New Medal Winners Coming to the Library

 January is probably the most exciting month for us in the children’s department of the library. Not only do we celebrate the beginning of a new year, but it’s also the month where the majority of the book awards for children’s literature are announced. Most people know about the Newbery and Caldecott awards for children’s literature and illustration respectively, but fewer people know about the Pura Belpré award. This award celebrates outstanding children’s books from Latino and Latina writers and illustrators. At the library, I am so excited about the announcement of 2014 Pura Belpré award at the end of month, that I might charge you as you walk into the children’s section, waving a copy of Chato’s Kitchen – the book that won the first illustration medal in 1996. 

Last year, there were two great books that won the honor. For 2013, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe a novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz won the medal for narrative. In addition to the Pura Belpré, it won so many other awards, including a Lammy and a Printz honor. This book was phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 16 who is trying to discover themselves, figure out friendships and love or wanting to know how to tell the truth.


The book that won the award for illustrator David Diaz is Martín de Porres: the Rose in the Desert by Gary D. Schmidt. This biography tells the story of Martín de Porres, the first black saint in the Americas. If you look closely at the alcove near the circulation desk you can see a scene from the book. Check it out just to look at the pictures. It’s also a great biography to share as a bedtime story, because it’s a cool story than can be read in about ten minutes, though you will probably linger over the pictures.

Past years have also had great Pura Belpré medal and honor winning books, and many of these books are on display this month at the library. One of my favorites is Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match (Marisol McDonald no combina) by Monica Brown. This bilingual book is about a girl who doesn’t want to be the same as everybody else. Girls who like the Fancy Nancy books will love this book (and in my opinion, it’s ten times better, because Marisol just wants to be herself, and is not interested in being pretty). This would be a great bedtime story, and could be read in English or Spanish.

Another honor book that I think would appeal to boys is Maximilian: the Mystery of the Guardian Angel, a Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller by Xavier Garza. Max falls over the railing while his favorite wrestler, the Guardian Angel is wrestling. It turns out that Max is linked to his hero and his summer vacation gets turned into a wild ride! This book is great because the Spanish and English are side by side, meaning that you could read it entirely in English or entirely in Spanish or half and half.

In addition to the Pura Belpré winners, Caldecott and Newbery winners will also be announced in January. Past winners are on display in the children’s section of the library. If you remember a medal winner from your youth, check it out and share it with your kids. When the 2014 winners are announced, I’ll have a lot more books on my reading list and you’ll have another reason to come to the library.

Book Awards & Pre-literacy Kits

Library folks all across the country this past week eagerly awaited announcement of the American Library Association's annual book awards for children's and young adult books. A column written this time of year would not be complete without mention of the winners of those awards. Drum roll please…For the Caldecott award (outstanding picture book illustrations) went to A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka; the Newbery award (for outstanding chapter book) was presented to Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos; the Theodore Geisel award (outstanding easy reader book) went to Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider. Other categories include the Coretta Scott King Award which recognizes both an African American author and illustrator. The author award went to Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson, with Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom by Shane Evans capturing the illustrator award.

The Michael Printz, which is awarded to a young adult novel found a winner in Where Things Come Back by Corey Whaley. Pura Belpre' awards for both a Latino author and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience were given to Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Author accolades went to Guadalupe Garcia McCall for Under the Mesquite. These are just some of the award categories. Each category also recognized honorable mention books. What an honor to even be in contention for one of these prestigious awards!

This week's column will feature a highlight of a few of items that are beneficial to preschool-aged children. Several years ago, a special populations grant made possible the creation of 28 pre-literacy kits. Clear plastic backpacks were secured and items focusing on specific themes were gathered for each kit. The purpose of the kits was to assist parents in acquiring or reinforcing skills in their little ones which are necessary for success in school. An added bonus is that these kits contain some really fun things!

From your home computer, you can find out what each kit is by going to our website at www.lmlibrary.org. Across the top bar, click on 'Youth Pages' and select 'kids' corner'. Once you have that page open, scroll down the left side and select 'pre-literacy kits'. That page yields a brief description of each of the kits, but clicking on any title will bring up a full description, including the contents of the kit.

If you select the Insect kit, here is what you will find:

• The Insect kit features fact-based books and fun books which include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Waiting for Wings, In the Tall, Tall Grass, Bugs for Lunch, and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.


• Manipulatives found in the kit are Bugs Floor Puzzle, Old lady with all the things your child can help her swallow, Child figure with fly attached to yarn, Insect lacing set, and more.
  


• The two CDs in this kit are Four Baby Bumblebees and The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly. Also included are poems, rhymes, fingerplays, and songs. Each kit addresses certain skills.

The kits vary in the items they contain, but each has narrative guidelines for using the kit. This is just a starting off point to get adults going. Lots of other ideas will occur to parents as they use the kits. Each kit contains a number of items in Spanish, including the narrative guidelines. Ask at the circulation desk to see the notebook containing the list of pre-literacy kits. The kits may be checked out, one per patron, for a two-week period.

When the kits were created, the library formed a partnership with the Family Resource Center at Washington Elementary School. Ten of the kits may be accessed at their facility and are traded off with those at the library periodically.

As you look at the options in the left column of Kids' Corner, below pre-literacy kits is 'puppets'. The circulation desk also maintains a notebook showing all the puppets that are available for check out. Letting your child use his or her imagination through the puppets is a wonderful way to build narrative skills as he or she makes up stories with the puppet and stages presentations for family members. If your child makes a beeline for the in-house puppet collection every time you come to the library, why not check out one to take home? Even if your child hasn't expressed interest, why not give one a try? One more thing, be sure to mark your calendar for March 3 and the Children's Healthy Fun Fair. This will be the ninth year for the event which will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ag Building on the Seward County Fairgrounds. See you at the Children's Healthy Fun Fair and at Memorial Library!

Book Awards

Greetings! Hope you had a happy Kansas Day on Saturday, as our fair state turned 150 years old. A highly celebrated day for the library world took place recently as well. The Academy Awards of the children's book world were announced, which is always a big deal inside these walls.

Here's a bit about some of the awards. The Newbery award goes to the author of the most distinguished contribution to children's literature. The medal winner this year was somewhat of a dark horse. It is Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. The thing that has Kansans excited is that the book's author is a Kansan and the story takes place in our state!

The American Library Association, who is responsible for awarding this winner and others, shares a bit about this book.

The 2011 Newbery Medal winner is Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. The town of Manifest is based on Frontenac, Kan., the home of debut author Clare Vanderpool's maternal grandparents. Vanderpool was inspired to write about what the idea of "home" might look like to a girl who had grown up riding the rails. Vanderpool lives in Wichita with her husband and four children.

The Caldecott award goes to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2011 Caldecott Medal winner is A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead and written by Philip C. Stead. In this tender tale of reciprocity and friendship, zookeeper Amos McGee gets the sniffles and receives a surprise visit from his caring animal friends. Erin Stead's delicate woodblock prints and fine pencil work complement Philip Stead's understated, spare and humorous text to create a well-paced, gentle and satisfying book, perfect for sharing with friends.

The Theodor Geisel award goes to the most distinguished American book for beginning readers written in English. That medal goes to Bink and Gollie, written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGee and illustrated by Tony Fucile. Bink and Gollie provides a clever peek into the lives of dissimilar friends celebrating the ups and downs of their daily escapades in three lively chapters. Bink and Gollie explore the rocky terrain of compromise, asserting independence, and jealousy, yet their friendship remains steadfast.

Non-fiction books are not left out of the awards. The Robert F. Sibert award covers that category. The medal 2011 Medal Winner is Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Bird, written by Sy Montgomery and illustrated by Nic Bishop. Kakapo Rescue is an inspiring call to action. This visually appealing and engaging book takes readers on an unforgettable journey to New Zealand. Naturalist Sy Montgomery and wildlife photographer Nic Bishop document the successes and failures of the rescue team dedicated to saving a species of flightless parrot numbering fewer than 100.

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience. Author Award Winner is One Crazy Summer, written by Rita Williams-Garcia, which tells the story of 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters as they travel to Oakland, California in 1968 to face the emotional challenge of reaching out to a distant mother and learn about a different side of the Civil Rights Movement. Themes of friendship, family and identity intertwine with broader social issues in this compelling historical novel.

Illustrator award in this category goes to Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill. Dave, a slave in 19th century South Carolina, demonstrated extraordinary talent and skill to achieve creative success. At a time when it was illegal for slaves to read and write, the eloquent poetry on Dave's remarkable pots provided inspiration and hope to those who had none.

The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. Illustrator award was given to Grandma's Gift, illustrated and written by Eric Velasquez. Grandma's Gift is a personal tale based on Velasquez's special relationship with his abuela who influenced his dream of becoming an artist. Velasquez's penchant for details and use of oil on watercolor papers complements his amazing use of color and light to reflect the mood of the characters.

Author award goes to The Dreamer, written by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Perter Sís, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. The Dreamer masterfully imagines the magic-filled youth of Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda. Through her skillful use of language inspired by Neruda's work, Muñoz Ryan weaves this stunning tale of a young boy's discovery of self and the development of his ideologies and artistic voice.

In addition to all these great winners, each category has honor books as well. The library maintains a listing of both the winning titles and the honor books at the children's desk. Stop by and check out these great titles.

Another thing worth checking out is a number of new music cd's. The grant mentioned in an earlier column allowed the purchase of music for little ones by Ella Jenkins, Raffi, and Jim Gill, as well as some great fitness materials. Americans are becoming increasingly aware that childhood obesity is a national epidemic. The healthy approach taken by these music cd's makes the topic fun for youngsters. Titles to look for include Physical Ed, Catch a Brain Wave Fitness Fun, Nutricise, Cool Aerobics for Kids. Â Come on in and check out what's new. See you at Memorial Library!