Caldecott Medal

The Association for Library Service to Children has announced the annual Caldecott Medal.  The medal honors the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children.  Here's the list of current and past winners.

ALA Top Ten Young Adult Books

The American Library Association has announced their choices for the Top Ten Young Adult Books of 2012!

The Nutcracker Ballet by Vladimir Vagin

This book takes the story of the Nutcracker Ballet and makes it easier for children to understand. The story starts with Clara and her family on Christmas Eve. They all decorate a ginormous Christmas tree in honor of the night’s festivities. The children talk in hushed voices as they speculate what they will receive on Christmas Day. They eventually open presents of life-size dancing dolls and performers. Clara’s uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer, gives Clara a special gift, the Nutcracker. Jealous of the gift, Clara’s brother Fritz breaks the doll’s jaw. Heartbroken, Clara falls asleep cradling the Nutcracker in her arms. As she sleeps she is whisked away to the land of Sweets. With a timeless story and beautiful illustrations, The Nutcracker Ballet is sure to be a great read for children of all ages!

My 13th Season by Kristi Roberts

In My 13th Season, Fran Cullers has had some serious losses in the past year – her mom died in a car accident and her dad’s depression has pretty much taken him away, too. Fran does have a few things keeping her steady, though – her aunt Beth, her dad’s friend Slow, and most of all, baseball. Fran breathes baseball. She was a star on her old little league team, but this year got stuck on the Highwater Hardwares team. They are already a rough group of kids, but they are really out to get Fran. The coach is so adamant that a girl can’t play on his team that the sheriff has to come talk him into it. At first, Fran is determined to show them how good she is, but as the insults pile up, she decides to get back at them. Will her plan ruin things for the team or just ruin things for her?

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

I picked up The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde because I’ve read and liked the Thursday Next series and because the book got some great reviews. If you like Jasper Fforde’s oddball humor in his other books (or if you like Terry Pratchett), you’ll want to pick up The Last Dragonslayer.
Jennifer Strange is a foundling. She was abandoned on the steps of the convent of the Blessed Ladies of the Lobster as a baby and raised there. At 12, she was placed with Kazam Mystical Arts Management and is currently running the agency after the disappearance of its founder in a magic trick gone wrong.
Kazam is an employment agency for magicians that has fallen on hard times. Magic has been fading from the world and the magicians have grown less powerful as ambient magic has fallen. When magic starts to see a surge, strange events start to happen. The magicians with precognitive abilities all have a premonition that the last dragon will be slain in the next week. Jennifer sets off to find the Last Dragonslayer to see what she can do to prevent this from happening.

Barbara Kingsolver Read-Alikes

On the hold list for Barbara Kingsolver's new book Flight Behavior?  You might enjoy these while you wait. 

When Frankie Pratt graduates from high school in 1920, she receives a scrapbook and her father’s old Corona typewriter. She can’t wait to leave her small New Hampshire home town and take on the world as a writer, but of course complications ensue. Frankie’s experiences include education, heartbreak, encouragement, and decisions both misguided and brave. We get to be there every step of the way as she types up her journal entries for her scrapbook and includes letters, candy wrappers, fashion spreads, and ticket stubs for our archival pleasure. The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt is a quick and delightful read with images that bring her and her era to life.