Announcing the Youth Media Awards!

The American Library Association has announced the winners of the Youth Media Awards, including the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Medal. Some highlights include:

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, a winner of the Alex Awards "Doerr weaves together the stories of a French girl named Marie-Laure who has lost her eyesight and a German orphan named Werner. As Hitler’s occupied territory grows, Marie-Laure and Werner’s lives and families are torn apart by the war, yet this gorgeous novel is the story of people who, against the odds, find good in one another."

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, winner of the 2015 John Newbery Medal
"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood. Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family."

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen, winner of the 2015 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults
"Stuck at the bottom of the social ladder at pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya Van Wagenen decided to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. Can curlers, girdles, Vaseline, and a strand of pearls help Maya on her quest to be popular?" 

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the 2015 National Book Award and the Corretta Scott King Author Award in addition to being named a Newbery Medal and Siebert Medal honor book! "Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become."

Look for the winners and honor books of the following awards to arrive at the library soon: Newbery Medal, Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Book Awards, Batchelder Award, Belpre Awards, Siebert Medal, and Geisel Award. The library already has a copy of the highly-awarded Brown Girl Dreaming!