For those of us who read children and young adult literature, today is a little like Christmas and the Oscars all rolled into one. This morning in Philidelphia, The American Library Association announced their prestigious awards honoring the best in literature for young people. We here at Scholastic we are proud and just a little giddy to announce some of Scholastic’s winners.
We are thrilled to announce that The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb won the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. Also honored for the same award was "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy written by James L. Swanson.
The Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented in even years to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for their lasting contribution to children’s and young adult literature. This year I am pleased to announce that Patricia and Fredrick McKissack have won the award for their significant contribution to literature for children and young adults.
The Andrew Carnegie Medal is awarded for excellence in children’s video. Congratulations go to Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard of Weston Woods, who won the Carnegie Medal for Bink & Golly: Two for One.
The Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults was awarded to Markus Zusak. If you have not yet read any of his works I urge you to check them out immediately. Congratulations, Markus Zusak!
And finally, an exciting announcement: the 2015 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture, which honors an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature, goes to Brian Selznick, the author and illustrator of some amazing books including The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck.
Our Scholastic Audio and Weston Woods team also scored some great wins! In addition to the Carnegie Medal for Children's Video, Creepy Carrots won the Odyssey Honor Award for Excellent Audiobook Production, and eight (8!) Weston Woods titles were named ALA Notable Audios:
- And Then It's Spring
- Bear Has a Story to Tell
- Bink and Gollie: Two for One
- Coretta Scott
- Creepy Carrots
- I Want My Hat Back
- I'm Fast
- Show Way
And finally, the ALA Notable Recording went to Scholastic Audio's "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy!
We at OOM want to congratulate all of the winners, as well as all of the authors, illustrators, and readers who made 2013 an exceptional year in children’s literature. Read more here.
Congratulations to all for a stellar year in children's literature!
