on a whaling ship he slowly learns the American culture. As the years go on, he is caught between two worlds- he is not Japanese anymore, but he is not American either. I enjoyed this historical novel based on a true story, but it was not my favorite out of the honor books. It was a bit slow for my taste and there was a lot of jargon about whaling and ships.
Honor- Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman
I will admit that I have never been a huge
fan of poetry. However, Joyce Sidman's
stuff is pretty darn good. As the title
implies, these poems describe plants and
animals of the night. The language is
eloquent and accessible for elementary
students. A glossary is included in the
back for unfamiliar terms, and the artwork
is a beautiful compliment to the poetry.
Caldecott Award:
This award is given annually "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English during the preceding year." This award also defines the age range as birth to age 14. As with the Newbery, one winner is named and the committee may choose any number of honor books. The committee this year chose 2 honor books.
Winner- A Sick Day for Amos McGee illustrated by Erin Stead
This is a sweet, sweet story of reciprocal friendship. Amos McGee, an elderly zookeeper, takes very good care of his animals. He knows their likes and dislikes and they play games and read stories together. When Amos gets a cold, his animal friends come take care of him and keep him company. The artwork in this book uses woodblock printing techniques and soft colors. There are beautiful details to be discovered on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th readings. A thoroughly enjoyable book for any age.
Honor- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave illustrated by Bryan Collier
This book is full of absolutely beautiful illustrations. The story of Dave the Potter is told through prose but also very strongly through the pictures. His story is inspirational and provides a glimpse into one of the few more fortunate lives of a slave. An afterword, photographs of his pottery, and suggested further readings are included in the back of the book. Appropriate for any age, but it will be most appreciated by those with some background knowledge.
Honor- Interrupting Chicken illustrated by David Ezra Stein
As Papa sits down to read Little Red Chicken a bedtime story, he reminds her not to interrupt. However, as he reads each classic tale she interrupts and solves the problem in the story. Don't panic Chicken Little, it's just an acorn! is my personal favorite. Giving up on reading, Papa tells Little Red Chicken that it's HER turn to read him a bedtime story. So she does, but is interrupted! It's just Papa snoring though, so she gets into bed to fall asleep with him. Using rich colors and a cartoon style, the funky illustrations perfectly match the style of the book and are enjoyed by all ages.
These awards just recognize a handful of all of the wonderful books that are out there! As always, ages and grade recommendations are approximate and the specific needs of the child should be considered when considering these choices.
Happy reading!
