The Winners
Here's a link to our website with information about all the 2008 ALA winners, including in many cases their reviews in The Horn Book Magazine or The Horn Book Guide.
posted by Roger Sutton at 4:37 PM
Monday, January 14, 2008
About Me
- Name: Roger Sutton
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
I've been the editor in chief of The Horn Book, Inc, since 1996; previously editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and a children's and young adult librarian. Received my M.A. in library science from the University of Chicago in 1982 and a B.A. from Pitzer College in 1978.
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18 Comments:
Why is there no discussion anywhere ? Why no controversy?
Pooh. No fun at all.
Yeah, why didn't they pick any total loser books that everyone could hate out loud? I am so disappointed.
I wondered if there might be rumbling re Hugo Cabret but it seems like a popular choice. I AM hearing complaints about the Printz slighting Sherman Alexie. Also, SLJ contacted me for my thoughts re Orson Scott Card's Margaret Edwards Award; apparently some people are bugged by his positions on gay marriage (anti) and criminalization of gay sex (pro).
Some of Card's work does squick me out. I thought it was an odd choice.
2anon
Don't forget that Quick Picks slighted Alexie, too! It didn't even get nominated for that list!
I thought the Alexie book was amazing. It was important. I think lots of kids are going to read it and it deserved the NBA. I didn't think the writing was all that great. It wasn't so much literature as dynamite to blow up a bunch of pre-conceptions. Just what is the Printz prize supposed to go to? Is there an argument that it should go to a book because of the impact that book will have on teens? Or is it just for quality of writing and literary merit? And what's literary merit, exactly? If written words rock the world, do we say they have literary merit?
Written in haste. Sorry if I've been feeding the spelling troll.
2anon
The Printz criteria definitely emphasize literary quality (while leaving definition of said open). But I think the Alexis book is a very fine piece of writing--I think it's a boy-version of a verse novel, with the short, often punch-lined paragraphs functioning as stanzas. It's hard work to look that casual.
I think the Printz did a fabulous job of ferreting out some marvelous books that have otherwise been overlooked (including, in one case, by HB), which will now have a new lease on life due to this award. Why must they merely rubber stamp the work done by the NBA committee? Every year, people want the Printz to go to the same books that won or were nominated for the NBA, but clearly, these committees have different charges.
I haven't made up my mind how much I should care that the main character in the Alexie book is hydrocephalic, has weird teeth, stutters, and has been a social outcast for years and then, surprise, not only becomes a star basketball player (after not showing any earlier signs of prowess on the court) but also gets the girl (even if in a modulated way). Is that a justified exercise of poetic license, or is that jumping the shark? I haven't thought it through yet.
2anon
Oh, those pesky men! There they go again dominating the Caldecott!
Yup, four outa five.
But the Printz was all women -- gotta love that.
Ah, but then the BBYA Top Ten was 80% male.
I am so thrilled that HUGO got the nod. I wasn't sure what category the book belonged in because Brian created a new one.
Was it under consideration for the Newbery as well?
...And the Newbery went to a lady and She's a Librarian (two in a row!) You go girlfriend! (Good choice Committee Members!)
Can it be possible that chbooks people are naively impressed when "real" authors (i.e. writers of books for adults) condescend to write (or reformat) books for children and consequently give those books awards? A sort of "lady of the manor has deigned to visit us, give her the best chair" situation?
No, if anything, Anon, we have trouble being open-minded about adult authors writing for children (and there have been many lately who seem to think they can cash in on some of J.K. Rowling's success. I mean, how hard can it be?). But very few adult authors, even really good ones, write well for children or teens. Joyce Carol Oates and Sherman Alexie are the exceptions to the rule.
9:17 Anon is right, 10:54 Anon. Nothing makes the kidlit crowd roll their eyes like a "real" author come down slumming to make some easy money knocking out pablum for the kiddos. If they were better at it, we'd be happier to see them around. But as a rule, they're not.
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