CPL’s Picks for Children’s Book Awards

It's my favorite time of the year—award season! I just love guessing which movies, artists and songs will take the top honors each year. My absolute favorite, though, is trying to pick which kids books will be selected for the Newbery and Caldecott children's book awards.

Each year, our children’s librarians vote on what we think might take home the highest prizes in children's literature with our mock discussion of Newbery- and Caldecott-worthy titles. It gives us a chance to talk about the books—and to discover new books to recommend to you!

This week we met to pick our favorites for these awards. The actual winners will be announced later this month.

Mock Newbery Award

The Newbery Award is given for writing and is typically awarded to a chapter book.

This year's Mock Newbery Medal for the most distinguished book published in 2018 goes to The Night Diary. In letters to her dead mother, 12-year-old Nisha tries to understand the world as her family flees from Pakistan to India during the 1947 Partition of India.

Two Honor Books were also selected:

Ghost Boys: After Jerome is shot by a white police officer, his ghost meets other "ghost boys" who have also been the victims of racial violence, and he and the daughter of his shooter try to heal their broken families.  

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle: While making a new friend, who is also tormented by school bullies, Mason tries to unravel the mystery behind his best friend's death two years ago.

We also discussed the following books: The Book of Boy, Echo's Sister, Harbor MeThe Parker Inheritance and Rebound.

Mock Caldecott Award

The Caldecott Award is given for illustrations and is typically awarded to a picture book.

This year's Mock Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished book published in 2018 goes to Drawn Together. A boy and his grandfather bridge the language gap through their mutual love of drawing in Caldecott medalist Dan Santat's latest work.

Two Honor Books were also selected:

Hello Lighthouse: Explore the life of a lighthouse through the family that lives there and Caldecott medalist Sophie Blackwell's lavish illustrations.

Julián Is A Mermaid: A young boy transforms himself into a mermaid in Jessica Love's debut title.

We also discussed the following books: The Eye That Never Sleeps, Imagine, Islandborn, The Stuff of Stars and What If.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the actual winners of these and many other awards at the Youth Media Awards on January 28.

Do you have a favorite book from 2018 that you think should win?