Category Archives: Book Awards

2021 Newbery and Caldecott Medal Winners

This morning, I watched the American Library Youth Media Awards live from the comfort of home (where we are all spending most of our time these days!). Some of the prestigious awards given out each year by the ALA are the Coretta Scott King Awards, the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, and of course, the Newbery […]

2018 Newbery and Caldecott Winners

The John Newbery Medal and Randolph Caldecott Medal winners, along with the Honor books, have been announced! I already placed them on reserve at my local library. Of course, now that these books are famous, it will be much harder to find them! John Newbery Medal Awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. This […]

2017 Newbery and Caldecott Winners

The John Newbery Medal and Randolph Caldecott Medal winners, along with the Honor books, have been announced. I always love seeing what made the cut and then quickly going to my library account to reserve these books. John Newbery Medal Awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. This one’s for the authors! Winner:The […]

Autism in Books – Awareness, Understanding, Acceptance

April is Autism Awareness Month According to the Autism Speaks website, “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control […]

2016 Newbery and Caldecott Winners (psst…this is BIG!)

The John Newbery Medal and Randolph Caldecott Medal winners, along with the Honor books, have been announced. And let me tell you, this year is BIG. A picture book was awarded the top honor for writing! For me as a picture book writer, this is like my team winning the Super Bowl. Go team! Last Stop on […]

2015 Newbery and Caldecott Medal Winners

The John Newbery Medal and Randolph Caldecott Medal winners, along with the Honor books, have been announced. I can’t wait to get may hands on these! John Newbery Medal  awarded for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (this one’s for the authors!).     Winner: “The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander             […]

TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time

Time Magazine recently came out with their list of the 100 best children’s books of all time. Of all time? How do you narrow it down to just 100? I think they did a great job and was happy to see some of my favorite newer books like The Day the Crayons Quit by Oliver Jeffers and […]

TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time

TIME magazine has come out with a superb list of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. The category of “Young Adult” is typically for children ages 12 and above. Some of my all time favorites have made the list, such as Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the […]

Nicole Groeneweg and Hazel Mitchell: Interview with the Author and Illustrator of One Word Pearl

One Word Pearl is the story of a girl who LOVES words and collects them in her special word chest. When all but a handful of words are blown away, she decides to use only one word at a time. Soon her chest is empty, making her “No Word Pearl” and she must find a […]

Golden Kite Winners 2014

This weekend, the Golden Kite awards will be presented at the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conference in Los Angeles, CA. They are the only awards for children’s literature voted on by a jury of peers (I voted!). Each year, there are over 1,000 entries. The categories are: Picture Book Text, Picture […]