And the Winners Are…

On Monday, January 18, 2010 at their Midwinter Meeting in Boston, MA the American Library Association announced the winners of the three most prestigious awards in the world of youth literature: the Randolph Caldecott Medal, the John Newbery Medal and the Michael L. Printz Award. Both the Caldecott and Newbery Medals are award annually by The Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC). The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The first Caldecott Medal was given in 1938. The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The first Newbery Medal was awarded in 1922. The Michael L. Printz Award is awarded annually by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of YALSA. The first Printz Award was given in 2000, making this year its 10th anniversary. All three awards also recognize honor books. This year’s winners and honor books are:

Randolph Caldecott Medal
Winner: The Lion & the Mouse illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney.
Honor Books:
All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon
Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman



John Newbery Medal
Winner: When You Reach Me written by Rebecca Stead
Honor Books:
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick




Michael L. Printz Award
Winner: Going Bovine written by Libba Bray
Honor Books:
Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance, 1973 by John Barnes

- Andrea L.