2015 BOOK AWARDS

 GO TO...

get these fabulous books.  Click on the cover and order your copy from our branches.  For a list of all the 2015  winners and honors click on the links below: 
Coretta Scott King Medal
Caldecott Medal
Newbery Medal

2015 CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD SEASON

Soon the Newberry, the Caldecott, Pura Belpre, Coretta Scott King and many more awards will be given out to the best in children's books of the previous year.  The speculations as to which book will win which award is usually a secret until the winners are called.  So below are a list of titles which are being talked about and they have been read and reviewed by our Children's Services staff.  

For the Caldecott, Migrant is an unusually illustrated bilingual story which deserves to win, but it's a long shot because it is so unusual.  

These children's fiction titles are some favored to win the Newberry this year: The Fourteenth Goldfish about a grandfather who found a way to become 13 again is a rumored favorite to be the 2015 Newberry winner. The Night Gardener, and Rain Reign about a girl with Asperger's in search of her missing dog have also been getting some Newberry buzz.  Will your favorite story win?   

AND THE LITERARY AWARDS GO TO...

Flora and Ulysses:  An Illuminated Adventure (also availalbe as an ebook) by Kate Di Camilo for the most outstanding contribution in Children's  Literature.  The Newberry Honor recipients are Doll Bones, The Year of Billy Miller, Paperboy and One Came Home.  See what the fuss is all about and put a hold on these titles.   

Locomotive by Brian Floca was awarded the Caldecott for best illustrated book.  Flora and Flamingo, Mr. Wuffles and Journey received the Caldecott Honors.  Too bad, Mr. Wuffles.  

GREAT PICTURE BOOKS. CALDECOTT WORTHY?

Flora and the Flamingo
wordless 
exquisite 
glowing
by Molly Idle







Mr. Wuffles
almost wordless 
playful 
hilarious
thrilling
by David Wiesner 

IS IT NEWBERY OR CALDECOTT WORTHY?

That's the question this month. Throughout January we will post reviews of book which may be Newbery and Caldecott contenders.  No one knows for sure which books are up for the award in 2014 so we're just putting out some possible titles for you to read and think about.   Maybe one of them is your favorite.  Happy Reading!

AND THE WINNER IS....

 Every year the American Library Association gives an award to the best illustrations in a book published in the United States in the previous year call the Caldecott Medal. This year the winner is Chris Radschka's A Ball for Daisy a wordless story of the fun one dog has with her ball.

The Newbery Medal is awarded for the best in children's fiction, also published in the United States in the previous year. Jack Gantos an author of many fine novels for younger readers is this year's gold medalist for his work, Dead End in Norvelt.

Both of these are available from your local Glendale library. Check 
             them out.

WINNERS - WORTH READING STILL?

This is my third attempt at reading Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. First attempt: ran out of time, only read about 10 pages. Second attempt: I read about 50 pages and was bored by it.

Third attempt: WOW! I get why this won the Newberry in 1984. It's a boy who starts off writing letters to his favorite author as part of a class assignment who winds up unloading his thoughts about the author, his lunch, and his father in a diary (yes, there was a boy writing in a diary before Diary of a Wimpy Kid). I love the ending, because it's a happy ending, but not one that is expected. Leigh grows, befriends a classmate, learns his lessons, fields dissapointments, not all neat and tidy but we get a glimpse of his life during one year of diary entries. This is a sensitive and thoughtful look at a middle school age boy at a time in which life, his parents' divorce, is just too confusing.

This is the book group's selection for the month of June. Join Snacktime Readers on Wednesday, June 23 at 7:00 in the Children's Room of the Central Library, 222 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205, (818)548-2035.

AWARD WINNERS

Yesterday the American Library Association, Children's Division awarded two of the highest honors for children's literature. These are awarded yearly at the organizations mid-winter conference.

The Newbery Award, named for 18th century English book seller John Newbery, is given for the most significant contribution to American literature for children. This year the recipient is Rebecca Stead for her book When You Reach Me.

The second award given to the most distinguished American picture book for children is the Caldecott, named for 19th century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. This year it was awarded to Jerry Pickney.

Both books are available for check out, click on the cover to find a library with a copy.