The Uptown Branch children's librarian, Laura Jenkins, was very excited to be on the Newbery Award Committee for 2014. All during 2013, she read and read and read piles of books for children that authors and publishers hoped might win the award. (The list of books discussed by the committee is top secret and will never be revealed. But, if you're curious, she might show you the huge collection of free books she acquired over the year.) Then, on the last weekend in January, she spent two very long days and evenings hidden away in a conference room in Philadelphia discussing the best of the best of those books with the other 14 members of the committee.
Finally, late one night, the committee agreed that Flora & Ulysses was "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children" and awarded it the John Newbery Medal. It's a wonderful book for kids who love superheroes and comic books, kids who love funny books and kids who believe in the power of love. And, as its author, Kate DiCamillo, said when the committee called her at 6:30 in the morning to tell her she won, "It's a book about a squirrel!"
The committee also named four Newbery Honor Books. You'll learn about them in the next installment, and you might be amazed at another Chicago connection!
Check out all the Youth Media Award Winners.
