Monday's Award Announcements

Monday is the day that all kid lit lovers look forward to with bated breath. After months of reading, analyzing, discussing, and rooting for our favorites we will know the winners of the 2013 Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz medals. Exciting stuff. As always I have some thoughts. And they are MY thoughts. I don't do predictions.

The Newbery is the award I'm the most familiar with both in terms of past winners and current contenders so we will start there.

I will be over the moon with happiness to see any of these win:

I will be almost as pleased to see a host of other books get that shiny gold sticker: The One and Only Ivan, Splendors and Glooms, Starry River of the Sky, Crow, (though I would like to see another genre than historical fiction win the day this year). I may cry if Wonder (which I liked but think is far from the most distinguished book of the year) or Summer of the Gypsy Moths (which I neither liked nor found distinguished) wins. I think it would be tremendous if the committee completely surprised everyone by choosing a book without any buzz-I have some in my mind that would be perfect. (My hopes for Peaceweaver or Above World live on.)

Now for the Printz, which I freely admit I'm nowhere close to being an expert on. I usually can't stand the books that win this award, Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta being the exception that proves the rule. I'm hoping 2013 will be another such year and that the award will go to:

Really any other outcome is going to be, for me, a colossal disappointment. I do love Seraphina as well but I'm hoping it comes away with the Morris award and I would be delighted to see it win a Printz Honor.

The Caldecott is tricky for me because, try though I might, I can't judge this one. I love reading people's opinions on it, but they bring me no closer to understanding how one judges illustrations. Still I know what I like and this year that is:

Yes. I really like Water Sings Blue.

Sadly this year I will be behind on this as I will be teaching when the awards are announced. Teaching in a building that has no wireless and spotty-at best-cell service. It may be HOURS before I will know and can comment. I will miss experiencing the revelation and discussion that immediately follows so much this year. *cries quietly thinking about*

Comments

Amy said…

I am so excited for the announcement on Monday. I only got to read a handful of Newbery contenders, which I'm very sad about, but my kids and I have read most of the Caldecott hopefuls. I wrote about our favorites here: http://sunlitpages.blogspot.com/2013/01/kidpages-three-potential-caldecott.html

Although, since writing that post, I've read a few other contenders that I might like even more ("Step Gently Out," "Unspoken," and "Oh, No"). It will be exciting no matter what. I've had a lot of fun following all the news and hype about it.

January 25, 2013 at 10:59 PM

Brandy said…

I really like "Oh, No" too. I'm checking out your post now!

January 27, 2013 at 5:51 PM

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