Youth Source

And the Winners are...

Find out who won this year’s Newbery, Caldecott and other awards by clicking on this link to ALA’s 2007 Literary and Media Awards: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=News&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=146679

The Awards were announced within the past hour!

ALA Awards Webcast Available for Viewing

The January 22, 2007 webcast that covered the national announcement of top books and videos for children and young adults, including the Newbery, Caldecott and Printz awards, is available for viewing at:  http://www.unikron.com/ala-webcast/

Mark Your Calendars

It would be difficult to choose between two conference offerings scheduled for March!

The Illinois Reading Council will hold their 39th Annual Conference in Springfield, March 15-17.  Authors include Jerry Pinkney, Sally Walker and Ben Mikaelsen.  In addition there will be an Authors Reader's Theatre featuring Avi, Sharon Creech, Richard Peck and Sarah Weeks.  For more information, go to http://www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org 

Northern Illinois University's College of Education will hold their 27th Annual Children's Literature Conference March 16-17, 2007 at the Holmes Student Center, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  Presenters there will include Patricia Reilly Giff, Laurie Lawlor and Pam Munoz Ryan.  For additional information, go to http://www.cedu.niu.edu/oep/children_lit.html

The winner of the 2007 Monarch Award and the 2007 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award will be announced at both conferences the morning of March 16th. 

Libri Grants Available

The Libri Foundation is currently acception applications for its 2007 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN grants. The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries throughout the United States. In order to encourage and reward local support of libraries, The Libri Foundation will match any amount of money raise by local sponsors from $50 to $350 on a 2-to-1 ration. Thus, a library can receive up to $1,050 worth of new children's books. After a library received a grant, local sponsors have four months, or longer if necessary to raise their matching funds. The librarian or each participating library selects the books her library will receive from a booklist provided by the Foundation. The titles on the booklist reflect the best of children's literature published primarily in the last three years. Applications deadlines for 2007 are: (postmarked by) January 15th, April 15th and August 15th. Grants are awarded January 31st, April 30th and August 31st. Additional information, as well as applications and guidelines can be found on the Foundation's website

Have You Heard of the Cybils?

Those who love children's literature and hang around in cyberspace began discussing the merits of a literature award that would recognize both literary merit and popularity.  Within days, the new awards had a name and a website: The Cybils, a loose acronym for Children's and YA Bloggers' Literary Awards, at http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils  Nominations quickly opened in eight categories, from picture books up to Young Adult fiction and even graphic novels. Nominations closed on Nov. 20. By January 1st, panels comprised of bloggers with expertise in their category will culled the lists down to five finalists in each category.  After that, judges step in to pick the winners.  Click to view the finalists in each category.

Best of the Year

As we begin 2007, we look back on the best materials written for young people during 2006.  Check out the following lists:

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books---2006 Blue Ribbons

The Golden Fuse Awards-2006

PLANETESME PICKS: A 2006 Index

Publishers Weekly---Best Children's Books of the Year

School Library Journal's Best Books of 2006