2013 ALA Youth Media Awards

The John Newbery Medal honors the author of the year's most outstanding contribution to children's literature. Presented every year since 1922, the Medal is named for 18th-century British bookseller John Newbery. Henrik Van Loon won the first Newbery Medal in 1922 for THE STORY OF MANKIND. Receiving the Newbery Medal virtually guarantees that the winning book will remain in print and on library and bookstore shelves for years to come.

-The winner of the John Newbery Medal is THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate.

-Three Newbery Honor Books were named: SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS by Laura Amy Schlitz, BOMB: The Race to Build --- and Steal --- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin and THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage.

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal was awarded for the first time in 2001 to Marc Aronson for SIR WALTER RALEIGH AND THE QUEST FOR EL DORADO. It is given to honor the authors, illustrators and/or photographers of the most distinguished informational book published for children in the preceding year. Informational books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret documentable factual material. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois.

-The winner of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is BOMB: The Race to Build --- and Steal --- the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin.

-Three Robert F. Sibert Honor Books were named: ELECTRIC BEN: The Amazing Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by Robert Byrd; MOONBIRD: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip M. Hoose; and TITANIC: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson.

Designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace, the Coretta Scott King Books Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience. Further, the Award encourages the artistic expression of the black experience via literature and the graphic arts in biographical, social and historical treatments by African American authors and illustrators.

-The winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award is HAND IN HAND: Ten Black Men Who Changed America written by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney.

-Two Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books were named: EACH KINDNESS written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis; and NO CRYSTAL STAIR: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

-The winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award is I, TOO, AM AMERICA illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Langston Hughes.

-Three Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book was named: H. O. R. S. E. written and illustrated by Christopher Myers; ELLEN'S BROOM illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyons; and I HAVE A DREAM: Martin Luther King, Jr. illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Martin Luther King, Jr..

The Alex Awards are given to 10 books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year’s publishing. The award is sponsored by the Margaret Alexander Edwards Trust and Booklist. Edwards was a young adult specialist for many years at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore. Her work is described in her book FAIR GARDEN AND THE SWARM OF BEASTS, and over the years she has served as an inspiration to librarians who serve young adults. The Alex Awards are named after Edwards, who was called “Alex” by her friends.

-The winners are: CARING IS CREEPY by David Zimmerman, GIRLCHILD by Tupelo Hassman, JUVENILE IN JUSTICE by Richard Ross, MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan, MY FRIEND DAHMER by Derf Backderf, ONE SHOT FOREVER by Chris Ballard, PURE by Julianna Baggott, THE ROUND HOUSE by Louise Erdrich, TELL THE WOLVES I'M HOME by Carol Rifka Brunt, and WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE? by Maria Semple.

The Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience.

-The winner of the Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award is ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

-Four Stonewall Honor Books were named: DRAMA written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier, GONE, GONE, GONE by Hannah Moskowitz, OCTOBER MOURNING: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman, and SPARKS: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S. J. Adams.

The YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, established in 2010, honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults (ages 12-18) during a November 1st – October 31st publishing year.

-The winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults is BOMB: The Race to Build --- and Steal --- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin.

-Four other books were finalists for the award: STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal, MOONBIRD: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose, TITANIC: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson, and We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by by Cynthia Levinson.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award celebrates the achievement of a previously unpublished author, or authors, who have made a strong literary debut in writing for young adult readers. The work cited illuminates the teen experience and enriches the lives of its readers through its excellence, demonstrated by compelling, high-quality writing and/or illustration, the integrity of the work as a whole, and its proven or potential appeal to a wide range of teen readers. The award's namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults.

-The winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award is SERAPHINA by Rachel Hartman.

-Four other books were finalists for the award: WONDER SHOW by Hannah Barnaby, LOVE AND OTHER PERISHABLE ITEMS by Laura Buzo, AFTER THE SNOW by S. D. Crockett, and THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by emily m. danforth.

The Schneider Family Book Award is donated by Dr. Katherine Schneider, and honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are presented for the best Teen, Middle School and Children’s Book.

-The winner of the Schneider Family Children's Book Award is BACK TO FRONT AND UPSIDE DOWN! written and illustrated by Clair Alexander.

-The winner of the Schneider Family Middle School Book Award is A DOG CALLED HOMELESS by Sarah Lean.

-The winner of the Schneider Family Teen Book Award is SOMEBODY, PLEASE TELL ME WHO I AM by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis.

The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking (REFORMA), an ALA affiliate.

The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. As a children's librarian, storyteller and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore.

-The winner of the Pura Belpré Author Award is ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.

-One Pura Belpré Author Honor Books were named: THE REVOLUTION OF EVELYN SERRANO by Sonia Manzano.

-The winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award is MARTIN DE PORRES: The Rose in the Desert illustrated by David Diaz and written by Gary D. Schmidt.

-Please note that no Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Books were selected this year.

The Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production is presented to the producer of the best audiobook produced for youth available in English in the United States. The first Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production was given in January 2008. Honor titles may also be selected. The award is jointly administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of ALA, and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

-The winner of the Odyssey Award is THE FAULT IN OUR STARS written by John Green and narrated by Kate Rudd.

-Three Odyssey Honor Books were named: ARTEMIS FOWL: THE LAST GUARDIAN written by Eoin Colfer and narrated by Nathaniel Parker; GHOST KNIGHT written by Cornelia Funke and narrated by Elliot Hill; and MONSTROUS BEAUTY written by Elizabeth Fama and narrated by Katherine Kellgren.