ALA Awards; Poetry Nuggets

The ALA, ALSC, and YALSA awards were announced this morning and you can get the full report here. I was lucky to serve on the Arbuthnot Committee (we chose Lois Lowry to deliver the next lecture) and we had front row seats at the press conference! As we celebrated each new announcement, I noted which of the winners and honor books were poetry books, of course. There were several (although not as many as I would have liked, given how many terrific poetry books were published this year, IMO). Here’s the list:

Once again, the Coretta Scott King Award committees selected poetry books for several distinctions. Langston Hughes was the big winner here!
CSK Illustrator Award
Charles R. Smith, Jr. for his dramatic photo-illustrations for Langston Hughes’ classic poem, My People

CSK Illustrator Honor
E. B. Lewis won an honor distinction (and only one Honor book was selected) for his evocative watercolor illustrations for another classic Langston Hughes’ poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Once again, the Pura Belpre Award committee included poetry books in its final list.
Diego, Bigger Than Life written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and illustrated by David Diaz won BOTH an Author Honor distinction AND an Illustrator Honor distinction.

TWO of Pat Mora’s poetic picture books were also recognized. Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El dia de lost ninos/El dia de los libros won the Illustrator Award for the art of Rafael Lopez and Gracias/Thanks won an Illustrator Honor distinction for the art of John Parra.

Finally, Federico García Lorca, by Georgina Lázaro, received Author Honors for Lázaro’s lyrical picture book biography-- entirely in Spanish.

(Isn’t it interesting that these two awards focusing on the cultural richness of the books, as well as their literary and artistic merit continue to recognize poetry as the best of the year?)

Finally, Caldecott honors went to another Joyce Sidman poetry collection! Pamela Zagarenski won for her illustrations for Joyce’s book, Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors.

Congratulations all around!

Next up: My list of poetry books to look for in 2010…

Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
Image credit: ala