With the end of January the American Library Association book awards are announced. Laurie Halse Anderson is the recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens. She has written “Catalyst,” “Fever 1793,” and of course “Speak.” I am often underwhelmed with award wining books, but I certainly agree that Laurie Halse Anderson has contributed much in the area of young adult literature.
Other awards are the Newbery Honor Books: “The Underneath” by Kathi Applet, illustrated by David Small and “After Tupac & D Foster” by Jacqueline Woodson. This book is on order so check the catalog next week.
The Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults went to Melina Marchetta, author of “Jellicoe Road.”
Finally, the Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults was writer and illustrator Kadir Nelson for “We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball,” written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
So what do you think of award books in general and these books in particular? I'd like to know.
