2019 ALA Youth Media Awards: the Redeemed Reader Team Reacts

This morning, the American Library Association (ALA) announced its Youth Media Awards. The ALA also welcomed awards announcements for titles awarded by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association and the Association of Jewish Libraries. It will include announcements from the American Indian Library Association on even years when those awards are traditionally awarded.

The Redeemed Reader team all watched the awards announcements live this morning and had a hopping Slack channel chat going while we also frantically put books on hold at our respective libraries. We’re thrilled to report that all but one of our Newbery Buzz titles this year got some awards love, even though only one garnered Newbery attention. The actual Newbery winner was one we included in our second “Books We Didn’t Love” round-up. Overall, we were quite pleased that some of our favorites got some well-deserved attention!

Below are some snippets of our chat conversation this morning. It’s a peek behind the curtain! We’ve also updated our Prognostication post. {links are to books we’ve reviewed/discussed}

About the Asian/Pacific Awards:

betsy [8:08 AM]
Drawn Together: Asian Pacific picture book winner.
Front Desk for children’s lit–ha! Wonder how much that book will draw in today

janie [8:14 AM]
I liked Front Desk more than I thought I would–too many omg’s though

About the Sidney-Taylor Awards (Jewish):

hayley92 [8:14 AM]
Have any of you read the All of a Kind Family Hanukkah?

janie [8:14 AM]
All of a Kind Hannakah would be worth reviewing–heard good things about it.

betsy [8:14 AM]
SWEEP
!!!

hayley92 [8:14 AM]
YAY!!!!!!

janie [8:15 AM]
Maybe a good morning for Sweep
Heads up, Hayley–might want to take note of some of these teen reads

betsy [8:15 AM]
just requested the hanukkah one

mesaben [8:16 AM]
Can’t compare with the originals. [about the All-of-a-Kind Family title]

janie [8:16 AM]
It’s a picture book

mesaben [8:16 AM]
I know, but still..
What did Sweep win?

betsy [8:17 AM]
maybe it will help re-ignite enthusiasm for the older titles? [again, about the All-of-a-Kind Family title]

hayley92 [8:17 AM]
The Sydney Taylor award! [About Sweep]

mesaben [8:17 AM]
Oh, cool!

About Schneider Award (for portrayals of disabilities):

janie [8:19 AM]
Maybe Inkling
Never heard of Rescue & Jessica

betsy [8:20 AM]
me either!

janie [8:20 AM]
But dogs are a sure-fire story seller

betsy [8:20 AM]
I don’t know The Collectors, either!
Mason Buttle….
(which I didn’t read)

janie [8:21 AM]
I did–it’s good but has some problems. Included it in a roundup
Mason Buttle is a newbery contender too

betsy [8:22 AM]
I remember your post about it.
You might have nailed it this year, Janie!
Anyone know about Anger is a Gift?

hayley92 [8:22 AM]
Nope!

janie [8:22 AM]
Don’t like that title

betsy [8:23 AM]
That’s what my kids are saying!
(They’re watching with me)

janie [8:23 AM]
Too much anger in the culture

hayley92 [8:23 AM]
Exactly!

janie [8:23 AM]
That’s a quote from someone–I’ve heard it recently

About the Stonewall Awards (for LGBTQ portrayals):

betsy [8:24 AM]
i bet: Julian is a Mermaid or Prince and the Dressmaker

janie [8:24 AM]
If Cardboard Kingdom places here, we’ll know the LGBT message was clear

betsy [8:24 AM]
Ha–yes Janie!
nailed it
(Julian is a Mermaid)

hayley92 [8:26 AM]
You were right

betsy [8:27 AM]
haven’t heard of Hurricane Child. Anyone else?

hayley92 [8:27 AM]
No, I haven’t. Lovely cover, I would pick that up

janie [8:28 AM]
I think I skimmed the blurb and passed on it.

About the Coretta Scot King Awards (for African American author/illustrators):

betsy [8:28 AM]
Oooh. CSK awards are up!

hayley92 [8:29 AM]
Oooh, exciting!

janie [8:30 AM]
Go, Styx! I’m betting on Looking for Langston, though

hayley92 [8:30 AM]
Yes, Styx!!!

betsy [8:30 AM]
Ooh–yes!
(to your votes)

betsy [8:33 AM]
just put thank you, omg on hold
Ha! not omg… OMU

hayley92 [8:33 AM]
LOL!

janie [8:33 AM]
Sounds like a good one to review

betsy [8:34 AM]
the YA one sounds dark and scary! Not my type….
Hayley, it’s all you :slightly_smiling_face:

hayley92 [8:34 AM]
Ugh. Why would we want to read this?
It sounds so depressing

betsy [8:35 AM]
love R Gregory Christie and Ekua Holmes!!!!!!!!

mesaben [8:35 AM]
Watching with the boys!!

betsy [8:35 AM]
I call those books :slightly_smiling_face:

hayley92 [8:35 AM]
I love the dibs 🙂

janie [8:36 AM]
I reviewed The Stuff of Stars

betsy [8:36 AM]
(I’m still checking it out–I knew you’d looked at it)
Janie: look!!!!!!!

hayley92 [8:36 AM]
Finding Langston

betsy [8:36 AM]
Styx and Finding Langston!

hayley92 [8:36 AM]
Styx. Styx. Oh please
Yay!!!!!
Anyone read this winner?

janie [8:37 AM]
We covered all the honor books.

betsy [8:37 AM]
We’re on it!
(And we didn’t review them as “CSK” books, just good books–which I’m glad for

betsy [8:38 AM]
I’ve got the picture books on hold–and I’ll link to Janie’s review of the one)

hayley92 [8:38 AM]
What was the winner again?

betsy [8:38 AM]
Few Red Drops, I think

hayley92 [8:39 AM]
Requested it . . . I’m curious!

About Alex Awards (adult titles that crossover to the teen market):

hayley92 [8:41 AM]
Spinning Silver was good!

betsy [8:41 AM]
Have you reviewed it? :slightly_smiling_face:

janie [8:41 AM]
Review it, Hayley (Spinning silver)

hayley92 [8:41 AM]
Not yet since it was adult
Can do though
It didn’t have huge cautions
Fascinating fairytale retelling

janie [8:42 AM]
Educated: a Memoir is hostile to Christians, if I remember right. I’ll check

About Margaret A. Edwards Award (to an author):

betsy [8:42 AM]

MT Anderson! Interesting….
Janie, maybe it’s time we discuss FEED

janie [8:43 AM]
I agree–Octavian Nothing is nothing, in my opinion

mesaben [8:43 AM]
Loved the first Octavin Nothing. Couldn’t finish the second.

janie [8:43 AM]
I agree about Feed, that is.

betsy [8:43 AM]
He’s so unpredictable (as in, whether I’ll like his books or not). I thought Feed was so thought-provoking

janie [8:44 AM]
He’s consistently interesting

hayley92 [8:44 AM]
I’m intrigued. Haven’t read him yet -confession
Ooh, the Odyssey award

About the Odyssey Award (for audio):

betsy [8:45 AM]
Huh. Parker Inheritance gets an Odyssey honor.

janie [8:45 AM]
I listened to it–it was good but not outstanding

hayley92 [8:46 AM]
Can’t say Sadie sounds fun
But in the podcast world, I can see why . . .

janie [8:46 AM]
Sadie won an Edgar award last week, too

betsy [8:47 AM]
people dig creepy and thriller types

hayley92 [8:47 AM]
Not me!!!

betsy [8:47 AM]
we’re listening to Dracula as a family. That’s about the extent of what I can take

About Morris Award (1st time authors):

hayley92 [8:47 AM]
Morris, any guesses??
Children of Blood and Bone
Written about that one

janie [8:49 AM]
I read Check Please–too much language. I thought about reading Darius, but didn’t get around to it.

hayley92 [8:50 AM]
And Children of Blood and Bone had way too much violence and YA issues

About YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction:

janie [8:50 AM]
Faithful Spy is in this group

betsy [8:50 AM]
yea!!!!! Faithful Spy!

mesaben [8:50 AM]
Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

betsy [8:50 AM]
just picked up Hey Kiddo last week!
Unwanted–I’m about to review that one! It’s a book club pick for my kids

janie [8:51 AM]
I liked it–got lots of language though (Hey Kiddo)

betsy [8:52 AM]
Unwanted is an interesting parallel to Illegal and another graphic novel I’m going to review about refugees. I don’t think Unwanted is the best of the three. Hmm…

janie [8:52 AM]
Prinz prediction: Hey Kiddo

About the Printz Award (for young adults):

betsy [8:53 AM]
anyone read Poet X? I’m betting it gets some Pura Belpre love, too.

janie [8:54 AM]
Okay, the Poet X is a good one too. I read it–will review

janie [8:54 AM]
Some language in The Poet, but it’s very thoughtful

hayley92 [8:55 AM]
I want to read it, too

About Pura Belpre Awards (for Latinx Authors/Illustrators):

janie [8:55 AM]
Merci Suarez for Belpre, I’ll bet

betsy [8:55 AM]
ooh, good call

betsy [8:59 AM]
Ha! I called the Poet X even without reading it 😉

betsy [8:59 AM]
I’ve never heard of that honor book: They Call me Guero

About Batchelder Award (books in translation):

betsy [9:02 AM]
Batchelder….
I don’t know these at all I’m sure!

mesaben [9:02 AM]
Kuhlmann is good.

betsy [9:03 AM]
which one was that? (I just wrote titles)

hayley92 [9:03 AM]
Edison

janie [9:04 AM]
Edison sounds good

mesaben [9:04 AM]
My Beijing looks interesting, too.

About Sibert Medal (for nonfiction):

betsy [9:04 AM]
Butterflies and Faithful Spy!! HOPES….

betsy [9:04 AM]
(for Sibert)
Spooked!!

betsy [9:05 AM]
I have We Are Grateful out from library–like it a lot

janie [9:05 AM]
Yay for Spooked!

mesaben [9:05 AM]
Henry approves Spooked!!

betsy [9:06 AM]
woo hoo!!! Girl Who Drew Butterflies!
Ladies, we’ve covered a LOT of the award titles so far. way to go.

mesaben [9:06 AM]
Woo-hoo!!! No way!

hayley92 [9:06 AM]
Cool!!!!

mesaben [9:07 AM]
But…Faithful Spy?!

betsy [9:07 AM]
It got some YALSA Exc in Nonfiction love

About Early Learning Digital Media Awards:

mesaben [9:08 AM]
Not impressed with the Early Learning Digital Media awards.

hayley92 [9:09 AM]
Me neither

janie [9:09 AM]
ALA enters the electronic age!

mesaben [9:09 AM]
Meh.

hayley92 [9:09 AM]
Blah

About the Childre’s Literature Legacy Award (formally, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award):

betsy [9:09 AM]
[Walter Dean] Myers is top notch, even though some of his books are hard reads.

mesaben [9:09 AM]
The award formerly known as Laura Ingalls Wilder.

betsy [9:10 AM]
yes Megan–I’d forgotten!

hayley92 [9:10 AM]
I wish it still was

hayley92 [9:10 AM]
We need to start our own

Geisel Award (easy readers):

betsy [9:10 AM]
I’m out of the Geisel award field these days.

hayley92 [9:10 AM]
Du is Tak

mesaben [9:11 AM]
I read Fox+Chick!

betsy [9:12 AM]
Are you familiar with any of the others, Megan?
You’ve got plenty of readers in this range :slightly_smiling_face:

hayley92 [9:12 AM]
Is this saying the fox is becoming a tiger?!

hayley92 [9:13 AM]
Just listening to the description and wondering

betsy [9:13 AM]
I don’t know

hayley92 [9:13 AM]
Sounds suspicious

betsy [9:13 AM]
drumroll for the biggies

About the Caldecotts:

mesaben [9:13 AM]
Big Mooncake–yay!

betsy [9:14 AM]
I really like Grace Lin and Brian Lies
Megan!!! Hello Lighthouse!

mesaben [9:15 AM]
Wahoo!!!!!!

betsy [9:15 AM]
man, Sophie Blackall always gets some love

janie [9:16 AM]
That’s good–she ran into some trouble with that blackberry dessert book but didn’t back down

mesaben [9:16 AM]
Yay!!!

Newbery Awards:

janie [9:16 AM]
We haven’t seen many duplicate yet–that’s unusual

betsy [9:16 AM]
night diary?! Wow….
Janie–you are ON IT this year!!! Book of Boy!

hayley92 [9:17 AM]
Book of Boy!!!!!!

janie [9:17 AM]
Sweet!! Book of boy

betsy [9:18 AM]
BOO to Merci Suarez. (not b/c I’ve read it but because it’s not Sweep or Styx)

janie [9:18 AM]
Not my pick. Merci Suarez is nice but not outstanding

hayley92 [9:18 AM]
Exactly

hayley92 [9:18 AM]
But we did want Styx to win
And Sweep

hayley92 [9:20 AM]
Off to talk books with my interested cousin now!

mesaben [9:25 AM]
It was fun! Boys enjoyed it too.

betsy [10:14 AM]
my kids did, too!