This morning I got up at 5 a.m. to see (via webcast) the 2012 winners of the biggest awards in children's publishing--the American Library Association (ALA) awards. The film industry has their Golden Globes® and their Oscars®, and we have the Caldecott and Newbery Medals, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Michael J. Printz Award. Unlike most other book awards, the major children's book awards given by the ALA have no lists of finalists or nominees. It's a surprise every single year (with plenty of speculation beforehand) and I kind of love the secrecy. This year's announcement had both the unexpected and the "ah, of course" books on the lists (including some 2011 Best of the Month titles)--you just never know who is going to win what. Congratulations to this year's winning and honored authors and illustrators:
2012 Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:
2012 Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:
2012 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems
Review by Chris Singer
About the author:
Mo Willems’ work in children’s books, animation, television, theater, and bubble gum card painting have garnered 3 Caldecott Honors, 2 Geisel Medals, a Geisel Honor, 2 Carnegie Medals, 6 Emmys, and multiple bubble gum cards. Upcoming non-bubble gum card projects include “Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator,” a portrait of the relationship between a girl and her stuffed alligator told in 6-1/2 stories
About the book:
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In I Broke My Trunk! Gerald tells Piggie the long, crazy story about breaking his trunk. Will Piggie end up with a long, crazy story of her own?
My take on the book:
Another Elephant and Piggie book review? If you’ve been following Book Dads for awhile you, of course, are not surprised. I’m not sure if there’s an official, or unofficial fan club, but if there isn’t we should either start one or join one…(paging @the1stdaughter, @birthdayauthor, @linkstoliteracy…).
I can’t help it though. I love these books so much I just have to, no I MUST, share them with you so you can share them with your little ones and receive the same gift I do when I see that huge smile on my little listener’s face while I read these books aloud to her.
I Broke My Trunk is in one word, fantastic. You can substitute this word for others if you wish. Incredible. Delightful. Amazing. Hilarious. Pick one of those adjectives and you’ll be correct in your assessment. It’s the case over and over with every book of Mo Willems we’ve picked up and brought home from the library. The Elephant and Piggie series seems to get better with each new release and Mo Willems continues to find new ways to keep us interested, laughing and yearning for more!
This is going to be an extra special book as well because it is one of the few things we’re giving my daughter for her birthday in just over a week. It will also be the first Mo Willems book she will call her own. That is special indeed!
You see, we’re moving and it’s a big move too. From Lansing, Michigan to Corvallis, Oregon. 2400 plus miles. We’re also downsizing from a house to an apartment and we’re not taking a lot of “stuff” with us. So this year we have to keep it a little light on the birthday gifts because we just don’t have the space or finances to take everything with us. We’ll make it up to her when we get settled. However, I don’t think she is going to mind. I’m almost pos
Absolutely the best present ever! She’ll love it!
I read through this one at ALA and was laughing hysterically in a crowd of librarians looking at me like I was a looney. LOL But it really is so good! How does he keep doing this? All I know is I can’t wait to keep reading all of them with my kiddos, it’s definitely a highlight of my day.
Those pictures are adorable. I love her little Elephant! So cute!
Oh My Gosh, Chris! The pictures of T are adorable!! I love them! T will love the book and will be so happy to have a copy of her own! My daughter (who will be 5 in a little less than a month) used a gift card to purchase I Broke My Trunk a few weeks ago. I can excitedly share with you that I Broke My Trunk is the VERY first book she has read in completion on her own! Yay! I even got it on video! So, my love for all things Mo grows and I am happy to be a part of the “unofficial,” though we should certainly make it “official”, Fan Club!
Thanks Danielle! I’ll have some updated pics after her birthday. I don’t know how I’m going to hold out giving her that book until her birthday.
Congratulations! Tell her that’s such good news! What a memorable book to be the very first book she reads on her own! I can’t wait until Tessa does that. We just might have to make this fan club official somehow.
We love Mo Willems at our house. Baby L. can’t get enough of the pigeon. And she LOVES Trixie (and resembles her).
Welcome to Oregon! You’ll absolutely love it. Corvalis is beautiful. Take your daughter to the gorgeous coast for crabbing and searching for starfish! So happy for you.