And the winners are

Caldecott: Beth Krommes for The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson (Houghton Mifflin).  I'm delighted that this book won the Caldecott.  Here's what I said about it in a post from last November:  "It's a beautiful bedtime book, based on a cumulative poem found in The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book. I love the way the marigold highlights objects that are familiar yet fascinating to a preschooler--a key, a book, a bird, the moon."  My favorite honor book this year is Uri Shulevitz's How I Learned Geography (FSG); post forthcoming.

Newbery: Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book, illustrated by Dave McKean (HarperCollins).  I'm also delighted that this book won the Newbery!  I read it last week and put it on my list of favorites; it was the only one on my list to be recognized by the committee.  Of the honor books, I'm reading Margarita Engle's The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom first.  Although it won the Pura Belpre Medal for writing today, too, I think I can safely say that it appeared on no one's Newbery shortlist.

Congratulations! And reactions?

Newbery-ing

    

When it comes to literary awards, the Newbery is my first love.  These are the books I've loved this year.  I don't know if they'll win any awards tomorrow, although I would be happy if they did.  cf. The Newbery Award winners (and one Honor book) they reminded me of.

Masterpiece by Elise Broach; illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Henry Holt).  cf. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. 

The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski (FSG).  cf. The Hero and the Crown.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Dave McKean (HarperCollins).  There is no comparison.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall (Knopf).  cf. Thimble Summer.

The Porcupine Year by Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins).  cf. The Long Winter.

Now I'm off to read Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (Simon and Schuster).  I've been wanting to read it since it was named a finalist for the National Book Award, and I have a good feeling about its chances for a Newbery tomorrow.

See you in the morning!

All the rest

I've been so busy reading that I neglected to post the last installment of my Cybils reading list, which includes middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction.  That's precisely what I've been reading, too; in advance of the Newbery and other ALA award winners which will be announced on Monday.  There is some overlap, although the criteria for the Cybils (literary merit and kid appeal) and the Newbery (most distinguished contribution to American literature for children) are significantly different.

Here's what I've read or am reading as part of my Cybils reading plan:

Middle grade fiction.  I nominated Masterpiece by Elise Broach in this category.  It's my favorite middle grade book of last year (and not only because I won an autographed copy from Amanda at A Patchwork of Books).  Of the actual finalists, I had already read The London Eye Mystery (on the strength of Jen's review) and Shooting the Moon.  Since January 1, I've also read Alvin Ho.  Of the three, I like The London Eye Mystery best, the setting and the narrator, Ted, whose "brain runs on a different operating system than most people's."

Young adult fiction.  Young adult is too old for me.  I haven't read any of the finalists in this category yet, although I've recently read some other YA books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and the National Book Award winner What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell, and I've got John Green's Paper Towns on my nightstand (does that count?).  Taking recommendations for this category; I'm growing into it.

Nonfiction.  Since January 1, I read The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir by Cylin and John Busby (also on the strength of Jen's review!).  And I looked at Ben Boos's Swords: An Artist's Devotion in the National Gallery gift shop (does that count?).  I'd like to read both King George: What Was His Problem? by Steve Sheinkin and Lincoln Through the Lens by Martin Sandler, although that may not happen before February 14.

That's it!  Now back to possible Newberys.  I'll post that list tomorrow.

My Cybils Reading List, Part 2

Part 2 of my Cybils reading list includes books from the Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Graphic Novel categories.

• Fantasy and Science Fiction. As it was last year, this list is divided into elementary/middle grade and young adult sff. Of the elementary/middle grade finalists, I've already read The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski (Macmillan); in fact, I nominated it for the Cybil and am thrilled that it's made it this far. I'm hoping to get my hands on a copy of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins), too; if only because he's such a rock star.
  Of the young adult finalists, I'd most like to read A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Scholastic), which combines a fairy tale retelling (Rumpelstiltskin) with an alternate history (the Industrial Revolution). I'm also tempted by Kristin Cashore's Graceling (Harcourt), but that one may have to wait.

                      

• Graphic Novels.  This category is also split into elementary/middle grade and young adult.  I should admit that I don't often like graphic novels.  I have read one of the finalists in the elementary/middle grade category, Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury USA; didn't like it).  My pick is There's a Wolf at the Door by Zoe Alley; illustrated by R.W. Alley (Roaring Brook).  And I'm not even reading a young adult graphic novel (sorry!).

I'll be back with the rest of my reading list (Middle Grade, MG/YA Nonfiction, and Young Adult) on Monday.  Thanks for playing!