The Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the best of LGBT books. Winners will be announced in May. Here is their shortlist for Best LGBT Children’s/Young Adult:
Christian the Hugging Lion by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Amy June Bates
God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya, illustrated by Juliana Neufeld
Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Love Drugged by James Klise
Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
The 2011 shortlist for the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature has been announced. The Australian prize is offered for “a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for children up to secondary school level.”
Here is the shortlist:
Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood (available in US)
Mirror by Jeannie Baker (available in US)
My Australian Story: The Hunt for Ned Kelly by Sophie Masson
Shrieking Violet by Emma Quay
The Three Loves of Persimmon by Cassandra Golds
Where There’s Smoke by John Heffernan
Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature is given for “a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for young people of secondary school level.”
The FitzOsbornes in Exile: The Montmaray Journals 2 by Michelle Cooper (published in the US on April 5, 2011)
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Saltwater Vampires by Kirsty Eagar
Big River, Little Fish by Belinda Jeffrey
The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta (available in US)
Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty (available in US)
School Library Journal is once again running their very fun competition: Battle of the Kids’ Books. It pits 16 of the very best books for children and teens from 2010 against one another. The judges are some of the top names in children’s books.
You can check out all the details at their website.
Right now, you can participate in The Undead Poll where you can vote to bring one previously eliminated book back into the competition. And man, there are some great books waiting for you to rescue them!
Round One begins on March 14th. Enjoy!
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) have announced the nominees for the 2010 Nebula Awards. The award winners will be announced on May 21, 2011. The awards include the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. Here are the nominees for best novel and for best YA:
Novel
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
Echo by Jack McDevitt
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by NK Jemisin
The Native Star by MK Hobson
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld (my review)
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (my review)
Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (my review)
White Cat by Holly Black (my review)
The short list for the 2010 LA Times Book Prize has been announced. The five finalists in the Young Adult Literature category are:
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
Sugar Changed the World: a Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom and Science by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos
Wicked Girls: a Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill
Congratulations to all of the Cybils winners! It was my pleasure to work on the final judging panel for the YA category this year. I’m afraid with my new job, I was not as involved as I usually am, but I know we came up with a great pick! The panel was a treat to work with and I thank them all for their patience in dealing with my divided attention.
Here are the winners:
Fiction Picture Books 
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein (my review)
Nonfiction Picture Books
The Extraordinary Life of Mark Twain (According to Susy) by Barbara Kerley (my review)
Easy Readers
We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems
Short Chapter Books
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Miguel Benitez
Poetry
Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josee Masse (my review)
Graphic Novels
Meanwhile by Jason Shiga (my review)
Middle Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Shadows by Jacqueline West (my review)
Middle Grade Fiction
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Young Adult Nonfiction
The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing by Suzanne Jurmain
Young Adult Graphic Novels
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy duBurke (my review)
Young Adult Science Fiction & Fantasy
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry (my review)
Young Adult Fiction
Split by Swati Avasthi
Debut author, Sita Brahmachari, has won the 2011 Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize for her novel Artichoke Hearts. The UK prize is now in it’s seventh year and was created to “champion new and emerging talent in children’s writing.”
ALSC has posted their list of the 2011 Notable Children’s Books. Here is their definition of notable:
“According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children’s interests in exemplary ways.”
The list is filled with many of my favorites of the year, several that I gave as Christmas gifts this holiday season, and I delight in finding others that are new to me. It’s a great list.
Waking Brain Cells 