Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books and media for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards --- including the Newbery, Printz, Sibert and Coretta Scott King Book Awards --- guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for children. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.  

This year, I was lucky enough to be in Denver at the ALA Convention the morning that the awards were announced. The atmosphere outside had the contained but apparent excitement that precedes events like rock concerts, Harry Potter first night parties and surprise birthday bashes. When I got to the Denver Convention Center at 7:15 AM, there already was a huge line winding around in the front of the closed doors of the auditorium where the event was being held. All weekend, people had been buzzing about the possible winners, but since the voting is so secretive, there was no way to know who would win.  

Once we got into the ballroom, I walked to the front and got a seat in the first row on the righthand side where I clearly could see the stage and the committees who had selected the winners, who were sitting at tables near the front. As each award was announced, there were accompanying shouts, cheers and lots of clapping. I have to say it was fun to see everyone this excited about...books! The committees spend a lot of time making these decisions and clearly get very close as they work together. As each was introduced, they would stand and wave to the crowd. One group waved woolen scarves. Another group wore t-shirts that had the initial MAE '09 for Margaret Alexander Edwards Award. 

It was a great morning...and I happily share the winners with you now.... 

One note: The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest-growing division of the ALA, also announced its 2009 Best Books for Young Adults, Great Graphic Novels for Teens and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Click on the links to see which books made these lists.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)


 

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal was awarded for the first time in 2001 to Marc Aronson for SIR WALTER RALEIGH AND THE QUEST FOR EL DORADO. It is given to honor the authors, illustrators and/or photographers of the most distinguished informational book published for children in the preceding year. Informational books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret documentable factual material. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois.

-This year's winner of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

The Alex Awards are given to 10 books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing. The award is sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust and Booklist. Edwards was a young adult specialist for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore. Her work is described in her book FAIR GARDEN AND THE SWARM OF BEASTS, and over the years she has served as an inspiration to librarians who serve young adults. The Alex Awards are named after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

-The 2009 Alex Award winners are: CITY OF THIEVES by David Benioff, THE DRAGONS OF BABEL by Michael Swanwick, FINDING NOUF by Zoe Ferraris, THE GOOD THIEF by Hannah Tinti, JUST AFTER SUNSET: Stories by Stephen King, MUDBOUND by Hillary Jordan, OVER AND UNDER by Todd Tucker, THE OXFORD PROJECT written by Stephen G. Bloom and photographed by Peter Feldstein, SHARP TEETH by Toby Barlow and THREE GIRLS AND THEIR BROTHER by Theresa Rebeck.