Last Monday, January 28th, the winners of the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Medals were announced. The Newbery is awarded to the author of the best book for young readers by an American author, and the Caldecott goes to the illustrator of the best picture book. In addition to the Medal winner, two or more honor books are chosen, the number being up to the award panel.
This year the Newbery Medal was won by Katherine Applegate for The One and Only Ivan. It is the story of an art-loving silverback gorilla who lives in an enclosure at a mall, and how his world changes when a baby elephant comes to live with him. We don’t have it yet at the library, but it’s on order. We do have the two honor books, Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz, and Bomb: The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Danger Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin.
The Caldecott Medal was won by Jon Klassen for This Is Not my Hat. In this humorous story a little fish steals a hat from a bigger fish, who then goes looking for his hat. Will the little guy get away with it, or are there consequences?
I always follow the lead-up to the medal announcements with great anticipation, and I try to read some of the books that are favored to win before the prize is announced. This year I didn’t predict either medal winner, and so both are on order. I did better with the honor books and the library already has three of the five selections.
These outstanding books are, or will be, available in the Orland Free Library. We also have most, if not all, of the previous years’ winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, so pay us a visit and pick up a winner!
Posted by Nancy, who thought Splendors and Glooms was great!