And The Winners Are...

Just about two weeks ago the American Library Association (ALA) announced thier 2009 winners for the Newberry and Caldacott medal awards. For those of you who are not familiar with these awards, "the Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association for the most distinguished American children's book published the previous year". The Caldacott is similarly awarded for the best illustrated chidren's book for the previous year. I just finished the Newberry book entitled "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman last night at 2:00am and IT WAS GREAT!!! I am still waiting to get my hands on the Caldacott book called, "The House in the Night" written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes. I highly reccomend "The Graveyard Book" for anyone but especially for boys. I've tried to get a lot of kids to read the Newberry books because they are some of my favorites, but usually girls enjoy them more than boys (for what I think are a variety of reasons). This book however is VERY boy friendly. It's a sort of science fiction/murder mystery/coming of age, sort of book about a little boy Bod, who is raised in a graveyard by ghosts after his family is murdered.

I love the Newberry books and honor books because they tackle strong and sometimes difficult themes, they are written beautifully with amazing description and beautiful pros, and they are just plain entertaining to both children and adults. If you are looking for a good book for your child or for yourself I would highly reccomend anything Newberry...especially "The Graveyard Book". If any of you read it I would love to hear what you thought!