The American Library Association awards will be announced soon - and we can't wait! This year there are no front-runners for the major awards: The Caldecott, for best illustrated book, the Newbery, for best children's chapter book, and the Printz, for best teen novel.

But my colleague  Allison Murphy and I do have our favorites:  she is rooting for Gary Schmidt's OKAY FOR NOW to win the Newbery, and I am a booster of THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater for the Printz. We both wonder whether SWIRL by SWIRL, illustrated by Beth Krommes, will win the Caldecott.

The awards will be reported the morning of January 23.  Will our - or your - favorites win? Stay tuned!
Happy Reading - Mary Hoskinson Dean - Children's Dept Head