Richard Peck, author of \”A Year Down Yonder,\” and David Small, illustrator of \”So You Want To Be President?\” are the 2001 winners of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott Medals, the most prestigious awards in children\’s literature.
Richard Peck, author of \”A Year Down Yonder,\” and David Small, illustrator of \”So You Want To Be President?\” are the 2001 winners of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott Medals, the most prestigious awards in children\’s literature.
American Library Association announces award winners;
Peck, Small receive Newbery, Caldecott Medals
(Washington D.C) — Richard Peck, author of \”A Year Down Yonder,\” and David Small, illustrator of \”So You Want To Be President?\” are the 2001 winners of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott Medals, the most prestigious awards in children\’s literature.
They were among the award winners announced today by the American Library Association (ALA) during its Midwinter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Considered the \”Academy Awards\” of children\’s book publishing, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals honor outstanding writing and illustration of works published in the United States during the previous year.
\”A Year Down Yonder,\” published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Putnam, Inc., showcases a linked series of carefully crafted vignettes set in rural Illinois during the Depression, when 15-year-old Mary Alice leaves Chicago to spend a year with Grandma Dowdel. Her initial apprehension at life in a small town with a scheming old woman gradually gives way to admiration and love as she recognizes the warm heart behind Grandma\’s shenanigans.
\”Peck\’s characters are fully realized, from the quiet widow nursing her war-injured son, to Maxine Patch, running out of Grandma\’s house draped only in the biggest snake outside the Brookfield Zoo,\” said Caroline S. Parr, chair of the Newbery Award Selection Committee. \”These stories will, like Maxine, streak \’straight into the annals of undying fame.\”\’
Small received the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations in \”So You Want to Be President?\” written by Judith St. George and published by Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. Through illustrations rendered in a harmonious mix of
watercolor, ink and pastel chalk, Small employs wiry and expansive lines with an echo of political cartooning investing this personable history of the presidency with imaginative detail, wry humor and refreshing dignity.
\”Small\’s illustrations liberate the presidents from years of bulletin-board duty. He humanizes these oh-so-familiar icons with art that captures the spirit of the individual and collectively provides a genuinely enlightening overview of this unique American institution,\” said Connie Rockman, chair of the Caldecott Award Selection Committee.
Four Newbery Honor Books also were named: \”Hope Was Here,\” by Joan Bauer, published by G. P. Putnam\’s Sons; \”The Wanderer\” by Sharon Creech, published by HarperCollinsPublishers/Joanna Cotler Books; \”Because of Winn-Dixie\” by Kate DiCamillo, published by Candlewick Press; and \”Joey Pigza Loses Control,\” by Jack Gantos, published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named: \”Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888,\” illustrated by Christopher Bing and published by Handprint Books; \”Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type,\” illustrated by Betsy Lewin and published by Simon & Schuster Children\’s Publishing Division/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; and \”Olivia,\” illustrated by Ian Falconer and published by Simon & Schuster Children\’s Publishing Division/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an Anne Schwartz Book.
The awards are administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the ALA.
Coretta Scott King Awards
Jacqueline Woodson, author of \”Miracle\’s Boys,\” and Bryan Collier, illustrator for \”Uptown,\” are the 2001 winners of the Coretta Scott King Awards honoring African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.
\”Miracle\’s Boys,\” published by G.P. Putnam\’s Sons, is set in contemporary Harlem and
tells the story of the struggle of three brothers coping with the death of their parents.
\”Woodson\’s poetic and sensitive narrative portrays complex characters who display unconditional love for each other,\” said Pauletta Brown Bracy, chair of the King Awards Jury.
\”The revealing, authentic dialogue deftly captures the essence of the characters\’ inner turmoil, and layer by layer uncovers their strength and determination to survive.\”
Collier\’s simple narrative and stirring illustrations bring to life \”Uptown,\” published by Henry Holt and edited by Laura Godwin. With a confident young boy as the tour guide, Collier\’s vibrant illustrations share the pride of his Harlem neighborhood.
\”Collier\’s innovative collage illustrations combine photographs and paint to create architecture, urban landscape and people in an original way,\” Bracy said. \”Through his positive and pride-filled look at contemporary Harlem, he builds form using textual pieces of cut-paper collage, patterns, shapes and even chocolate bars juxtaposed in a vibrant array of color and character.\”
\”Let It Shine! Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters\” by Andrea Davis Pinkney was the lone King Author Honor Book selected. It was illustrated by Stephen Alcorn and published by Harcourt/Gulliver Books.
Three King Honor Illustrator Honor Books were chosen, including \”Freedom River,\” also by Bryan Collier. \”Freedom River\” was published by Hyperion/Jump at the Sun; \”Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys,\” illustrated by E.B. Lewis, authored by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard and published by Simon & Schuster; and \”Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth,\” illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, authored by Anne Rockwell and published by Random House.
The Coretta Scott King Awards are administered by the Coretta Scott King Task Force of the ALA\’s Social Responsibilities Roundtable.
Michael L Printz Award
David Almond, author of \”Kit\’s Wilderness,\” was named the second annual winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature for young adults. \”Kit\’s Wilderness,\” published by Delacorte Press, tells the tale of Kit Watson, who returns with his family to the northern English coal-mining town where generations of his family have worked and died.
\”In lyrical fashion, Kit\’s story melds the darkness of the past with bright hope for the future,\” said Peter M. Butts, chair of the Printz Award Selection Committee. \”Almond creates a heartbreakingly real world fused with magic realism as he juggles several plot elements with dexterity.\”
Almond\’s first book, \”Skellig\” was a Printz Honor Book in 2000.
Four 2001 Printz Honor Books were selected: \”Many Stones,\” by Carolyn Coman and published by Front Street Press; \”The Body of Christopher Creed,\” by Carol Plum-Ucci, published by Harcourt, Inc.; \”Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging,\” by Louise Rennison and published by HarperCollinsPublishers; and \”Stuck in Neutral,\” by Terry Trueman, published by HarperCollinsPublishers.
The award is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ALA, and sponsored by Booklist magazine.
Robert F. Sibert Award
Marc Aronson, author of \”Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado,\” was named the first winner of the Robert F. Sibert Award for most distinguished informational book for children. Published by Clarion Books, the winning book portrays the adventurous life of Sir Walter Ralegh and his quest to find the legendary city of El Dorado and the fate of the famous Lost Colony he sponsored in the New World.
\”Aronson\’s exemplary scholarship is evident everywhere in the text and accompanying matter, including the archival reproductions and thorough documentation that together explain and extend the narrative,\” said award committee chair Susan Faust. \”Combined with beautiful bookmaking and eloquent storytelling, this book sets a clear standard of excellence in its presentation of a person in his time.\”
Four Sibert Honor Books also were named: \”The Longitude Prize,\” by Joan Dash, illustrations by Dusan Petricic, published by Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux; \”Blizzard!\” by Jim Murphy, published by Scholastic Press, a division of Scholastic, Inc.; \”My Season with Penguins: an Antarctic Journal,\” by Sophie Webb, published by Houghton Mifflin Company; and \”Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned,\” written and illustrated by Judd Winick, published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
The new annual award is sponsored by Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., of Jacksonville, Ill., in honor of its longtime president, Robert F. Sibert. It is administered by ALSC. Informational books are those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret verifiable, factual material for children.
Margaret A. Edwards Awards
Robert Lipsyte was named the recipient of the 2001 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring lifetime contribution in writing for young adults. All these titles are published by
HarperCollinsPublishing.
\”Lipsyte is more than a contender; he is a champion of young adult literature,\” said award committee chair Jennifer Jung Gallant. \”We believe his books help adolescents recognize their role and their importance in relationships, society and the world.\”
His book \”The Contender\” and its sequels, \”The Brave\” and \”The Chief\” transformed the sports novel to authentic literature with gritty depictions of the boxing world. Other titles include: \”Jim Thorpe: 20th Century Jock;\” \”Michael Jordan: A Life Above the Rim;\” \”Free to Be Muhammad Ali;\” \”Arnold Schwarzenegger: Hercules in America;\” and \”Joe Louis: A Champ for All America.\”
The award, sponsored by School Library Journal, is administered by YALSA. Lipsyte will receive $2,000.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal
Milton Meltzer, best known for his works of historical non-fiction, is the 2001 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award winner. This award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.
\”Meltzer\’s contribution to American literature for children spans five decades and continues to be a model for informational writing today,\” said award committee chair Pat Scales. \”Over the years, children have read his books and expanded their knowledge of social issues and historical events.\”
His books include: \”Brother Can You Spare a Dime?: The Great Depression, 1929-1933;\” \”Ten Queens: Portraits of Women in Power;\” \”All Times, All Peoples: A World History of Slavery;\” and \”The Jewish Americans: A History in Their Own Words, 1650-1950.\”
The award is administered by ALSC and is named for its first recipient.
Andrew Carnegie Medal
The 2001 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children\’s Video for a second year in a row is Paul R. Gagne for Weston Woods Studio, this time for producing \”Antarctic Antics.\” Based on a book by Judy Sierra, \”Antarctic Antics\” transforms the poetry of the book into ballads of the penguin world. The video was animated by FableVision Studios and directed by Gary Goldberger and Peter Reynolds.
\”At the bottom of the planet lies a land of ice and granite…Antarctica!…come visit on a lark-tica, but don\’t forget your park-tica,\” says this engaging video.
\”The playful animation and original musical composition of this video enliven the tone of each poem,\” said award committee chair Susan Erickson. \”The endearing penguins have wide appeal and unforgettable personalities, leaving viewers with warm feelings for the coldest place on Earth!\”
The award is administered by ALSC.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Scholastic Press/Arthur A. Levine has been named winner of the 2001 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for the best children\’s book first published in a foreign language in a foreign country and consequently translated into English for publication in the United States for \”Samir and Yonatan.\” Originally published in Hebrew in 1994, the book was written by Daniella Carmi and translated by Yael Lotan.
Samir, a Palestinian boy, enters an Israeli hospital for surgery. The initial fear and antagonism he feels is mitigated by his bond with Yonatan, an Israeli. The relationship of the children in the ward grows as they face their own physical and emotional trials.
\”Carmi\’s lyrical text and Lotan\’s smooth translation leave readers with hopeful possibilities,\” said award committee chair Amy Kellman.
One honor book was selected. \”Ultimate Game,\” was originally written by Christian Lehmann in 1996 and translated from the French by William Rodarmor. It was published by David R. Godine in 2000.
The award is administered by ALSC.
May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award
Philip Pullman, the highly original and skillful creator of the \’His Dark Materials\’ trilogy will deliver the 2002 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Each year, an individual of distinction in the field of children\’s literature is selected to deliver the lecture.
\”A writer unafraid to tackle large questions and impossible quests, Pullman has readers gasping as \’His Dark Materials\’ fantasies lead them – and his collection of off-beat characters – through multi-layered landscapes, changing worlds and an exploration of the very nature of freedom, betrayal, sacrifice, religion and God,\” said award committee chair Sara Miller.
The trilogy comprises \”The Golden Compass,\” \”The Subtle Knife\” and this year\’s acclaimed \”The Amber Spyglass.\”
The lecture is administered by ALSC. Universities, schools and libraries may apply to host the lecture.
Information about all the awards can be found on the ALA Web site – www.ala.org.
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