This was only the second time I wasn’t at Midwinter for the announcements. I went to school figured I’d see if I could watch the live stream or perhaps peek at my phone. Happily, someone was doing something with my class and I was able to watch all of it. And, boy, did I end up happy and pleased. Congratulations to all the honorees and committee members!
Here are some quick responses (while my class is out for a few minutes):
First and foremost — I’m over-the-top pleased with Erin Entrada Kelly receiving the Newbery medal for Hello, Universe . I fell in love with this book last March and have been advocating for it ever since.
And then there are the Newbery honors, all beloved by me:
- Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down. Another I fell madly in love with, but since I didn’t read it until late December I wasn’t able to advocate for it on Heavy Medal until after they made up their list.
- Renee Watson’s Piecing Me Together. I read and liked this, but it took participating in my school’s first ever Faculty Mock Newbery this past Saturday to really appreciate it. So much as we selected it as our winner.
- Derrick Barnes’s Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. So so happy about this as I’d been arguing that it should be considered as much for Newbery as for Caldecott.
I haven’t read the Printz winner, so can’t comment, but I adore all the honors:
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman
Among the CSK honorees, all fabulous, I was especially pleased to see Charly Palmer honored for Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song, a book I reviewed with great enthusiasm.
Jackie Woodson for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. Absolutely!
Angela Johnson getting the Edwards — hurrah!
Debbie Reese for the Arbuthnot. Yes, yes, yes!!!
educating alice 