Trust the Process!
The 2015 Newbery Committee filed into the packed hall at Chicago’s McCormick Convention Center on Monday morning wearing t-shirts that proclaimed “Trust the Process.”
This is a profession not prone to trusting the process (as you’ll know if you’ve ever been through an ALA Council meeting) and there’s inevitably a lot of second-guessing after the awards are announced.
But I have to say that I do trust the Awards process. I trust that Children’s and Young Adult librarians KNOW the criteria. We “get” what a distinguished book is. We listen to all the discussions and read all of the reviews and read and read and read. Then, in our heart of hearts we wish, we pray, we hope. Is it any wonder that on the morning the awards are announced, we scream, we whoop and we cry?
My personal reactions to the Newbery and Caldecott winners, below.
John Newbery Medal
The Crossover, Kwame Alexander, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, (also a Coretta Scott King Honor Book)
It was easy for me to “trust the process” in this case because I love this book. In the video below, Kate DiCamillo, last year’s winner, and I picked our favorite books, new and old, to read aloud for a film that went to Paris for the IFLA conference. I sprung my ARC of Crossover on Kate, because I couldn’t get enough of its engaging sustained voice and juicy language that begs to be read aloud. An added benefit is its high interest subject matter. The conversation we had was organic, not scripted and illustrated how great books bring us joy (pick it up at time stamp 21:43. Note: the galley cover shown in the video is different from the final).
John Newbery Honor Books
El Deafo, Cece Bell, Abrams/ Amulet
I think I was screaming the loudest when this book was announced. I have been an evangelist for “graphic format” or comics and am thrilled that one of the best books of 2014, comic or otherwise was recognized. The text is a cross between Judy Blume and Baby Mouse with a little Joan Bauer thrown in. Its a school story, a friendship story, a family story about a girl who just happens to be deaf.
Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson, Penguin/Nancy Paulsen (also winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award, a Sibert Honor and of the National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature).
Not sure there is much to more to be said about Brown Girl Dreaming as it leaves with a Coretta Scott King Award, a Sibert honor as well as a Newbery honor after already winning the National Book Award. The only negative is that all those shiny seals now obscure the exquisite cover. On each reading it is richer with meaning and the story strengthens like tempered steel.
Randolph Caldecott Medal
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, Dan Sentat, Hachette/Little, Brown
Some thought this was the dark horse of the group (the only best books list it appeared on was NPR’s), but it’s been on my “best pile” all year. It is a great read aloud with subtle humor and compelling illustrations. Dan Santat has brought a sweet but not saccharine child-centered world to life. It was a big year for great picture books (six honors!), making this a thrilling AND unexpected surprise.
Caldecott Honor Books
This One Summer, Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki, Macmillan/First Second
I am huge fan of this author/ illustrator team since Skim (Groundwood, 2010), came out. A coming-of-age graphic novel with mature content, Skim made the Bank Street Best Books of the Year list by the “skin of its teeth” due to passionate advocacy in the face of some opinions that the content was too mature for our audience of fourteen and under.
There IS going to be controversy regarding this title. It DOES have mature content. The Caldecott Committee selected it as one of the best illustrated books of the year. There is an assumption that “picture book” is defined as an illustrated book that is 32 pages long and for elementary school students, but the Award is for a book “for children”and ALSC’s “scope of services” is ages 0 to 14. This book isn’t for every kid in that age range but it certainly is relevant for some. I trust the process.
And as I look at the rest of Caldecott Honors, there is not one that doesn’t make my heart doesn’t swell as I imagine gathering them in my arms and sharing them with children.
Nana in the City, Lauren Castillo, HMH/Clarion
The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art, Mary GrandPre, Barb Rosenstock, RH/Knopf
Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, Jon Klassen, Mac Barnett, Candlewick
Viva Frida, Yuyi Morales, Macmillan/Roaring Book Press, (also the winner of the ALA Pura Belpré Illustrator Award)
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, Melissa Sweet, Jen Bryant, Eerdmans (also the winner of the ALA Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award)
February 6th, 2015 at 8:51 pm
I have not been so excited by the YMA awards since I first began working in a school library 5 years ago.
These are all books many of my students will love to read, as well as being well-written.
Viva Frida did something that I thought could not be done–it got me with an MA in Art History who was tired of Frida Kahlo to look at her work with fresh eyes again. Morales is brilliant.
I actually was thrilled with every award! When someone pointed out the diversity of the choices, whether type (graphic novels) or cultural, I became even happier.
Well done committee members!
February 7th, 2015 at 9:11 am
I always bought the winners for my children and encouraged my grand children to read them. Think I should just go to the children’s section and check out the books for myself. Never mind if they think I’m stupid or a joke at age 77.