Well, Allison and I were - once again - poor prognosticators of the American Library Association's children's literature awards - but we were still happy about the winners.
Chris Raschka's A BALL FOR DAISY won the Caldecott for the best illustrated book of 2011. This wordless melodrama for toddlers about a puppy who loses his ball is enlivened by Raschka's trademark squiggly figures and will be a wonderful lapsit book for any child and grownup.
OK, we dare you to read DEAD END IN NORVELT, the Newbery Award winner for the best children's novel of 2011, without guffawing at least once! Jack Gantos has focused on one special summer of his childhood in the dying town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, when he assisted his neighbor in preparing obituaries of the town's founders. Apparently this turned out be a weird, funny - and continually embarrassing - experience, which Gantos has made into a compulsively readable story.
The Printz Award for the best 2011 novel for teens went to John Corey Whaley for his first book, WHERE THINGS COME BACK. It's another tale about a boy's life in a small town, this one in Arkansas, but comedy is only one of its many attractions. Tragedy, suspense, religion, love, mystery all intertwine in a story that rewards your reading to the last word.
Next time you're in the library, take a look at the bulletin board outside my office. Now posted there are all the 2011 award winners and notable children's books lists. You're sure to get some ideas for great reading!
Mary Hoskinson-Dean
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