On January 26, the American Library Association announced the top books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, King, Newbery, Schneider Family and Printz awards.
The following is a list of all ALA Teen Awards for 2009:
John Newbery Medal (for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature):
The Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean, is the 2008 Newbery Medal winner.
The Newbery Honor Books named were the books: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson.
Michael L. Printz Award (for excellence in literature written for young adults):
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta is the 2008 Printz Award winner.
Four Printz Honor Books were named:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Coretta Scott King Book Award (recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults):
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, is the King Author Book winner.
Two King Honor Books were selected:
The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Schneider Family Book Award (for books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences):
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor is the winner in the middle school category
Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen is the winner in the teen category.
Pura Belpre Award (honoring Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books):
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle, is the winner of the 2009 Belpre Author Award.
Alex Awards (for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences):
City of Thieves by David Benioff
The Dragons of Babel by Michael Swanwick
Finding Nouf by Zoë Ferraris
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
Just After Sunset: Stories by Stephen King
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
Over and Underby Todd Tucker
The Oxford Project by Stephen G. Bloom, photographed by Peter Feldstein
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow
Three Girls and Their Brother by Theresa Rebeck
Looks like some of my predictions came true! I am very excited that The Graveyard Book, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and Nation got their dues.
An annotated booklist will be available in TeenSpace shortly.
Sharon Long
Teen Services Librarian
