MARDI GRAS 2006

Yes, New Orleans is celebrating Mardi Gras this year. Most of the parades started last week, but will be finishing up on Tuesday, February 28, "Fat Tuesday". This day is also celebrated as Shrove Tuesday. Olney, England, has a famous Pancake Race on this day.

Some related activities for kids (and others) can be found at:
DLTK
Kid Craft Magazine
Enchanted Learning
Annie's Mardi Gras Page--links

Food is a big part of this day before Lent starts. At Mardi Gras celebrations it's King Cake; at Shrove Tuesday celebrations it's Pancakes or Paczki (Punchki).

MORE LITERARY AWARDS FROM ALA MIDWINTER, PART 2

Several more awards were announced at ALA's recent January Midwinter Meeting:

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award (for a distinguished informational book for children)
Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H.L. Hunley by Sally M. Walker (J 973.757 WAL)
Honor Book
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (J 943.086 BAR)

The Mildred L. Batchelder Award (given to an American publisher for a book translated into English from a book originally written in a foreign language)
An Innocent Soldier by Josef Holub; translated by Michael Hofmann (NEW YA HOL) [Arthur A. Levine Books]
Honor Books
Nicholas by Rene Goscinny & Jean-Jacques Sempe; translated by Anthea Bell (NEW J GOS) [Phaidon Press Limited]
When I Was a Soldier: A Memoir by Valérie Zenatti; translated by Adriana Hunter (NEW YA 956.9405 ZEN) [Bloomsbury Children's Books]

The May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award ("an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children's literature, of any country, who shall prepare a paper considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children's literature"; the lecture is given in April of the following year)
Kevin Henkes, author and illustrator

The Margaret A. Edwards Award (for a lifetime achievement in young adult literature)
Jacqueline Woodson

The Alex Awards (10 books written for adults that appeal to children from ages 12 through 18)
Midnight at the Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates
Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (NEW GAI)
As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway (GAL)
Never Let Me Go by Kauzo Ishiguro (ISH)
Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez (MAR)
The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick (NEW PAL)
My Jim by Nancy Rawles (RAW)
Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres (NEW 373.7293 SCH)
The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls (362.2923 WAL)

The (Andrew) Carnegie Award (for a distinguished children's video)
“The Man Who Walked Between the Towers”

MORE LITERARY AWARDS FROM ALA MIDWINTER, PART 1

Some lesser known awards in the field of children's literature were announced at the recent ALA Midwinter meeting:

The Michael L. Printz Award (for excellence in writing for young adults)
Looking for Alaska by John Green (YA GRE)
Honor Books
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan (YA LAN)
I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak (YA ZUS)
John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth, a Photographic Biography by Elizabeth Partridge (NEW YA BIO LEN) [also in Adult]
A Wreath for Emmett Till by
Marilyn Nelson (YA 811.54 NEL)

The Pura Belpre Illustrator Award (for a Latino illustrator celebrating/portraying Latino culture)
Dona Flor: Un Cuento de una Mujer Gigante con un Gran Corazon illustrated by Raul Colon (E Spanish MOR)
Honor Books
Arrorro, Mi Nino: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games illustrated by Lulu Delacre (J 468 ARR)
Cesar: Si, Se Puede!=Yes, We Can! illustrated by David Diaz (J 811.54 BER)
My Name Is Celia/Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/La Vida de Celia Cruz illustrated by Rafael Lopez

The Pura Belpre Author Award (for a Latino author celebrating/portraying Latino culture)
The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales (NEW YA CAN)
Honor Books
Cesar: Si, Se Puede!=Yes, We Can! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (J 811.54 BER)
Dona Flor: Un Cuento de una Mujer Gigante con un Gran Corazon by Pat Mora (E Spanish MOR)
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan (YA BOB RYA)

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award (new this year, given for "most distinguished beginning reader")
Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant (E RYL)
Honor Books
Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (NEW E ARN)
A Splendid Friend, Indeed by Suzanne Bloom (E BLO)
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman (E SIL)
Amanda Pig and the Really Hot Day by Jean Van Leeuwen (NEW E VAN)

The Schneider Family Book Award (for "artistic expression of the disability experience")
Dad, Jackie, and Me by Myron Uhlberg (E UHL) (for ages 0-10)
Tending to Grace by Kimberly Newton Fusco (YA FUS) (ages 11-13)
Under the Wolf, Under the Dog by Adam Rapp (YA RAP) (ages 13-18)

2006 CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARDS

Coretta Scott King, widow of assassinated activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, passed away earlier this week. Coincidentally, just last week, the 2006 winners of the Coretta Scott King Awards were announced at the recent ALA Midwinter Meeting. Since 1969, this annual award has been given to African American authors and illustrators whose works are outstandingly inspirational and educational, depicting the lives of African Americans of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This year, the winners are:

AUTHOR AWARD
Julius Lester for Day of Tears: a Novel in Dialogue (YA LES)

AUTHOR HONOR BOOKS
Tonya Bolden for Maritcha: A Remarkable Nineteenth Century American Girl (J 974.71 BOL)
Nikki Grimes for Dark Sons (NEW YA GRI)
Marilyn Nelson for A Wreath for Emmett Till (YA 811.54 NEL)

ILLUSTRATOR AWARD
Bryan Collier for Rosa by Nikki Giovanni (also a 2006 Caldecott Honor Book) (NEW J 323.092 GIO)

ILLUSTRATOR HONOR BOOK
R. Gregory Christie for Brothers in Hope: the Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan (NEW J WIL)

JOHN STEPTOE NEW TALENT AWARD--AUTHOR
Jaime Adoff for Jimi & Me (NEW YA ADO)