an award show!

Over here at the library we're gearing up for the ALA announcements Monday of 2012s Newbery and Caldecott Awards.** This year is the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott so we've set up a patron populated art gallery recreating their favorite book covers, along with a mock Newbery vote.

There's always a lot of buzz about potential winners and underdogs, surprises and sure-things just as there is with any award show. Eligible books that come out at the beginning of a judging era are at a bit of a disadvantage compared to those that are new and fresh and on everybody's minds. Then again, there are the rare books that are released early in the year and do nothing but build or slowly creep out of the woodwork along the way and might have been missed if they'd been released right near the end of it all. But basically all one can do is speculate.

Our votes at the library for Newbery included (in no particular order):
Liar & Spy  by Rebecca Stead
What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt
Wonder by R.J.Palacio
Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sarah Pennypacker
Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz
Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

The only one of these I haven't read yet is Lions of Little Rock but my vote would have to go to Three Times Lucky, it was one of the most delightful books I've read in a long time. I might also have to throw Steve Sheinkin's Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon in the mix since we're a little light on the non-fiction (okay, so the non-fiction is non-existent!) And a dark horse vote goes to 12 Kinds of Ice, a little gem of a memoir by Ellen Bryan Obed.

My personal Caldecott picks sort of follow the trends as well, though I'd have to give my number one shout out to Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds. So great in so many ways!  And my second choice would be A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead. Other votes would go to:

Green  by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff

Extra Yarn  by Mac Barnett

Unspoken  by Henry Cole

If you're interested in a few more (and more educated) opinions, Hornbook has a reader ballot for Caldecott choices on their blog Calling Caldecott. School Library Journal does a great mock vote for the Newbery at their blog, Heavy Medal and SLJ blogger Betsy Bird does her own forecasting for both the Newbery and Caldecott.

Or if you're super excited and have nothing else to do this weekend you could host your own 'Mock Caldecott Party'.  Abby the Librarian has all the ins and outs of throwing a bash here on her blog.

I'll check back in on Monday and reveal the actual winners...stay tuned! (And stay warm!!)


**There are also awards given for teen reads, beginning readers and others but these are the ones I've chosen to focus on. You can go here for a full list of youth awards offered by ALA.