2009 Children’s Book Awards

Randolph Caldecott Medal

Honors the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book for children published in the U.S. during the preceding year.

Winner:
The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Honors:
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
A River of Words by Jennifer Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

John Newbery Medal

Honors the year’s most distinguished contribution by a U.S. citizen or resident to Amercan literature for children.

Winner:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean
Honors:
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle (young adult)
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson (young adult)

Coretta Scott King Book Award

Honors a black author and a black illustrator for an outstanding, inspirational, and educational contribution to literature for children and young people published during the preceding year.

Winner (Author):
We are the Ship written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Honors:
Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith
The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas
Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford (young adult)
Winner (Illustrator):
The Blacker the Berry illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Honors:
We are the Ship written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Before John was a Jazz Giant illustrated by Sean Quails
The Moon Over Star illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Schneider Family Book Award

Honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies artistic expression of a disability for audiences in age categories.

Picture Book for Young Children:  Piano Starts Here by jRobert A. Parker
Middle-School Award:  Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award

Honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.

Winner:
Are you Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
Honors:
Chicken said, “Cluck!” by Judyann Acerman Grant, illustrated by Sue Truesdell
One Boy by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Stinky by Eleanor Davis
Wolfsnail by Sarah c. Campbell