Awards Round Up from The Well-Read Librarian

As I am subscribed to the newsletter of the The Well-Read Librarian, I get information on new books and readers services for Children and Young Adults. This week, I got a list of recommended books that won awards by readers and literacy groups. This is a good source for collection development geared towards the reading habits and readership of young people and those who take care and mentor them. It's amazing how reading groups continue to support the book industry. Such initiatives firm up and keep the robustness of the book industry.

The Goddard-CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice recognizes nonfiction books published in 2022 for children and teens related to life and issues that support values such as community, equality, opportunity, mutual understanding, respect, caring, and justice – in accordance with Goddard Riverside’s mission. The winning book will be announced at Goddard Riverside’s Annual Gala on October 13.

The Skipping Stones Honor Awards recommend outstanding multicultural and nature books every year. The honored titles offer various perspectives, and help us understand our diverse cultures, societies and their histories, as well as why people migrate for readers of all ages—from beginners to high schoolers, and educators.

The 2022 San Francisco Book Festival is an annual program celebrating the best books of the spring season and considers non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, compilations/anthologies, young adult, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, business, history, wild card, gay, photography/art, poetry, unpublished, technology and spiritual/religious works.

The Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award was established by the Arkansas Elementary School Council in 1998 to encourage reading for students in Grades K-3. The name of the award reflects that Arkansas is the only diamond producing state. The Arkansas Diamond Award winner is selected by an annual vote. Student voting takes place in May each year.

International Latino Book Awards recognizes greatness in literature. Honoring authors, translators, and illustrators for their books written either in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

The Judy Lopez Memorial Award, established in 1985, honors authors who create works of literary excellence for children nine to twelve years old. The award is in remembrance of Judy Lopez who was a founding member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association.

The state of Texas has a long tradition of serving as a setting for and inspiring great storytelling. Honoring that tradition, the Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards were established in 1991 to recognize the year’s best among those stories and to celebrate the exceptional writers behind them.

The Sakura Medal program brings together students from international schools across Japan each year to vote for their favorite books. The mission of the Sakura medal award program is to create a community of lifelong readers in international schools in Japan, aiming for a diverse selection of fantastic and engaging books.

The Kids’ Book Choice Awards (previously the Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards) are the only national book awards voted on solely by kids and teens. Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, the awards provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them.

The Missouri Readers Awards encourage students in grades one through twelve to explore new literary genres, to recognize excellence in writing and illustrating, and to experience the joy of literature.

An Award for Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories

The book I co-wrote with Dianne de Las Casas, Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories (Libraries Unlimited, USA 2011) won The Storytelling World Resource Award 2015 for Category 6: Storytelling Resources. The full list of winners can be viewed in the  Storytelling World website where you will find winners and honor books in different categories. I am amazed reading the titles of books included in the list because it shows diversity, global mindedness and multicultural perspective. For our work to be recognized by a host of credible judges and experts in the field is a great honor.

I am still reeling from this surprising news weeks after I learned about it. The book project came at a time when my family and I lost almost everything to typhoon Ondoy (2009). Working on the book with Dianne was a cathartic experience. Stories, indeed, have a way of healing the spirit.

The Storytelling World Resource Award is meant to help storytellers, librarians, teachers and parents choose stories to read aloud and perform in schools and libraries or simply be told in the comfort of one's home.

Throwback Thursday: The Pilar Perez Medallion (c. 2000)

Once upon a time, a Filipino Librarian inspired literacy advocates with her work on children's and young adult library services that her name was immortalized to award books for young adult readers. Thus, the Pilar Perez Medallion came to be. Notable winners of the medallion were Eugene Evasco's Anina ng Mga Alon, Mga Ako by Amalia Salamat; Ang Lihim ng San Esteban by Annette Flores Garcia.

Sadly, the award was short lived. That, my librarian friends, is another story.

So, for this blog's Throwback Thursday, and PBBY's initiative on the KABANATA Workshop, I asked permission from Ms. Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, NBDB Chairperson, to post her article on the Pilar Perez Medallion. She graciously agreed, so here it is.

The article was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer in November 6, 2000.

The 2nd Filipino ReaderCon: United We Read

The 2nd Filipino ReaderCon: United We Read is on August 18, 2012 at the Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati City, held in partnership with Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL) and National Book Development Board (NBDB). 

For details of the program, you can visit the site. Just click the highlighted link. What makes this different from last year's ReaderCon is the launching of the Filipino Reader' Choice Awards (FRCA). From the blog, the Filipino RCA seeks to

engage the Filipino reading public in honoring their favorite Philippine-published titles. An initiative of the Filipino Book Bloggers Group, the Filipino RCA was established to develop awareness and appreciation of Philippine literature; recognize the reader’s role in creating the meaning and experience of a literary work; and give the readers a voice in the Philippine book industry.

Nomination forms are available online. What I like about this award is that, it is the reader, or for this matter, the collective Pinoy reader who makes the choice. I'm excited to know who the winners will be in the categories that the organizers conjured:

• Children’s picture book
• Chick lit
• Novel in English
• Novel in Filipino
• Comics / Graphic novels
• Short story anthology
• Essay anthology
• Poetry 

 In light of this event, yes, I am delighted because readers should respond actively on the books and materials that they engage in and encounter. The exercise promotes thinking. Engagement in book discussions and book talks affect the creative process of book making. Then again, how I wish school librarians can also begin an activity like this. Or, perhaps, as "keepers" of books and information, school librarians can set up small book award events in their learning communities as a way to celebrate reading, bringing books closer to children and teens. 

SR Ranganathan's law, books are for use, stands on firm legs in this digital age.

The 2012 ALA Award Winners and Honors

Thanks to Jennifer Nelson Saracevic for the list of winners and honors of the 2012 American Library Association Award.

John Newbery Medal
“Dead End in Norvelt,” written by Jack Gantos
Two Newbery Honor Books also were named:
"Inside Out & Back Again," written by Thanhha Lai
"Breaking Stalin’s Nose,” written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

Randolph Caldecott Medal
“A Ball for Daisy," illustrated and written by Chris Raschka
Three Caldecott Honor Books also were named:
“Blackout,” illustrated and written by John Rocco
"Grandpa Green" illustrated and written by Lane Smith
“Me … Jane,” illustrated and written by Patrick McDonnell

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:
“Where Things Come Back,” written by John Corey Whaley
Four Printz Honor Books also were named:
“Why We Broke Up,” written by Daniel Handler, art by Maira Kalman
“The Returning,” written by Christine Hinwood
“Jasper Jones,” written by Craig
“The Scorpio Races,” written by Maggie Stiefvater

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award
Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans”
Two King Author Honor Book recipients were selected:
Eloise Greenfield, author of “The Great Migration: Journey to the North,” illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Patricia C. McKissack, author of “Never Forgotten,” illustrated by Leo and Diane

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:
Shane W. Evans, illustrator and author of “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
One King Illustrator Honor Book recipient was selected:
Kadir Nelson, illustrator and author of “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans”
Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement:
Ashley Bryan is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime achievement

Schneider Family Book Award
The Jury chose not to award a book in the category for children ages 0 – 8 because no submissions were deemed worthy of the award.
Two books were selected for the middle school award (ages 9 – 13):
“Close to famous,” written by Joan Bauer
“Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures,” written by Brian Selznick
The teen (ages 14-18) award winner is “The Running Dream,” written by Wendelin Van Draanen

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences:
• “Big Girl Small,” by Rachel DeWoskin
• “In Zanesville,” by Jo Ann Beard
• “The Lover’s Dictionary,” by David Levithan
• “The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens,” by Brooke Hauser
• “The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern
• “Ready Player One,” by Ernest Cline
• “Robopocalypse: A Novel,” by Daniel H. Wilson
• “Salvage the Bones,” by Jesmyn Ward
• “The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures,” by Caroline Preston
• “The Talk-Funny Girl,” by Roland Merullo

Margaret A. Edwards Award
Susan Cooper is the 2012 Edwards Award winner
“Over Sea, Under Stone”
“The Dark Is Rising”
“Greenwitch”
“The Grey King”
“Silver on the Tree”