YES!
January 10th, 2011 by jules
(Click to enlarge.)
I can hardly contain my excitement, you all! The ALA Youth Media Awards were just announced, and I was particularly excited about the Caldecott. An Honor went to the mighty talented Bryan Collier for Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2010). I have this book in my to-be-read pile. Yes, that’s right. There is always one winner or Honor title chosen that I am clueless about or have yet to read, but how much do I love Collier’s work? A whole lot.
The other Honor? Interrupting Chicken (Candlewick, August 2010)! YES! I have been wishing for some kind of Caldecott nod for David Ezra Stein (here’s his 2008 7-Imp interview) for years now. He has been one-to-watch, and I suppose now he’s The Watched! Here’s the 7-Imp visit from June in which he shared early sketches and such.
And the winner (from Roaring Brook)?
How much do I want to hug every member of that committee right now? They’re smart people.
Here’s the July 2009 post in which Erin first told me and 7-Imp readers about Amos, sharing early sketches and her Amos-makin’ tools. (Some, but not all, of those images are re-posted below.)
And here’s the June-2010 visit in which she and her author/illustrator husband, Philip, visit and discuss the book a bit more. (Here is Philip’s June-2009 visit to 7-Imp.)
Big congratulations to all the winners, particularly Erin and Phil!
All images posted with permission of illustrators and recycled from earlier posts.
Thanks for all the background information on these incredibly talented folks! So exciting to see well-deserved recognition! Am thoroughly inspired and ready to build the world’s biggest snowperson!
Jules,
Since I’m no longer teaching a children’s literature course, I haven’t been keeping as current on the best children’s books–nor buying as many.
I’m going to have to get my hands on these books. They all look great!
*****
I have two big Monday kicks!
1. My good friend Grace Lin received a Geisel Honor Award for “Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!” I love that book!!!
2. Joyce Sidman received a Newbery Honor Award for “Dark Emperor.” I think I may be Joyce’s biggest admirer. I believe she is most deserving of this award.
Jessica, yes. Inspiring.
Elaine, yes, I’m super excited for Grace and Joyce, too. So well-deserved.
[…] Anyway, I didn’t do predictions this year because I was so unsure, but can I just direct you to my comment over at Jackie’s? Even though I got the Morris wrong (because I figured, hey, a fantasy has won the last two years! Should have stuck with what I said in the comments at Stacked, that I thought The Freak Observer had the most award-bait) and I thought there was no way Interrupting Chicken was going to win even a Caldecott honor. And when I have more time, I need to read the interviews with David Ezra Stein and Erin Stead at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. […]
Definitely an exciting morning! Hats off to you, too, for featuring these titles on your blog — even though you say you haven’t yet read Dave the Potter — it was here that I first heard about this book and swooned over the art. 🙂 Hooray for Amos McGee, and I know how much you were rooting for Interrupting Chicken!
Jama, yes, I included it in my Caldecott-ramblings post, since it was in response to Betsy’s. It was after that post I finally got a review copy, but I STILL NEED TO READ IT. For shame.
And, YES! I’ve been rooting for Stein for years. I knew, or at least I hoped, he’d get a Caldecott nod one day. He’s majorly talented, isn’t he?
And Amos! That book screamed SPECIALNESS back in ’09.
Always a fun day, yes? It’s hard to focus and get back to work now — the work-that-pays, that is.
I’m thrilled that Amos McGee won! Yay! 🙂 e
Great choices all around!
I’m especially thrilled that DARK EMPEROR won an honor. Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen have created one of the best children’s poetry books of all time — it was my choice for the Newbery Medal this year.
Huzzah!
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[…] Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast » Blog Archive » YES! blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=2062 – view page – cached I can hardly contain my excitement, you all! The ALA Youth Media Awards were just announced, and I was particularly excited about the Caldecott. An Honor went to the mighty talented Bryan Collier for Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, September 2010). I have this book in my to-be-read pile. Yes, that’s right. […]
[…] Youth Media Awards Live Blog [YALSA] ALA Award Yays! [Shaken & Stirred] YES! [Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast] Newbery/Caldecott 2011 or Well, How Awesome Was THAT? […]
I am so so happy about Amos McGee too! That book is really the loveliest thing.
Such an exciting day! I’m so glad that these books won–especially Amos McGee. I just love it.
[…] you should head straight to http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=2062#more-2062! Jules’ post about the awards is brilliant. Be sure to see her photos of Erin Stead’s […]