Coretta Scott King Book Award

Since 1970 African American authors who have excelled in writing have been awarded the Coretta Scott King book award.  Outstanding African American illustrators began being recognized in 1974.  The first author to win the award was Lillie Patterson for the book Martin Luther King: A Man of Peace.  The first illustrator was George Ford for the Book Ray Charles (written by Sharon Bell Mathis)

The Coretta Scott King Author Award for this year goes to Rita Williams-Garcia.  Williams-Garcia also won the award in 2014 for P.S. Be Eleven and in 2011 for One Crazy Summer.  Her latest book Gone Crazy in Alabama has been award with the 2016 award.

Gone Crazy in Alabama is the sequel to One Crazy Summer. In Gone Crazy in Alabama Delphine and her two younger sisters are shipped of to Alabama for the summer to live with their grandmother and great grandmother.  Rural Alabama in 1969 is much different than Brooklyn.  The girls struggle with finding their identify, getting along and learning the difference between oppression and respect.

All sisters can relate to the three sisters in the story (oldest, middle and youngest) Delphine is the big sister, in charge of looking after her younger sisters.  She takes her job a little too seriously, constantly picking on them to do right.  However, she thinks that she is above helping out around the house (especially ironing sheets) and tells her grandmother that she will not do it.  This act of disrespect does not sit well with her grandmother. Over the summer Delphine learns a lot about what it means to be a big sister and just how much her sisters mean to her.

Vonetta is the outspoken middle sister.  She is always picking on her little sister and getting bossed around by her big sister.  She doesn't take it from anyone.  Vonetta loves being the center of attention and will do anything to stay there.  Her favorite thing to do during the summer in Alabama was take stories back and forth between her great grandmother and her estranged sister Great Aunt Miss Trotter.  Vonetta is so stubborn and bull-headed she finds herself in trouble when a tornado hits the town.

Fern, the baby, does not like to eat meat.  She wants to take care of all her animals friends.  She is constantly being picked on by Vonetta and being defended by Delphine.  Fern is just a happy go lucky girl until her sister Vonetta turns up missing- or possibly worse.

All three girls learn, that even through all the fighting and bickering, they are still sisters and still love one another.

Now, in addition to the author and illustrator award, the ALA also recognizes new authors and illustrators with the Steptoe award.

This year's Coretta Scott King Steptoe award for new author goes to Ronald L. Smith for his book Hoodoo.  Hoodoo is the story of a boy growing up in the south in the 1930's.  The boy, Hoodoo, comes from a family who does hoodoo magik, although he has never been able to.  One day a stranger comes to town and Hoodoo can feel the bad juju.  The bad juju is showing up in his dreams and in real life.  Hoodoo quickly realizes that there is evil in the world that only he can conquer.  He digs as deep as he can inside himself for bravery and belief in the hoodoo magik to conquer the evil.

Hoodoo is an intense slightly scary novel.  Smith does a great job with describing the scene, everything from the look and feel right down the the smell.  He sets the scene brilliantly, the entire time you feel as though you are in 1930 Alabama from the way that the characters talk to what they are eating.  If your intermediate aged child likes magic and spells and can be scared a little this book is perfect for them!

Happy Reading!
Laura

Robert F. Sibert Award

The Robert F. Sibert Award has been award annually since 2001 to the most distinguished informational book for children.  This award will not be given to poetry, folktales or any other works of literary fiction.  The informational category for children has greatly improved.  Now you can find high quality informational books on a variety of subjects.  They are a great way to supplement or even replace textbooks.

The 2016 Sibert Award was given to Duncan Tonatiuh for his book Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras. I love, love, love this book.  It has so many possibilities to be used cross-curricularly in the classroom, plus it is just interesting.

Tonatiuh tells the story of Jose Guadalupe Posada, an artist from Mexico.  Posada's story is interesting enough but Tonatiuh adds so much to it. Posada did not start out making drawings of calaveras (skulls) in the beginning.  He slowly worked his way into that subject and actually used his calaveras to speak his opinion and thoughts (which were often political). Throughout his life Posada used many different types of styles to make his artwork.  Some of his drawings were lithographs, etchings and engravings.  I love how Tonatiuh includes a step by step process for each of the different types of printing.  Tonatiuh does a great job of using simpler language to tell the somewhat complicated story of Posada.  I also love how Tonatiuh uses some of Posada's actual prints as illustrations.  With the print a possible message that Posada was trying to get across is included.

This book is very kid friendly and could be used as a supplement to history class, cultural studies and even art class.  It would be a great addition to any teacher's library. At the end the book is begging to be turned into an art project.  The last line is, "What would Posada's calaveras look like now days?" It is practically encouraging children to create their own calaveras print with a message.

2016 Sibert Award Honors

Drowned City: Hurrican Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Knud Pedersonn and The Churchill Club

Turning 15 On the Road to Freedom by Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley

Voice of Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and Ekua Holmes

Happy Reading!

Laura

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

I honor of the great, late Dr. Seuss's birthday today we will check out the Geisel Award winner (named after the Seuss himself). The Geisel Award for outstanding authors and illustrators of beginning readers is a relatively new award.  This is only the 10th year for the award.  This year's award goes to David A. Adler (author) and Sam Ricks (illustrator)for Don't Throw It To Mo! 

Don't Throw It To Mo! is a story about little Mo Jackson and his love for football.  Mo is the smallest one on the team and he often has to sit out with the coach.  That never discourages Mo. He practices catching buttered footballs and does whatever Coach asks.  One day his team is playing a game.  The other team laughs and makes fun of Mo and how small he is.  "No one will ever throw it to him," they think, "he is too small!"  Well, they are wrong.  Mo gets in the game and after not throwing it to him two times, the third time the ball is thrown to Mo, he catches it and his teams wins the game.  Great job Mo!

Adler uses simple sentences and dialogue to tell Mo's story, two characteristics of a good beginning reader.  He even uses some receptions (don't throw it to Mo) which beginning readers appreciate because they know what to expect. Children will love hearing how Mo, even though he is small, was able to win the football game.  It will give young beginning readers hope that they too will have a shining moment, even though they are small.

Geisel Award Honors:

A Pig, A Fox and A Box by Jonathan Fenske

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

Supertruck by Steven Savage

Happy Reading!
Laura

Stonewall Book Award

The Stonewall Book Award is given out annually to a distinguished book relating to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experiences.  This award also has a non-fiction and literary category, but those are geared more towards adults.  The award has been given out since 1976, under several different names.  The award was first simply called The Gay Book Award, then the Gay and Lesbian Book Award.  The award's name continued to change as we learned more and became more accepting of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

This year's Stonewall Book Award for children was awarded to Alex Gino for the book George.  This book needs to go on everyone's to read list RIGHT NOW! This book is the epitome of what I love about books and literature.  Through reading your eyes are opened and thoughts broadened.  You are able to put yourself into someone else's shoes and have empathy.  Reading diverse books creates diverse people.

George is the story of a person everyone thinks is a boy, because that is what they see, but really she is a girl.  George is in 4th grade struggling with her identity and how to tell those around her that she is a girl.   George's class has just finished reading Charlotte's Web and are now going to perform it for their school and families.  George wants to be Charlotte so bad.  She loves how strong, bold and radiant Charlotte is.  But only the girls are allowed to try out for Charlotte.  With the help and encouragement of her best friend, Kelly, George tries out for Charlotte.  Her teacher gets upset and thinks that it is a joke so George does not get the part, Kelly does.

George eventually gets the courage to first tell Kelly that she is a girl and then her mom and brother.  Kelly is the most accepting of the idea saying to George, "If you think you're a girl....Then I think you're a girl too!" To George's surprise her brother Scott also takes it well.  George's mom is having a hard time accepting it.  Then George and Kelly come up with a plan to switch places during the play so that George can be Charlotte.  Everyone is blown away by her performance and people begin to understand what George has been struggling with.

The book ends with Kelly asking George to go on a girl's trip to the zoo (wearing girl clothes and everything).  George is so excited at the idea, and even more when she finally gets to share her girl name with Kelly... Melissa.

The plot alone is enough to put this book on the must read list, but the way Gino includes George's thoughts and struggles (all the way down to hating going into the boy's bathroom), is what knocks this book out the of the park.  There are George's sitting in our classrooms and at our dinner tables across this country and we need to let them know we accept them for who they are and that there are people out there just like them.  If nothing else George gives us a glimpse into the difficult inner struggle transgender children are dealing with.  Don't miss this one!

Stonewall Book Award Honors

Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Bazark

Sex Is A Funny Word: A book about bodies, feelings and YOU! by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smythe

Happy Reading!
Laura

Pura Belpre Award

The Pura Belpre Award is awarded annually to a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books portray, affirm and celebrate the Latin culture.  The award is named of Pura Belpre who was the first Latina librarian in the New York Public Library system.  She dedicated her life to providing access to books for Latino families. She instituted a bilingual story hour and increased access to bilingual books.  She was also known for bringing Puerto Rican folklore to America.  The award was first given out in 1996 every two years and then annually in 2009.

The 2016 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award goes to Rafael Lopez for Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle.  Drum Dream Girl is a poem about a real girl named Milo who wants to play the drums, but isn't allowed because playing drums is only for boys.  She continues to practice and work hard until she is allowed to play the drums at an outdoor cafe.  Lopez does a great job of adding to the story with his illustrations.  He uses folksy artwork with bold colors to tell the little girl's story through pictures.  You are transported to Cuba with the birds and colorful settings. Lopez uses warm colors to show the opposition she met when trying to play drums.  He often portrays Milo flying or in the sky to show how she never stopped dream or drumming.  My favorite picture is of Milo's father pulling her down from the sky.  The text with this picture tells us that Milo's father finally agreed to find a music teacher to listen to her play.  Him pulling her down from the sky symbolizes that playing the drums is no longer a dream for Milo, but a reality.

Drum Dream Girl is a great book for kids, not only because of the Latin influences can help children understand a culture different from their own, but because Milo never gave up on her dream.  Her grit and persistence paid off and she played the drums for all to hear!

Happy Reading!
Laura

Pura Belpre Illustrator Award Honors

My Tata's Remedies illustrated by Antonio Castro L.
Mango, Abuela and Me illustrated by Angela Dominguez
Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Cavalaeras

Schneider Family Book Award

The Schneider Family Book Award is a newer award that has been awarded annually since 2004.  The award goes to authors and illustrators who create an artistic expression of the disability experience.  We all know children and people who struggle with disabilities, whether they are mental, physical or emotional.  Including books in our home and classrooms about people with disabilities creates a more open and accepting culture.  Check out past winners of the Schneider award for other great books that speak about disabilities.

The award is given out to several books, usually they are broken up into age groups.  I am going to share the winner of the 0-10 age range.  I will list the other winners and hopefully at another time I will be able to share more about those with you.

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Anne Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls is the true story of a boy born with only one leg in Ghana, West Africa. In West Africa, if you are born with a disability (physical or mental) you are shunned and thought to be useless.  Emmanuel's mother refused to believe that.  She always told Emmanuel that he could have anything he wanted, he only had to get it for himself.  So that is what Emmanuel did.  He learned to crawl and then hop.  He shined shoes to earn money.  When he became too heavy for his mother to carry, he hopped to school on one leg- 2 miles there and back. He played soccer and rode a bike- he did not let having only one leg stop him from doing anything!  He constantly met people telling him he could not do it, which only made him work harder.  When he was only 15, as his mother was dying, she told him to never give up.  That is when Emmanuel really began dreaming.  His new dream was to tell everyone that being disabled does not mean unable.  He made a plan to ride his bike across Ghana and back, with a shirt that said The Pozo or the disabled person.  His boldness, determination and grit encouraged others with disabilities to come out of their homes, some for the first time.  He proved to everyone that being disabled definitely does not mean unable.

What an inspirational story that everyone needs to hear.  Emmanuel has received many awards since his ride across Ghana (in 2001).  Oprah created a documentary about his life called Emmanuel's Gift (which he starred in) and most importantly the government of Ghana passed the Persons with Disability Act- which gives equal rights to people with disabilities in Ghana. I added two short clips to this post, one is when he received the EPSY award in 2005 and another that is an update on what Emmanuel is up to now.

Other 2016 Schneider Family Book Awards

Fish in a Tree by Linda Mullaly Hunt

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Tessa Toten

Happy Reading!

Laura

2016 Caldecott Award Winner

The Caldecott Award is given annual to the most distinguished artist of a picture book for children.  A distinguished artist will create pictures that add to the story and help to move the story along, they can't just be good pictures.

The Caldecott Award is named after 19th century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott who began illustrating different Mother Goose Rhymes.  His work and creativity have inspired illustrators from generation to generation.

The 2016 Caldecott Award goes to Sophie Blackall for her illustration in Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear  by Lindsay Mattick. Check out the book trailer for a good synopsis of the book

In the story Blackall creates beautiful detailed pictures that dominate the page.  In essence her illustrations are the backdrop to the story.  The books starts with a picture of a mother and her son lying in bed, telling a bedtime story.  Then the pictures begin to tell the story of veterinarian Harry Colebourn, but on each page there is a small snippet of a picture of the mother and son still lying in bed.  The pictures of Harry's story are beautiful and telling.  They perfectly depict the time period and the emotions of Harry.  You can see the anger on the Colonel's face and the shock on the other soldier's faces when Harry brings Winnie the bear with him.  You can see just how close Winne and Harry are when you see them sleeping together in Harry's tent.  When it is time for Winnie and Harry to part ways Blackall sweetly shows the sadness in their face with a picture of Harry and Winnie's foreheads touching.  My three year old loved this book, not just for the story, but I think more for the pictures.  The entire time we were reading he was pointing things out in the pictures, which helped him to understand the story better (because we know young children understand the pictures better first!)

The end of the book is filled with photographs of Harry's journal pages and pictures of Harry and Winnie.

Happy Reading!
Laura

2016 Caldecott Award Honors

Trombone Shorty illustrated by Bryan Collier
Waiting illustrated by Kevin Henkes
Voice of Freedom illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Last Stop on Market Street illustrated by Christian Robinson

Newbery Award Winner

The Newbery Award is given out each year to the most distinguished book in children's literature.  The Newbery Award has been given annually since 1922.  This year, however the winner of the Newbery Award made history for two reasons. This year's winner was the first picture book to be awarded the honor and the first Hispanic author to win.

Matt De La Pena's book Last Stop on Market Street is well deserving of the honors it has won.  De La Pena tells the story of a young boy, CJ, who is leaving church with his nana.  We quickly learn that this little boy might come from less money than some of his friends because he is waiting for the bus in the rain while his friends are driving away in cars.  The entire bus ride down Market Street CJ learns small life lessons from his nana like how the blind man may not see with his eyes but he can see the world with his ears and nose.  He sees two boys get on the bus with iPods and is envious, but Nana reminds him that real live music is better.  The bus finally made it to CJ and Nana's stop and CJ complained about the dirt.  Nana once again imparted wisdom on his telling him, "Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what is beautiful." Then CJ and Nana walk into the soup kitchen to serve lunch to all the people.  A great story with a theme that tells us to find the beauty in our surroundings and circumstances.

Happy Reading!
Laura

More books to check out by Matt De La Pena: