2009 Newbery and Caldecott Winners

Back in January I attended the American Library Association mid-winter meeting held in Denver, CO, where I sat in for the very huge press conference where the 2009 Newbery and Caldecott winners were announced. While this post is a few months past being posted, it's never too late to show of this year's winners. The Tigard Public Library owns multiple copies of each of these books. Read a winning book today!

The winner of the 2009 Newbery Award is:

The Graveyard Book written by Neil Gaiman

A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, the tale of Nobody Owens is told in magical, haunting prose. A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens.

The 2009 Newbery honor books include:

The Underneath written by Kathy Appelt

Underneath the canopy of the loblolly pines, amid the pulsating sounds of the swamp, there lies a tale. Intertwining stories of an embittered man, a loyal hound, an abandoned cat and a vengeful lamia sing of love, loss, loneliness and hope. Appelt's lyrical storytelling heightens the distinguished characteristics of this work.

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom written by Margarita Engle

This book utilizes compelling free verse in alternating voices to lyrically tell the story of Cuba's three wars for independence from Spain. Combining real-life characters (such as legendary healer Rosa La Bayamesa) with imagined individuals, Engle focuses on Rosa's struggle to save everyone--black, white, Cuban, Spanish, friend or enemy.

Savvy written by Ingrid Law

This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. Newcomer Law weaves a magical tall tale, using vivid language and lively personalities, all bouncing their way to a warm, satisfying conclusion.

After Tupac and D Foster written by Jacquline Woodson

This tightly woven novel looks back on two years in a New York City neighborhood, where life changes for two 11-year-olds when a new girl joins their game of double Dutch. Bonded by Tupac's music, the three girls explore the lure of freedom and build a friendship that redefines their own identities.

The John Newbery Award is awarded to a U.S. author for the most distinguished contribution to American children's literature (up to age 14).

The winner of the 2009 Caldecott Award is:

The House in the Night written by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes Richly

Detailed black-and-white scratchboard illustrations expand this timeless bedtime verse, offering reassurance to young children that there is always light in the darkness. Krommes' elegant line, illuminated with touches of golden watercolor, evoke the warmth and comfort of home and family, as well as the joys of exploring the wider world.


The 2009 Caldecott honor books include:

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever written and illustrated by Marla Frazee

In lively, detailed, subtly retro cartoons, Frazee gently pokes fun at adult expectations and captures the unbounded joy of two friends experiencing a parent-free summer adventure.

How I Learned Geography written and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz

Recounting memories of his family's flight from the Warsaw Blitz and his years as a refugee during World War II, Shulevitz employs watercolor and ink to depict a boy liberated from his dreary existence through flights of fancy inspired by the map his father buys in the village market.

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams written by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Sweet's mixed-media collage and primitive watercolors flow seamlessly with Bryant's prose to reveal the important bits and pieces of Williams' ordinary, yet extraordinary, life as a doctor and poet.

The Randolph Caldecott Award is awarded to a U.S. illustrator to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.