January is the coolest month

Phase 1 of my fun news: When I tour this fall for book of a thousand days, I'll be co-touring with another author. We'll be doing joint events and signings. And the fabulous author?

Libba Bray!

That's right, the NYT best-selling author of A Great and Terrible Beauty will be co-touring with me, baby, toddler, and mom. Poor lady. I don't yet know where we'll be going, but it won't be many places because I'm just doing a mini-tour, given the whole Partridge Family flavor of my wanderings. More fun news shortly, maybe next week.

And I wanted to post on the Newbery day in January, but I couldn't get on the computer that day (some days, Maggie just prefers I hold her constantly and keep in motion). On January 22, the ALA announced the big book awards. It was such a fun day for me! river secrets didn't get anything, it was just the memory of last year that made me feel excited all day. I was sorry I hadn't read any of the Newbery winners, but I was so thrilled that American Born Chinese took the Printz medal. The Printz is like the Newbery but for the upper teen age. This is the first time a graphic novel got the big prize. I think it's a wonderful book and could easily be part of a high school curriculm and generate lots of great discussion and essays. The Printz lists are terrific resources for literature teachers.

And speaking of graphic novels, yesterday we got the inked pages of rapunzel's revenge--this means Nate's done the line drawing and all that remains is color. It's SO gorgeous. I was breathless reading it, completely captivated by the story as he illustrated it. Have I mentioned that I can't wait until we get to share it with the world? Can't wait! (Only one year to go...)

Newbery Medal winner:

“The Higher Power of Lucky,” by Susan Patron

Newbery Honors:

“Penny from Heaven,” by Jennifer L. Holm
“Hattie Big Sky,” by Kirby Larson
“Rules,” by Cynthia Lord

Caldecott Medal winner:

"Flotsam,” illustrated by David Wiesner

Caldecott Honor Books:

“Gone Wild: An Endangered Animal Alphabet,” written and illustrated by David McLimans

“Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom,” illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Carole Boston Weatherford

Printz Award winner:

“American Born Chinese” by Gene Luen Yang

Printz Honors:

“The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v. 1: The Pox Party” by M. T. Anderson

“An Abundance of Katherines” by John Green

“Surrender” by Sonya Hartnett

“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak