In Defense of Books

I need to get something off my chest.

Yesterday the American Library Association presented their 2012 Youth Media Award winners. These awards honor children’s and young adult authors, illustrators and producers of children’s audio and video materials. These awards include: the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, John Newbery Medal, Michael Printz Award, Randolph Caldecott Medal, Schneider Family Book Awards and 13 other distinguished awards for youth literature.

These awards are recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent and serve as a guide for parents, educators, librarians and those interested in providing youth with the very best reading and viewing materials.

I wasn’t able to watch the live feed, so I went to my computer to search for the winners, and after some diligent searching, was only able to  find the list on a few sites.

Why aren’t we shouting this from the rooftops?

I find it sad that my browser offered me posts on “6 Delightful Island Escapes” and “Easy Delicious Dinner Recipes,” but they could not list the top children’s books?  I am more likely to buy the children’s books than go on the delightful island escape and I’d love to know which books are the best before I buy them.

The truth is, I know many people are probably more interested in the other posts and that makes me very sad.

Me, I’ll take the books.

Suzanne Santillan

Writing on the Sidewalk

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Awards Eve

Last minute excitement…

Major Awards are announced tomorrow.

Noooo, not that frageelay award.

The big big major awards…The ALA Youth Media Awards

Like the Newbery! The Printz! The Caldecott! The Coretta Scott King! The Schneider Family Award! And lots lots more.

You can watch it live HERE - at 7:45 AM EST. Which is really early here on the west coast. If I manage to get up that early on a holiday I should be writing!

But so eager to get loads more book recommendations. And hoping I’ve read at least some of the winners. That’s always one of my goals. To have read the major players – or at least heard of them.

To be updated…

Sarah Wones Tomp

***UPDATE***

Check out the list of winners

I’m thrilled that WHEN YOU REACH ME won the 2010 Newbery. In the not so distant past there was some discussion as to whether Newbery winners would even appeal to young readers – well this is one book that I would not hesitate to recommend for virtually any young reader. Congratulations to Rebecca Stead with her all-powerful mind.

GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray is the Printz winner – I had just picked that one up on Friday. Looking forward to diving in.

Other than that… I had heard of many of the award winners but have not yet read them. Hooray! Excellent books on the near horizon.

Sarah Wones Tomp

WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK

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