If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that I was super excited that the American Library Association Midwinter conference was this weekend in Seattle. It was super exciting and lots of fun hanging out with other librarians for the weekend, listening to authors talk and talking books with publishers. I scored lots of good books and ARC’s and can’t wait to dive into them.
The highlight of the conference was of course the Youth Media Awards. It was so exciting to see them announced in real time and in person and then to walk the exhibit hall and see all of the excited authors and publishers who won. Many books are given awards, (the whole thing took over an hour to announce) but I think this is the first year where I haven’t read at least one book on any of the lists, except for a few picture books. There were even a couple of books that I haven’t even heard or seen before. A bit of a shocker there.
If you want to check out the whole list you can go to the ALA Awards page to see if your favorites have won. Although I have not yet read any of the these books, many of them had been on my TBR and now that they are award winners they have jumped up the list a little.
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
Corretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award.
I’m not sure why I haven’t read this one yet. I love a good mystery and this one sounds very intriguing. A missing girl that know one remembers when they saw her last? I also remember seeing a lot of good reviews of it when it came out, but some how it fell off the radar for me.
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Odessey Award for best audiobook.
Another mystery/thriller that I had on my radar, but after hearing how emotional the book was I kept putting it off. But now it has won this award so I am up for reading it again. It sounds like they used a full cast narration and at least from the little snippet they played at the awards it sounds awesome. I have already put it on hold at the library.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
William C. Morris Award for a debut book written for teens
The reason I haven’t read this one is simple, it’s long and I heard that it was hard to get into. But once you get past the first few chapters it is suppose to be really good. I think the hype around this one also got to me a little bit. I watched the author’s acceptance speech later in the morning after the announcements and I really liked her, so now having heard her talk about the book and her journey has made me more interested in reading it.
Check, Please! #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazzu
William C. Morris Award for a debut book written for teens.
I’m not one to read graphic novels, so this one wasn’t on my TBR, but when I heard this author talk about how she came to write this book, I got really interested in reading it. If you get a chance to hear her talk, I recommend trying your hardest to go because she was fabulous.
And now, just because I know you are dying to know, the winners of the Printz and Newbery Awards. (I have seen these around and had them on the radar but have not read them)
Newberry Medal: Merci-Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Printz Award: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Final thoughts on the awards:
Lots of the books were diverse in not only their topics but the authors as well. Even the categories that don’t celebrate diversity had very diverse stories on their lists. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Confessions of a Serial Reader 
I can’t wait to read Sadie!!
Erica | Erica Robyn Reads
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