And the Winners Are . . . .
In case you missed it, the ALA Youth Media Award winners (Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, etc.) were announced this morning. Best of all, I was on hand to offer Pre-Game predictions and Post-Game commentary. Here are the results. Please note that there is no heat in the room I was commenting in. So if I’m trembling I have just cause.
Here was the Pre-Game Show which worked okay:
And here’s the Post-Game Show which did NOT. For whatever reason, the camera didn’t work. Ah well. At least there’s audio:
Woohoo! Now someone go and tell me whether or not a picture books has ever won the award proper before.
UPDATE: Bill Wright did check. He pointed out that A Visit to William Blake’s Inn did exactly what Last Stop On Market Street did. It won a Newbery proper and Honored in the Caldecott category. Woohoo! Thanks, Bill!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Filed under: Uncategorized
About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SLJ Blog Network
2026 Books from Caldecott Winners
Table Titans Club: Sneak Attack | This Week’s Comics
From Policy Ask to Public Voice: Five Layers of Writing to Advance School Library Policy
Fast Five Interview: Nadine Takvorian
Jasmine Warga Visits The Yarn!
ADVERTISEMENT
I was hoping YOU would tell ME! 😀
William Blake’s Inn did the same (Newbery Medal/Caldecott Honor) in 1982.
Did I have it backwards? I thought it won the Caldecott and Honored in the Newbery. Amazing! So this is the second time it has occurred. Thank you, Bill!
Pulled the book out to show the class today…gold Newbery and silver Caldecott! I would have assumed the other way around too…
Betsy, I just looked over the entire list, and I think this is a first. I don’t think The Matchlock Gun would be considered a picture book? I only read it once (and would like to forget it!). Several poetry collections have won, but not an actual picture book.
Thanks Betsy! I always look forward to your commentary!
Trivia for you, Chris Weyant and Anna Kang’s daughters are the voices of the chicks in That Is Not A Good Idea video.
Oo. Thank you. Mo’s easy to identify. Not so much the others. Much obliged.
Regarding the “first ever” status of a picture book winning a Newbery medal (there have been a few honors in the past), I think it’s a matter of interpretation. Personally, I’d characterize the William Blake book as illustrated poetry. If you’re a super strict constructionist and looking at pure format, I suppose it’s technically a picture book. But if you consider a picture book that which utilizes words and images to convey a unified narrative that travels through the entire work–as opposed to an illustrated book–then this is the first time a picture book took gold.
The Horn Book posted an article written by Martha Parravano in 1999 about the history of, and controversies surrounding, the Newbery. Several picture books have won in the past, although I can’t remember the names. Only one early reader has ever got a notion of a nod – FROG AND TOAD won an Honor. The piece is on facebook today.
So honored you quoted me at the start of your awesome pre-game, Betsy – thank you!!