Sunday, January 17, 2010

My predictions

Now that my contest deadline has passed, I'll reveal my own (newest) predictions for Caldecott, Newbery and Printz awards:


CALDECOTT:

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Honors:
Mama Says by Rob Walker, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Crow Call by Lois Lowry, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee



NEWBERY:


When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (so I agree with Babs here)

Honors:
Magician's Elephant by Kate Dicamillo, illustrated by Yoko Tanaka
Also Known as Harper by Ann Haywood Leal
War Games by Audrey and Akila Couloumbis



PRINTZ:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Honors:
Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Going Bovine by Libba Bray




Naturally, these are all books I've read and in some cases already reviewed (see here and here and here and, hey, even here) or talked about as potential winners (click here). But more often than not, the winners end up being books I've never read. Sometimes they're books I've never even seen. In less than 24 hours, we'll find out.

A more important question: do these awards mean anything to readers anymore? What do you think?

2 comments:

  1. Yes, I believe the awards mean something. Most definitely.

    In my profession as a Children's and Young Adult Librarian, I've seen parents & teachers in time and again requesting a list of the Caldecotts & Newbery Award winners. They are considered the cream of the crop, still, I believe, among many, including Librarians.

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  2. Thanks for your comment, Terresa. Yes, I know quite a few children's librarians (customers at the bookstore), and they, as well as all the children's booksellers I know all revere the Caldecott and Newbery winners.

    But do KIDS themselves want to read these books? Or do they read them just because teachers continue assigning them?

    Take for example The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson, both volumes of which received Printz honors. Brilliant writing, to be sure, but I've yet to find a teen who really wants to read it.

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