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Also announced at the ALA MidWinter Meeting in Boston on Monday were the winners of the Pura Belpre Awards, which "honor Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books."

The Coretta Scott King Awards were presented this week for outstanding books for children and young adults created by African-American authors and illustrators.

The winners have just been announced and they are....TA DA!

Congratulations to the winners of the 2010 American Library Association's Youth Media Awards! :o)

John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead


Randolph Caldecott Medal for most distinguished American picture book for children:
The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney


Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
Going Bovine by Libba Bray


Coretta Scott King Author Book Award recognizing an African American author of an outstanding book for children or young adults:
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (illustrated by R. Gregory Christie)


Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award recognizing an African American illustrator of an outstanding book for children or young adults:
My People illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr. (written by Langston Hughes)


Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award:
The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

Heeeeeey! Yes, I know, it's been awhile. Just been REALLY busy. I'm checking in today to share a link. Nominations for the Cybils awards are closed. Click here to see the complete list of nominees for the science fiction and fantasy category!

It's quite a list. Any of you have predictions for what will make the shortlist???

It's now time for the fourth Children’s and YA Bloggers’ Literary Awards (the Cybils), so far the only book awards from the blogging community! The Cybils reward the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine literary merit and “kid appeal.”

How are the winners chosen? Anybody may nominate any children's and YA books published in the contest year in English. This is where you come in! Click here to nominate your favorite books published in English between Oct. 16, 2008 and Oct. 15, 2009. Nominations are already open and they close on Oct. 15, 2009. You may nominate one book per category. Here are the categories:

Easy Readers/Short Chapter Books
Fantasy/SF
Fiction Picture Books
Graphic Novels
Middle Grade Fiction
Non-Fiction, MG/YA
Non-Fiction Picture Books
Poetry
Young Adult Fiction

Panelists read the nominated books and determine a list of five to seven finalists for each category. The finalists are announced on Jan. 1, 2010.

For example, here are this year's panelists for the science fiction and fantasy category:

Panel Organizer: Sheila Ruth, Wands and Worlds

Panelists (Round I Judges), MG/Elementary:

Anamaria Anderson, bookstogether
Cindy Hannikman, Fantasy Book Critic
Brian Jung, Critique de Mr. Chompchomp
Eva Mitnick, Eva's Book Addiction
Charlotte Taylor, Charlotte's Library

Panelists (Round I Judges), Teen/YA:

Steve Berman, Guys Lit Wire
Gwenda Bond, Shaken & Stirred
Tanita S. Davis, Finding Wonderland
Nettle, The Muse, Amused
Sheila Ruth (see panel organizer)
Angie Thompson, Angieville
Samantha Wheat, Twisted Quill

From Jan. 1 to mid-February 2010, a different group of judges will read all the finalists and pick the winners. Here are the second round judges for the Cybils' science fiction and fantasy category:

Round II Judges:

Maureen Kearney, Confessions of a Bibliovore
Anne Levy, Cybils
Sam Musher, Parenthetical
Tarie Sabido (THIS IS ME!!!), Into the Wardrobe (THIS IS RIGHT HERE!!!)
Tasha Saecker, Kidslit

I am sooo grateful to be part of the Cybils this year. And I am sooo excited to read all the finalists and choose winners with the other judges. The winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day 2010. :o)

This Wednesday is Earth Day, so what better way to teach kids about saving our planet than by reading a good book? If you need help choosing the right book, look no further! The Newton Marasco Foundation in partnership with Salisbury University in Maryland, recently announced the winners of the 2009 National Green Earth Book Award. The Foundation created the Green Earth Book Award to promote books that inspire a child to grow a deeper appreciation, respect and responsibility for his or her natural environment. This is an annual award for books that best raise awareness of the beauty of our natural world and the responsibility that we have to protect it. The Green Earth Book Award is awarded in four categories and the winners in each were:


Picture Book: for books for children from pre-school to age 8 where the pictures and illustrations are as important as the text
Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai (Frances Foster Books)
written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola
(Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books for Young Readers)

Varmints
written by Helen Ward and illustrated by Marc Craste
(Candlewick Press)

Children’s Fiction: encompasses novels for young readers up to age 12
Night of the Spadefoot Toads
written by Bill Harley
(Peachtree Publishers)

Young Adult Fiction: includes books for readers from age 13 to 21
The Blind Faith Hotel
written by Pamela Todd
(Margaret K. McElderry Books)

Write Naked
written by Peter Gould
(Farrar, Straus, & Giroux Books for Young Readers)

Nonfiction: includes books for readers from infancy to age 21
MySpace/OurPlanet: Change Is Possible
written by the Myspace Community, Jeca Taudte, and Dan Santat
(The Bowen Press)


Honor Books
10 Things I Can Do to Help My World
written and illustrated by Melanie Walsh
(published by Candlewick Press)

Cam Jansen and the Green School Mystery
written by David A. Adler and illustrated by Joy Allen
(published by Viking Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose
written by Diana Leszczynski
(published by Random House Children’s Books)

Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life
written by Linda Siversten and Tosh Siversten
(published by Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing)

How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming (About Our Changing Climate)
written by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch
(published by Dawn Publications)

Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species (Scientists in the Field)
written by Sneed B. Collard III
(published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

The Last Wild Place
written by Rosa Jordan
(published by Peachtree Publishers)

The Wolves Are Back
written by Jean Craighead George and illustrated by Wendell Minor
(published by Dutton Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group)

Tin Lizzie
written and illustrated by Allan Drummond
(published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)

Whirlwind: The Caretaker Trilogy: Book 2
written by David Klass
(published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux Books for Young Readers)

When Santa Turned Green
written by Victoria Perla and illustrated by Mirna Kantarevic
(published by Thomas Nelson Inc.)

Go to the Newton Marasco Foundation to learn more about these award-winning books.

Reviewed by Amy M. O’Quinn, contributing editor, the National Writing for Children Center

NOTE: Linda Gramatky Smith, the daughter of Hardie Gramatky, will be the guest on Book Bites for Kids this Wednesday, LIVE at 2:00 CDT. Listen to the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids or call in during the show at 1-646-716-9239 to ask Linda a question or to make a comment about the book!

Title: Little Toot (The RestoredClassic)
Written by: Hardie Gramatky
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 104 pages (with dust jacket)
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 6, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0399247130
ISBN-13: 978-0399247132

A picture book that’s been in print for over seventy consecutive years and loved by generations of children everywhere has certainly earned the title ‘classic’—and Hardie Gramatky’s book, Little Toot, has most definitely achieved that distinction!

First published in 1939 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Little Toot is about a fun-loving, energetic tugboat who likes to blow smoke balls from his candy-stick smokestack, glide across the water, play thread-the-needle around the piers and cut figure 8’s across the width of the river. And understandably, Little Toot’s antics annoy the other tugboats terribly! In addition, since his father and grandfather have such fine reputations as hardworking tugs, one would think Little Toot would have his mind on hard work too. But no—he would rather play than work. He sees no sense in pulling ships fifty times his size down to the ocean. And in truth, he’s scared of the wild seas that lay outside the channel, beyond where the harbor empties into the ocean!

But one day after an embarrassing encounter with a large, unfriendly tug named J.G. McGillicuddy, Little Toot finds himself the object of teasing when the other tugboats laugh and call him a sissy who only knows how to play. Ashamed and angry, Little Toot starts moping and heads down to his favorite hiding spot alongside the wharf.

But at that moment, he sees his big, fearless father in the lead, along with three other tugs, pulling a huge ocean liner down the channel. He begins to think about the brave, bustling work he sees going on around him. Suddenly an idea bursts over him and he’s inspired to work hard and make his father, Big Toot, proud of him. He will work like the best of them and show them all!

Unfortunately, Little Toot’s lazy reputation is well known, and none of the big ships will heave a towline to him, and the other ships are too busy to pay him any attention. They all think he’s still up to his silly antics. Poor Little Toot! He tries so hard to help and no one will let him. Drooping in spirit, lonesome, miserable and sad, he begins to float aimlessly down the river, letting the tide carry him where it wills.

In his despair, Little Toot fails to notice that a terrible storm has come up—or that he’s floated all the way to the Great Ocean where the waves dash and pound against the rocks with a roar. But that isn’t all! He sees a brilliant, flaming rocket climbing in the black sky, a signal that someone is in trouble and needs help! And when Little Toot looks hard, he sees an ocean liner jammed between two rocks. What will he do? How can a little tug like him help a great ship like that? And all the other tugboats are still way up the river, too far away to see the ocean liner.

He has a brilliant idea. He begins puffing up an ‘SOS’ with smoke balls from his stack so that the other tugs can see and come to help. And way up the river, they see it. SOS! SOS! SOS! They have no idea who is making the signals, but they know it means ‘come quickly.’ And they do!
But unfortunately, the boats can’t make much headway against the fierce, stormy sea. Even old Grandfather Toot is bellowing that he’s never seen such a storm.

Little Toot, even though scared green and tossed to and fro by the angry waves, knows he must do something to help the stuck ocean liner since the other boats are being swept backwards by the force of the seas. Helplessly, the big tugs can only watch what is happening through their binoculars. But Little Toot must take action!

Not wasting his strength fighting against the waves like the other tugs, he uses his playful skill of bouncing from crest to crest, like a bouncing ball, to make his way to the stranded ocean liner. The crew of the great vessel is able to throw a line to Little Toot, who pulls the line tight. He waits for a long moment. Finally when a huge wave sweeps under the liner, lifting it free of the rocks, Little Toot pulls with all his strength—and pulls it free! And, at the insistence of the whole tugboat fleet, he gets to escort the great ocean liner back into the harbor! From that day forward Little Toot is known as the hardworking hero that he is!

About the Author and His Work:
Hardie Gratamky (1907-1979) was a master storyteller who wrote and illustrated fourteen children’s books and won over eighty prizes as a fine artist. He began his art career as an animator for Walt Disney, but later moved to the East Coast to set up his own studio. From this studio, he could see all the boats passing on the East River in New York. One little tugboat that seemed to have a mind of its own and never seemed to be in the right place at the right time caught Gramatky’s eye and was the inspiration behind the book, Little Toot.

The book has been translated into seven languages and with its sequels, has sold more than six million copies worldwide. But in 2007, Putnam re-released a restored version of this delightful story. Linda Gramatky Smith, Hardie Gramatky’s only child and former freelance book editor, had purchased a first edition of Little Toot on Ebay and was amazed at how different and vibrant the colors were in the original book as compared to subsequent editions. After so many reprintings, the colors had faded from the rich blues, reds and yellows into grays and oranges. So she showed it to the folks at Putnam at a meeting that had been previously scheduled to discuss what would’ve been Gramatky’s 100th birthday—April 12, 2007.

Putnam decided to bring the art back to what it once was, and with the company’s access to Gramatky’s original art for Little Toot and the endpapers in the early books, a new edition was born! A new edition of an old beloved classic—certainly a great combination. According to Cecelia Yung, vice president and art director of Putnam and Philomel, the original art was “breathtaking to see. The paint still looks wet and leaps off the page.” And to make this re-release even more special was the fact that Little Toot was the very first picture book that Putnam ever published!

Linda says, “Dad’s life has come full circle, with a new generation of people loving his art and books.” She continues, “My hope is that the next generation will be inspired by the wonderful artist I was so fortunate to call Dad.”

Reviewer’s Note:
Little Toot is probably the very first picture book in my forty-one year old memory. I fondly remember my mother reading to me about the mischievous little tugboat who would rather play than work. And I distinctly remember the illustrations of Little Toot’s father, Big Toot, and Grandfather Toot as well. I think I identified with Little Toot because like most young children, I, too, would rather have fun than clean up my room or do other chores!

But just as Little Toot (and I) learned, there is a time when one must take responsibility and do what must be done! Hardie Gramatky cleverly interwove one of life’s most important lessons among brilliant, yet humorous and engaging, illustrations. The result? A timeless classic with substance.

I have enjoyed reading Little Toot to my own children over the years, and they too have been captivated by the book and the illustrations. As Linda Gramatky Smith hoped, a new generation has been inspired by her father’s art and his delightful story about the fun-loving tugboat named Little Toot!

***********
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can visit Amy at amyoquinn.com or http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.

When there are so many good children's books out there, it's always great to get some help in narrowing your reading list. Of course, I wish I had time to read all of them, but I know that's impossible.

Every year, children in grades K to 8 from across British Columbia are invited to read books from a nominated list of BC books and vote for their favourite in the Chocolate Lily Book Awards. Orca Book Publishers has a whopping seven nominations in this years Chocolate Lily. A big congratulations to our author nominees!

Picture Book Nominees:

A Sea-Wishing Day
written by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton
Kids Can Press

Boy in Motion: Rick Hansen’s Story
written by Ainslie Manson, illustrated by Renne Benoit
Greystone Books

Goodnight, Sweet Pig
written by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Josee Masse
Kids Can Press

Jeffrey and Sloth
written by Kari-Lynn Winters and illustrated by Ben Hodson
Orca Book Publishers

Lily and the Mixed-up Letters
written by Deborah Hodge, illustrated by France Brassard
Tundra Books

Mechanimals
written and illustrated by Chris Tougas
Orca Book Publishers

Pink
written by Nan Gregory, illustrated by Luc Melanson
Groundwood Books

The Summer of the Marco Polo
written by Lynn Manuel, illustrated by Kasia Charko
Orca Book Publishers

Novel/Chapter Book Nominees:

A Perfect Gentle Knight
by Kit Pearson
Puffin

The Alchemist’s Dream
by John Wilson
Key Porter

Baboon
by David Jones
Annick Press

Boxcar Kid
by Norma Charles
Sandcastle

The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer
by Sue Ann Alderson & Millie Balance
Tradewind

Honey Cake
by Joan Betty Struchner & Cynthia Nugent
Tradewind

I, Bruno 
by Caroline Adderson
Orca Book Publishers

Lucky’s Mountain
by Dianne Maycock
Orca Book Publishers

Rebel’s Tag
by K.L. Denman
Orca Book Publishers

Shadows on the Train
by Melanie Jackson
Orca Book Publishers

When the Bough Breaks
by Irene N. Watts
Tundra

Another important announcement! :D

The Sydney Taylor Book Award will be celebrating and showcasing its winners with a blog tour! Here is the preliminary blog tour schedule:

Sunday, January 18, 2009
Karen Hesse, author of Brooklyn Bridge
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category
at Jewish Books for Children

Monday, January 19, 2009
Richard Michelson, author of As Good As Anybody
Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category
and author of A is for Abraham
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at The Well-Read Child

Monday, January 19, 2009
Ron Mazellan, illustrator of A is for Abraham
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Jane Yolen, author of Naming Liberty
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at The Boston Bibliophile

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Anna Levine, author of Freefall
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Teen Readers Category
and author of Jodie's Hanukkah Dig
Notable Book in the Younger Readers Category
at Abby (the) Librarian

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Jim Burke, illustrator of Naming Liberty
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at The Page Flipper

Thursday, January 22, 2009
Jacqueline Jules, author of Sarah Laughs
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at Chicken Spaghetti

Friday, January 23, 2009
Deborah Bodin Cohen, author of Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at Becky's Book Reviews

Friday, January 23, 2009
Shahar Kober, illustrator of Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride
Sydney Taylor Honor Book in the Younger Readers Category
at Into the Wardrobe

That's right, Into the Wardrobe will be participating in the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour! I am sooo excited about hosting children's book illustrator Shahar Kober, so don't forget to stop by on or after Jan. 23 to read my interview with him. And of course, don't forget to check out all the other stops on the tour. I know I sure will! In the meantime, for more information visit the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog. :D

Here is an important announcement from the Association of Jewish Libraries:

Richard Michelson and Raul Colon, author and illustrator of As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom, Karen Hesse, author of Brooklyn Bridge, and Valerie Zenatti, author of A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, are the 2009 winners of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience. The award memorializes Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series. The winners will receive their awards at the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Chicago this July.


Michelson and Colon will receive the 2009 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Younger Readers Category for As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel's Amazing March Toward Freedom, published by Alfred A. Knopf. Two very special clergymen, one a rabbi, the other an African-American reverend are raised in divergently different countries yet experience similar levels of persecution and bigotry that will one day bring them together. As colleagues in America's struggle for civil rights, they march together from Selma to Montgomery in March 1965. Colon's colored pencil and watercolor illustrations "offer a beautiful complement to the text, describing two unique paths from childhood to adult life - Martin's in the rich, warm brown-tones of the American south and Abraham's in cool blues and grays that reminded the illustrator of old World War II movies. When the two exemplary men join in their march for tolerance, the palettes merge in full color harmony," comments Debbie Colodny, a member of the Award Committee. This book is recommended for grades 2-5.


Hesse will receive the 2009 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Older Readers Category for Brooklyn Bridge, published by Feiwel & Friends. While his family left the anti-Semitism of Russia to build the American dream, Joey Michtom's dream is to visit the glittering Coney Island. "Crafting a story from the spark of a true event, the invention of the Teddy Bear in 1903, Hesse masterfully weaves multiple themes of hard-work, survival, homelessness, and familial dedication with interlocking and parallel stories of families who live reasonably well opposite those less fortunate living in the shadows below the imposing Brooklyn Bridge," comments Rita Soltan, a member of the Award Committee. This book is recommended for grades 5-8. Hesse also won the 1992 Award for Older Readers for Letters from Rifka, and a 2004 Honor Award for Older Readers for The Cats in Kransinski Square.


Zenatti will receive the 2009 gold medal in the Sydney Taylor Book Award's Teen Readers Category for A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, published by Bloomsbury. "This story about the relationship between an Israeli girl, Tal, and a Palestinian boy, Naim, via e-mail and instant messaging, is honest but hopeful. Well-written and compelling, the tale of their relationship conveys the confusion, anger, exhaustion, and depression felt by many young people during the 2003 intifada," comments Susan Berson, a member of the Award Committee. Zenatti's memoir, When I Was a Soldier, was a 2005-6 AJL Notable Book for Older Readers.

Check out the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog to see the list of the six 2009 Sydney Taylor Honor Books and the twenty-two Notable Books of Jewish Content for 2009.

Interviews with winning authors will be posted on prominent children's literature blogs as part of a blog tour beginning on January 18, 2009; details will be posted on the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog.

All the winners sound great, but I am particularly interested in A Bottle in the Gaza Sea. I mean, WOW! Which of the winners are you most interested in reading? :o)

The shortlists for the Cyblis awards are up. There are some fantastic books listed here, in all the categories (fiction picture books; non-fiction picture books; easy readers; middle-grade fiction; non-fiction middle grade/young adult; young adult fiction; graphic novels; poetry). So check them out; you’ll likely find some books you’ll want to read.

This year, I was on the panel for fiction picture books. As always, it was a great experience. All of us cared deeply about children’s books. I fought hard for some books, as did everyone, and we cast our votes. Eventually we came up with a list that I think is a fantastic one. (Though there’s a book I wouldn’t have chosen, that’s my own personal opinion/reaction, and the list is truly a wonderful one.) Check out the picture book finalists and their summaries here.

What a great way to start the new year. The shortlists for the 2008 Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (the Cybils) have been released! Here are the finalists for the categories I am most excited about:

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd (David Fickling Books)


Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell (Atheneum)


Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown)


Diamond Willow by Helen Frost (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux)


Alvin Ho by Lenore Look (Schwartz and Wade Books)



MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION

Savvy by Ingrid Law (Penguin USA)


Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish (Penguin USA)


The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas (HarperCollins)


The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins)


The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski (Macmillan)



YOUNG ADULT FICTION

Thaw by Monica M. Roe (Boyds Mills Press)


The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart (Hyperion)


Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher (Bloomsbury USA)


Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (Little, Brown)


Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (HarperCollins)


I Know It's Over by C.K. Kelly Martin (Random House Children's Books)


Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway (Penguin USA)



YOUNG ADULT FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)


Wake by Lisa McMann (Simon & Schuster)


Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Harcourt)


The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson (HarperCollins)


Airman by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion)


A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Scholastic)



Click here to learn more about these books and to view the shortlists for the other categories. Let me know which books and categories you are most excited about. :D

Here is a note from Jen Robinson, the Literacy Evangelist for the 2008 Cybils:


Cybils Nominations: How Can You Participate?

Nominations for the third annual Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (the Cybils) opened Wednesday, October 1st and will stay open until Wednesday, October 15th. The goal of the Cybils team (some 100 bloggers) is to highlight books that are high in both literary quality and kid appeal. The Cybils were founded by Anne Boles Levy and Kelly Herold.

This year, awards will be given in nine categories (Easy Readers, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Fiction Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade Novels, Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books, Non-Fiction Picture Books, Poetry, Young Adult Novels). Anyone can nominate books in these categories (one nomination per person per category). Nominated titles must be published between January 1st and October 15th of this year, and the books must be in English (or bilingual, where one of the languages is English). To nominate titles, visit the Cybils blog (you have until October 15th). A separate post will be available for each category - simply nominate by commenting on those individual posts. If you are not sure which category to choose for a particular book, a questions thread will also be available.

Between October 16th and January 1st, Cybils panelists (children's and young adult bloggers) will winnow the nominations down to a 5-7 book short list for each category. A second set of panelists will then select the winning titles for the different categories. The winners will be announced on February 14th, 2009.

The Cybils lists, from long lists to short lists to the lists of winners, offer a wonderful resource to anyone looking for high-quality, kid-friendly books. The Cybils team has worked hard to balance democracy (anyone can nominate titles) with quality control (two rounds of panel judging by people who focus on children's books every day). We do this work because we consider it vital to get great books into the hands of children and young adults.


I've already nominated Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi (translated into English by Cathy Hirano) for the Fantasy & Science Fiction category, The Fold by An Na for the Young Adult Novels category, and The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin for the Middle Grade Novels category! What books have you nominated? What books are you planning to nominate? :o)

Do you have a favorite picture book, children’s book, or YA book from 2008? Do you want to have your opinion be heard? Then head on over to the Cybils 2008 awards, where YOU–yes, you!–can nominate one book in every category–any category–you want. There are nine categories you can nominate a book in–Fiction Picture Books; Non-Fiction Picture Books; Easy Readers; Middle Grade Fiction; Non-Fiction: Middle Grade and Young Adult; Young Adult Fiction; Graphic Novels; Poetry; and Fantasy and Science Fiction.

The book/s you nominate must have been. published between Jan. 1 - Oct. 15 this year.

Nominations are open from now (October 1st) til October 15th, 2008. Please consider nominating a book you love!

The Cybils children’s and young adult bloggers’ literary awards are web awards that children’s literature bloggers give to outstanding children’s and YA books each year.

Love books? Please help spread the word.

Two prestigious $20,000 prizes celebrate the most distinguished English and French-language Canadian children’s books of the year

Montreal, August 6, 2008 - The Canadian Children’s Book Centre and TD Bank Financial Group are proud to announce the finalists of the 2008 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards for the most distinguished books of the year. This annual award recognizes excellence in Canadian children’s literature with $20,000 for the most distinguished book written in English and $20,000 for the most distinguished book written in French.

“Starting to read at an early age is an important first step in living a happy and healthy life. That’s why children’s authors are so important - they help introduce the wonderful world of reading to young Canadians,” said Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair and Literacy Champion, TD Bank Financial Group. “In recognition of their good work, we have set up a children’s literature award that is among Canada’s most prestigious literary prizes. We’re giving back to our homegrown talent by awarding them with a $20,000 cash prize so they can continue to follow their dreams and author children’s books that inspire us all.”

This year’s nominated titles will captivate the hearts and imaginations of children and adults everywhere. Readers will be introduced to characters such as the young Sherlock Holmes and the crime-ridden streets of 1867 inner-city London; 11-year-old Elijah, the first African Canadian child to be born into freedom in Buxton, Ontario, a settlement for runaway slaves; and a young girl named Kate who is fraught with jealousy after being selected by artist John Singer Sargent to be a model for a painting.

“At the Canadian Children’s Book Centre we encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers, and what better way to do that than to recognize rising authors with a highly regarded award such as the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award,” said Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director, The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. “We are proud to be joining efforts with TD on this exciting journey to reward our talented Canadian children’s authors.”

All books, in any genre, written by a Canadian for children ages one through 12 were eligible for the awards. Entries were judged on the quality of the text and illustrations and the book’s overall contribution to literature. The winner of the English-language award will be announced at a gala at The Carlu in Toronto on November 6, 2008.

The English-language finalists for the 2008 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, with jury comments, are as follows:

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose: The Story of a Painting
By Hugh Brewster with paintings by John Singer Sargent
Kids Can Press
“An outstanding information book… Beautifully written and produced, with a fine balance of illustration, biographical and historical detail and insight into the creative process, all through the viewpoint of a child whose humanity makes it true.”

Darkwing
By Kenneth Oppel
HarperCollins Publishers
“Darkwing continues Oppel’s reputation for creating textured, engrossing animal societies that win generations of fans. The exceptional writing is filled with descriptive details, emotive connotations and visual sightings that give a richly plotted, fact-filled glimpse into this prehistoric world.”

Elijah of Buxton
By Christopher Paul Curtis
Scholastic Canada
“Tears of laughter and sadness commingle as Curtis immerses readers in the daily happenings of the nineteenth century Ontario community of Buxton whose inhabitants are slaves who have escaped from the United States. This novel engagingly and dramatically brings to life a little known segment of Canadian history.”

Eye of the Crow: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His First Case
By Shane Peacock
Tundra Books
“Historical fiction at its finest! The plot, speculating on the childhood adventures of Sherlock Holmes, is well-constructed, fast paced and embedded with details. Superb characterization is accompanied by witty dialogue and the author’s love of vivid descriptive words.”

Please, Louise!
By Frieda Wishinsky
Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Groundwood Books
“A gem of a picture book delighting in the warm relationship between brother and younger sister. Lively watercolours explode across the pages adding detail and humour to the powerful simplicity of the text. The words sing as they are read!”

The 2008 English jury members were Maya Munro Byers, owner, Livres Babar Books, Montreal; Theo Heras, Children’s Literature Resource Collection Specialist, Lillian H. Smith Library, Toronto Public Library; Dr. Dave Jenkinson, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba; Ron Jobe, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia; and Norene Smiley, author, Pugwash, Nova Scotia.

* * * * *
About The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is a national, not-for-profit organization, founded in 1976 to encourage, promote and support the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers. The CCBC’s programs, publications and resources help teachers, librarians, booksellers and parents select the very best for young readers. For more information visit www.bookcentre.ca.

TD Community Giving: Making a Difference Together
Children’s health, literacy and education, and the environment are the three main areas of focus for community giving at TD. Flagship programs within these areas include: TD Children’s Hospital Fund; TD Friends of the Environment Foundation; TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup; TD Canadian Children’s Book Week; TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership; and the TD Summer Reading Club. With support from customers and employees, TD is also involved with a host of national, regional and local causes benefiting diversity, arts and culture and other community programs. In 2007, TD donated $33 million to more than 2,000 organizations across Canada.

For more information contact:

Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
416-975-0010
[email protected]

Matthew Cram
TD Bank Financial Group
416-983-1514
[email protected]

Jill Quinn
GCI Group on behalf of TD and the CCBC
416-486-5906
[email protected]

The children’s book winners of the 2008 Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Awards are:

Winners:
	Children’s Picture Book: Agate: What Good Is a Moose? by Joe Morgan Dey and Nikki Johnson (Lake Superior Port Cities)
	Children’s Literature: Little Klein by Anne Ylvisaker (Candlewick Press)

Honor Books:

• Children’s Picture Book: Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ilbatoulline (Candlewick Press)
  

Children’s Literature: The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson (Greenwillow Books)

The Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Awards will be presented on September 25 during the MBA annual trade show in St. Paul, Minn.

Thanks to Cynopsis Kids for the info.

The first US annual National Children’s Choice Book Awards have been announced. Close to 55,000 children voted on their favorite books, as well as their favorite author and illustrator. I think it’s a great thing that children get to vote for the books they love best.

The 2008 Children’s Choice Book Award winners are:

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year

Frankie Stein, written by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Kevan Atteberry (Marshall Cavendish)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year

Big Cats: Hunters of the Night by Elaine Landau (Enslow Publishers)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year

Encyclopedia Horrifica: The Terrifying TRUTH! About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters, and More by Joshua Gee (Scholastic)

Illustrator of the Year Award

Ian Falconer, Olivia Helps with Christmas (Simon & Schuster)

Author of the Year Award

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) (Scholastic)

Australian author Sonya Hartnett won the 2008 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award; congratulations to her! Here’s what they said about her work: “Sonya Hartnett is one of the major forces for renewal in modern young adult fiction. With psychological depth and a concealed yet palpable anger, she depicts the circumstances of young people without avoiding the darker sides of life. She does so with linguistic virtuosity and a brilliant narrative technique; her works are a source of strength.” I haven’t yet read Hartnett’s work, but now I’d like to check her books out.

The prize for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is five million Swedish crowns, or approximately $800,000 US or CAN dollars. It’s the biggest children’s book award in terms of prize money, and the second biggest literature award in the world. It’s also appealing that the award is international; children’s authors from around the world have the opportunity to win. And I love Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking books, so it’s nice to see a tribute to her work.

This year, Canadian children’s author Jean Little was also nominated, for the second year in a row. Little is an incredible children’s author, with some very moving, real, and uplifting books. I hope she wins some year. I don’t think a Canadian author has won yet–although the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is only in its sixth year. You can see the entire list of nominees here.

There were 155 nominees this year, representing 61 countries–the largest set of nominees yet, and included: David Almond (UK); Quentin Blake (UK); Brian Doyle (Canada); Marie-Louise Gay (Canada); Russell Hoban (USA); Eva Ibbotson (UK); Jean Little (Canada); John Marsden (Australia); Walter Dean Meyers (USA); Kenneth Oppel (Canada); Peter Sis (USA); Gary Soto (USA); Tomi Ungerer (France); Jacqueline Wilson (UK); and many, many more.

It’s such an incredible amount of money, the kind of money children’s authors don’t usually see. But–and this may only be me–I wish that the award was split up into, say, 4 prizes, so that more children’s authors could win–because there are a lot of incredibly good children’s authors out there, who put their hearts into their work, and there are also a lot of children’s authors who could really benefit from the money. But that’s just my opinion.

Still, I love what the Swedish people have to say about their award; it’s inspiring:
“The prize is also a signal to institutions and organisations around the world that good children’s and youth literature is worth millions. And our children are worth more than millions. Good children’s literature gives the child a place in the world, and the world a place in the child.”

They’re right. Good children’s literature is worth millions. Children’s minds and hearts and souls are. They should be nurtured–and good literature can do that. So hurray to the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for rewarding some deserving children’s authors.

Nominations awaited for the Katrine Harries Award for Children's Book Illustrations

The Katrine Harries Award, originally the only and most prestigious award in South Africa for children's book illustrations, but which has been dormant for the past ten years, will again be awarded from this year.
For the complete article, click on the title above.

The Cybils winners have been announced; if you’re curious, head on over there to check out which books won. You’re sure to find some great reads.