The annual Youth Media Awards were announced on January 22 during the American Library Association’s LibLearnX conference. See our interviews with the winners of the three top prizes.
Dave Eggers's Newbery Win: 'Wandering Around in a Daze'
How was Dave Eggers feeling a few hours after learning of his Newbery win for The Eyes and the Impossible? “I’m reeling a bit, but mostly I’m catatonic—yes, that’s the word!” he told PW. “I didn’t sleep much last night, so I’ve been wandering around in a real daze. I’ve never felt this way before, and it is surreal."
Vashti Harrison's Caldecott Win: Kind of a 'Big' Deal
Author–illustrator Vashti Harrison happened to be in Miami to celebrate her father's 89th birthday when—at 9:30 p.m., while sorting laundry—she received the news of her Caldecott win for Big. “It’s a little bit of a jump scare when you realize there’s a whole room full of people calling to say congratulations to you,” she said. We spoke with Harrison about her elation at receiving the medal and Coretta Scott King honors for her picture book.
A.S. King's Printz Win: 'Are You Sure?'
For author A.S. King, family dinner came with an extra helping of surprise last Sunday. That’s when she learned that the short fiction anthology she edited and wrote a story for, The Collectors, had won the Michael L. Printz Award, making her the first author to win the award twice, and the first to win for an anthology. "I couldn’t believe it," she said. "I was just so proud of the whole team."
