Booklist Publications

��ý announces the appointment of Donna Seaman as Booklist Editor-In-Chief

RAGARCIA — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:15:50 +0000

��ý announces the appointment of Donna Seaman as Booklist Editor-In-Chief

CHICAGO – Booklist, the official book review journal published by the ��ý, announces the appointment of Donna Seaman as Editor-In-Chief and Editor, Adult Books.

Donna Seaman joined Booklist as an associate editor for the adult books section and has since been promoted to senior editor and adult books editor. In addition to helping with numerous operational and editorial developments over the years, including the Carnegie Medals, Donna has moderated numerous author panels at ��ýconferences and conducted author interviews and hosted literary events for other organizations, including the Chicago Public Library, the Chicago Humanities Festival, Printers Row Lit Fest, and Women & Children First. Donna is a member of the Content Leadership Team for the American Writers Museum, an adjunct professor for Northwestern University’s Graduate Creative Writing Program, School of Professional Studies, and a recipient of the Louis Shores Award for Excellence in Book Reviewing, the James Friend Memorial Award for Literary Criticism, and the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award.

In this new, transformative role, Donna will lead Booklist’s content and editorial teams in Booklist’s Adult, Audio, and Youth sections.

Senior Director of ��ýPublishing & Media and Booklist Publisher, George Kendall, said “Donna’s commitment and dedication to ��ýand to Booklist shines, and her passion for reading, her detailed, magnificent writing style, her collaborative approach, and strong work ethic, will help to carry Booklist into the future. I couldn’t be more thrilled with her leadership in this new role and look forward to working closely with Donna as Booklist continues to deliver readers’ advisory and collection development value to library workers, publishers, and readers worldwide.”

In addition to her prolific writing for Booklist, Donna’s author interviews are collected in Writers on the Air: Conversations about Books and she is the author of Identity Unknown: Rediscovering Seven American Women Artists and, publishing soon, her latest book that enchants readers with musings about her own life as a reader, River of Books: A Life in Reading.

About Booklist
Booklist is the ��ý’s nationally distributed book and media review publication. Since 1905, Booklist has been proud to publish thousands of book and audiobook reviews each year, helping library and education workers decide what to buy and how to guide patrons and students of all ages in choosing what to read, view, or listen to. Booklist Publications includes two print magazines, an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, podcasts, and other literature-based resources that support librarians in collection development and readers’ advisory. For more information on Booklist Publications, including how to become a Booklist reviewer, visit booklistonline.com.

About the ��ý
��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For nearly 150 years, ��ýhas been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

RAGARCIA Thu, 09/19/2024 - 12:15

Public Awareness

Contact:

George Kendall

Senior Director

��ýPublishing & Media

��ýannounces 2025 Carnegie Selection Committee

JCARMICHAEL — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:10:48 +0000

��ýannounces 2025 Carnegie Selection Committee

CHICAGO - The 2025 selection committee is already hard at work on choosing the longlist for the prestigious Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. The 2025 committee includes the following experts who work closely with adult readers:

Allison Escoto (chair), Head Librarian and Director of Reading Programs, The Center for Fiction, Brooklyn, NY
Barbara Bibel, Reference Librarian, retired, Oakland (CA) Public Library
Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collection Assessment Librarian, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Rebecca Hopman, Genealogy Services Librarian, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
Carrie Koepke, Manager, Skylark Bookshop, Columbia, MO
Edward Kownslar, Head of Public Services, Ralph W. Steen Library, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX
Kathleen McBroom, Library Media Practicum Coordinator for the School of Information Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI

The 2025 longlist will be announced in October 2024, followed in November by the six-title shortlist—three each in fiction and nonfiction. The two winning titles will be revealed in January 2025 at the RUSA Book and Media Awards event during ALA‘s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience (LLX) in Phoenix, Arizona. The celebratory event, including presentations by the winners and a featured speaker, will take place at the 2025 ��ýAnnual Conference in June 2025 in Philadelphia.

The upcoming celebratory event, sponsored by NoveList, will take place on Saturday, June 29, 2024, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. during ALA’s 2024 Annual Conference in San Diego. Attendees will hear from fiction winner Amanda Peters (The Berry Pickers; Catapult) and nonfiction winner Roxanna Asgarian (We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America; Farrar, Straus and Giroux) as well as a keynote speaker.

The Andrew Carnegie Medals were established in 2012 by the ��ý and Carnegie Corporation of New York to recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books written for adult readers and published in the U.S. in the previous year. They are the first single-book awards for adult titles given by ��ýand are cosponsored and administered by Booklist and RUSA and supported by NoveList.

For more information and to see past longlists, shortlists, and winners, visit Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.

About the ��ý
The ��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ��ýhas been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

JCARMICHAEL Thu, 04/18/2024 - 18:10

Awards (Books & Media)

Contact:

Raymond Garcia

Communications Specialist

��ý

Communications, Marketing & Media Relations Office

cmomedia@ala.org

‘The Collectors: Stories’ wins 2024 Printz Award

JCARMICHAEL — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:52:19 +0000

‘The Collectors: Stories’ wins 2024 Printz Award

BALTIMORE — “The Collectors: Stories,” edited by A.S. King, written by the author and nine others and published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has won the 2024 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. The award was announced today by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ��ý (ALA), during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held Jan. 19–22 in Baltimore.

A.S. King challenged nine of her favorite YA writers to produce stories about collections and collectors, tossing out conventions. King’s directive to “collect all the little pieces of you and make your story” produces a distinctly unique and exemplary anthology of short stories that are “defiantly creative” and beautifully weird.

In addition to King herself, contributors to the anthology included M.T. Anderson, e.E. Charlton-Trujillo, David Levithan, Cory McCarthy, Anna-Marie McLemore, G. Neri, Jason Reynolds, Randy Ribay and Jenny Torres Sanchez.

“This collection of 10 expertly crafted—and uniquely weird—short stories for teens highlights that only when we break conventions can we discover our authentic selves,” said Printz Committee Chair Courtney Waters.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named.

“Fire from the Sky,” written by Moa Backe Åstot, translated by Eva Apelqvist and published by Em Querido, an imprint of Levine Querido.

A member of the Sámi people in Sweden, Ánte wants to preserve his birthright of traditional reindeer herding. However, he worries his emerging romantic feelings for his best friend, Erik, put him at irreconcilable odds with his community and culture. Stark, atmospheric prose invokes an introspective look into individuality within community.

“Gather,” written by Kenneth M. Cadow and published by Candlewick Press.

After an enormous dog arrives on his family’s land in rural Vermont, a devastating series of events forces Ian to learn to survive not only on his own but with the help of his community. Told in a distinctive voice with a nod to oral storytelling, “Gather” captures the spirit of independence, resilience and hope.

“The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption,” written by Shannon Gibney and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

In a speculative memoir, Gibney explores her past as a transracial adoptee and imagines a life where her birth mother raised her. Playing with genre and style, Gibney deftly captures the uncertainty and questioning nature of childhood as well as all the pathways life might take.

“Salt the Water,” written by Candice Iloh and published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

After a confrontation with a teacher and a devastating family emergency, Cerulean's life veers out of their control, forcing them to make a difficult choice. Told in powerful, stream-of-consciousness verse, Cerulean explores a future that’s theirs alone, where they don’t have to play by anyone else’s rules.

The award, first given in 2000, is named for the late Michael L. Printz, a Topeka, Kansas, school librarian known for discovering and promoting quality books for young adults. The award is administered annually by YALSA and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

Members of the 2024 Printz Award Committee are: Chair Courtney Waters, Missouri River Regional Library, Jefferson City, Missouri; Heather Love Beverley, Cook Memorial Public Library District, Libertyville, Illinois; Leanna Chappell, Swanton Public Library, Ohio; Jamie M. Gregory, Christ Church Episcopal School, Greenville, South Carolina; Abby Harrison, Greenhill School, Dallas; Alicia Kalan, The Northwest School, Seattle; Maryanne Olson, Queens Public Library, Glendale, New York; Cathy Outten, California State University, Long Beach; and Becky Reiser, REACH Prep, Stamford, Connecticut.

The mission of the YALSA is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face and in putting all teens—especially those with the greatest needs—on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources, go to www.ala.org/yalsa or contact the YALSA office via email: yalsa@ala.org.

For more information on the Michael L. Printz Award and other ��ýYouth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

About the ��ý

The ��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the ��ýhas been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

# # #

JCARMICHAEL Mon, 01/22/2024 - 08:52

Awards (Books & Media)

Contact:

��ýMedia Relations

Communications, Marketing & Media Relations Office

��ý

cmomedia@ala.org

Young Adult Library Services Association announces 2024 Alex Awards

JCARMICHAEL — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:09:04 +0000

Young Adult Library Services Association announces 2024 Alex Awards

BALTIMORE — The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the ��ý (ALA), has selected 10 adult books with special appeal to teen readers to receive the 2024 Alex Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust and Booklist, were announced today during ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, held Jan. 19-22 in Baltimore.

Here are the 2024 Alex Award winners:

“Bad Cree,” by Jessica Johns (nehiyaw/Sucker Creek First Nation), published by Doubleday, a division of Penguin Random House
“Chain-Gang All-Stars,” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, published by Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House
“Chlorine,” by Jade Song, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“Fourth Wing,” by Rebecca Yarros, published by Red Tower Books, an imprint of Entangled Publishing
“The Hard Parts: A Memoir of Courage and Triumph,” by Oksana Masters, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
“I Will Greet the Sun Again,” by Khashayar J. Khabushani, published by Hogarth Press, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House
“Maame,” by Jessica George, published by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
“Starter Villain,” by John Scalzi, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tor Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishing Group
“The Talk,” by Darrin Bell, published by Henry Holt & Co., a division of Macmillan Publishing Group
“Whalefall,” by Daniel Kraus, published by MTV Books and Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster

“Through diverse voices and entertaining stories, these amazing books will help teens better understand themselves and the world in which they live,” said 2024 Alex Awards Committee Chair David Saia.

The Alex Awards were created to recognize that many teens enjoy and often prefer books written for adults, and to assist librarians in recommending adult books that appeal to teens. A full list of official nominations will be available online at www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/alex.

The award is named in honor of the late Margaret Alexander Edwards, fondly called “Alex” by her closest friends. Edwards was a pioneer in providing library services to young adults. At Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Edwards used adult books extensively with teens to broaden their experience and enrich their understanding of themselves and their world.

Members of the 2024 Alex Awards Committee are Chair David C. Saia, Heim Middle School, Williamsville, New York; Alicia Abdul, Albany High School, New York; Brianna Arellano-Meli, Berkeley Public Library, California; Katie Cree, Brighton Memorial Library, Rochester, New York; Billie Jo Moffett, Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin, Illinois; Belle Nelson, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota; Erica Ruscio, Ventress Memorial Library, Marshfield, Massachusetts; Milena S. Streen, St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland, Ohio; Anna Tschetter, Memorial Hall Library, Andover, Massachusetts; and Award Administrative Assistant, Jennifer Blanco, Holmes Middle School, Alexandria, Virginia.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association is to support library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens—especially those with the greatest needs — on the path to successful and fulfilling lives. For more information or to access national guidelines and other resources, go to www.ala.org/yalsa or contact the office at yalsa@ala.org.

For information on the Alex Awards and other ��ýYouth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

About the ��ý

# # #

JCARMICHAEL Mon, 01/22/2024 - 06:09

Awards (Books & Media)

Contact:

��ýMedia Relations

Communications, Marketing & Media Relations Office

��ý

cmomedia@ala.org

'The Berry Pickers,' 'We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America' receive 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

RAGARCIA — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 15:26:58 +0000

'The Berry Pickers,' 'We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America' receive 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

BALTIMORE — The ��ý (ALA) selects “The Berry Pickers,” by Amanda Peters, published by Catapult, as the winner of the 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and "We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America," by Roxanna Asgarian, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, as the winner of the 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The selections were announced at the Reference and User Services Association's Book and Media Awards (BMAs) event, sponsored by NoveList, on Saturday, January 20th, during LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience in Baltimore, MD.

The Carnegie awards, established in 2012, serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the ��ýand reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals and booksellers who work closely with adult readers.

In “The Berry Pickers,” an Indigenous Mi’kmaq family is in Maine in 1962 to pick summer blueberries when their youngest child, four-year-old Ruthie, disappears. Her six-year-old brother, Joe, saw her last. Told in alternating, first-person chapters from Joe and a narrator called Norma, this fascinating, braided novel follows the painful reverberations of Ruthie’s disappearance across five decades. While little is easy for Amanda Peters’ characters, in the end, for all of them, there is hope.

"We Were Once a Family” looks into a 2018 tragedy in which two women deliberately drove themselves and their six children off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean. While there was considerable speculation about the parents, who were married and white, the media paid little attention to the six Black children, who had been adopted from two different families. Investigative reporter Roxanna Asgarian’s years of work getting to know the children’s birth families uncovered a devastating web of intergenerational poverty, violence, and wrenching separations. She exposes the calamities that occurred and the ongoing, insupportable failings of the foster system.

"The committee is so excited for the Medalists to see their outstanding creations celebrated on such a big stage," said Aryssa Damron, chair of the selection committee for the 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence. "Amanda Peters' stunning prose and evocative narrative enraptured us with the grief and longing of her characters. Roxanna Asgarian's blending of journalism, narrative nonfiction, and heartbreak tears back the veil on the child removal systems in the United States. Endless thanks to my amazing committee for spending a year reading great literature, discussing deeply with each other, and selecting two outstanding books that complement each other so perfectly and represent a year of inspiring conversations."

The 2024 fiction finalists include “The Berry Pickers,” by Amanda Peters, published by Catapult; “Denison Avenue,” by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes, published by ECW Press; and “Let Us Descend,” by Jesmyn Ward, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

2024 nonfiction finalists include “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration,” by Jake Bittle, published by Simon & Schuster; “The Talk,” by Darrin Bell, published by Henry Holt and Company; and “We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America,” by Roxanna Asgarian, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Carnegie Medal winners will each receive $5,000. All the finalists will be honored and the winners will be presented with their medals during a celebratory event at the San Diego Public Library during ALA's 2024 Annual Conference in June.

The Medals are made possible, in part, by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York in recognition of Andrew Carnegie’s deep belief in the power of books and learning to change the world, and are co-sponsored by ALA’s Booklist and the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA).

More information on the finalists and the awards can be found at http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/carnegie-medals. Also, book cover artwork is available for download at http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/carnegie-medals/resources

Contact for Amanda Peters:

Megan Fishmann

Vice President/Associate Publisher, Senior Director of Publicity

[she/her/hers]

Catapult/Counterpoint Press/Soft Skull

megan.fishmann@counterpointpress.com

Contact for Roxanna Asgarian:

Sarah Haeckel

Publicist | Picador

She/her/hers

267-566-1546 (c) | sarah.haeckel@picadorusa.com

120 Broadway, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10271

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About Booklist

Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the ��ý for more than 100 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view or listen to. It comprises three magazines, including Booklist Reader, a new publication dedicated to patrons, an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers' advisory.

About Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is a member community engaged in advancing the practices of connecting people to resources, information services, and collections, building relationships among members from all types of libraries, encouraging openness, innovation, and idea sharing, and promoting excellence in library services and resources.

About the ��ý (ALA)

RAGARCIA Sat, 01/20/2024 - 09:26

Awards (Books & Media)

LibLearnX

Contact:

Raymond Garcia

Communications Specialist

Communications, Marketing, and Media Relations Office

cmomedia@ala.org

��ýunveils shortlist for 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

RAGARCIA — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:58:47 +0000

��ýunveils shortlist for 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

CHICAGO —Today, the ��ý (ALA) announced the six books shortlisted for the esteemed Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction, awarded for the previous year’s best fiction and nonfiction books written for adult readers and published in the United States. 2024 selection committee chair Aryssa Damron will announce the two medal winners at the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Book and Media Awards livestreaming event, held during LibLearnX in Baltimore on Saturday, January 20, at 9:45 a.m. Eastern.

2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Shortlist titles include:

Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction 2024 Shortlist

“The Berry Pickers,” by Amanda Peters. Catapult. In 1962, an Indigenous Mi’kmaq family is in Maine to pick summer blueberries when their youngest child, four-year-old Ruthie, disappears. Her six-year-old brother, Joe, saw her last. Told in alternating, first-person chapters from Joe and a narrator called Norma, this braided novel fascinates. While little is easy for Peters’ characters, in the end, for all of them, there is hope.
“Denison Avenue,” by Christina Wong and Daniel Innes. ECW Press.

In a mixed-media narrative saturated with a sense of poignancy and grief, Wong Cho Sum navigates the sudden death of her husband by a hit-and-run driver. As an “invisible” elderly observer, she compares the old Chinatown she remembers with this new, slowly gentrifying one. Innes’ detailed and beautiful hand-drawn illustrations are eye-catching complements to Wong’s writing.
“Let Us Descend,” by Jesmyn Ward. Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Sold away from her mother, teenage Annis, daughter of a Black mother and the white man who enslaved them, must endure a grueling march to the slave markets of New Orleans with only her wits and her mother’s ivory awl to help her survive. Ward’s vivid imagery and emotionally resonant prose convey the horrors of chattel slavery in stark, unforgettable detail.

Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction 2024 Shortlist

“The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration,” by Jake Bittle. Simon & Schuster.

This multifaceted examination considers numerous communities that have been wiped out by changing weather patterns and foretells a future filled with additional displacements. Environmental journalist Bittle uses a combination of science reporting and individuals’ stories to explain the fates of towns deemed uninhabitable and ends with a plea for comprehensive environmental policy change and urgent action.
“The Talk,” by Darrin Bell. Henry Holt and Company.

In 2019, Bell became the first Black editorial cartoonist to win a Pulitzer Prize. In this brilliant graphic memoir, Bell’s growth from a trusting child afraid of dogs to an esteemed, nationally syndicated cartoonist is a marvel to witness through his spectacular panels and pages. A must-read manifesto against racist brutality.
“We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America,” by Roxanna Asgarian. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Investigative reporter Asgarian’s years of work getting to know the birth families of six children killed by their adoptive parents in 2018 uncovered a devastating web of intergenerational poverty, violence, and wrenching separations. She exposes the tragedy of what happened and the ongoing, insupportable failings of the foster system.

Carnegie Medal winners will each receive $5,000. All the finalists will be honored during a celebratory event in June 2024 during the ��ýAnnual Conference in San Diego.

The awards, established in 2012, serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the ��ý and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals and booksellers who work closely with adult readers.

More information on the finalists and the awards can be found at http://www.ala.org/carnegieadult. Also, book cover artwork is available for download at http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/carnegie-medals/resources.

About Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carnegie Corporation of New York was established in 1911 by Andrew Carnegie to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation's work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.

About Booklist

Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the ��ý for more than 100 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view or listen to. It comprises two print magazines, a digital magazine for library patrons, an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers' advisory.

About Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)

The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) is a member community engaged in advancing the practices of connecting people to resources, information services and collections, building relationships among members from all types of libraries, encouraging openness, innovation and idea sharing, and promoting excellence in library services and resources.

��ý

The ��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ��ýhas been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

RAGARCIA Tue, 11/14/2023 - 09:58

Awards (Books & Media)

Public Awareness

Contact:

Grace Rosean

Marketing Manager

Booklist

grosean@ala.org

A 17-month weekly planner for book lovers from Sourcebooks and ALA

RCHRISTOPHER — Thu, 11 May 2023 14:58:01 +0000

A 17-month weekly planner for book lovers from Sourcebooks and ALA

CHICAGO — Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher based in Chicago, and the ��ý’s (ALA) book publishing imprint, ��ýEditions | Neal-Schuman, announce publication of The ��ý Recommended Reads and 2024 Planner. Available via the ��ýStore as well as through bookstores nationwide, this 17-month (August 2023-December 2024) book log organizer is ideal for all readers and book lovers and makes the perfect gift for showing appreciation to colleagues, teachers, volunteers, library friends, trustees, board members, and bibliophiles. It features weekly book recommendations drawn from Booklist’s top selections and ��ýawards, along with journaling prompts and quotes from the week's pick, plus monthly and weekly spreads with ample writing space, to-do sections, goal planning pages, habit trackers, and helpful stickers.

For bulk purchases and other special purchasing arrangements, please contact us at editionsmarketing@ala.org.

Sourcebooks is a thriving entrepreneurial company that brings extraordinary authors to readers in the most dynamic, data-driven ways. They create books that transcend categories and defy odds and have been honored with hundreds of national bestsellers and awards. The company is home to enthusiastic, book-loving employees who are dedicated to connecting books to readers in new and innovative ways. Story by story, book by book, Sourcebooks has touched over 100 million lives. Visit www.sourcebooks.com for more information.

��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ��ýhas been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. Visit ala.org for more information.

��ýremembers Bill Ott (1947-2023), Booklist Editor and Publisher

RAGARCIA — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 21:30:41 +0000

��ýremembers Bill Ott (1947-2023), Booklist Editor and Publisher

CHICAGO - The ��ý and Booklist Publications are deeply saddened to share the news of the death of Bill Ott on April 8th, 2023 after a brief illness. Ott made innumerable contributions to both Booklist Publications and to ��ýduring his 39 years on the Booklist staff, 30 of them at the helm. When Ott came to Booklist in 1980, Booklist’s annual revenue was around $800,000. He consistently increased that number, with revenue reaching over $5 million several years in a row. Bill’s work also resulted over the years in tens of millions of dollars in net revenue that continue to fund other ��ýprograms and services.

Staff and colleagues describe Ott as someone who possessed a remarkable combination of editorial and business excellence, unmatched passion and dedication, and a willingness to work harder than anyone else. He was devoted to his colleagues, loyal to his friends, beloved by the trade publishing community in New York and beyond, and he delighted many with his dry and brilliant wit. He led the staff in implementing significant creative changes—in addition to the print publications, under his leadership Booklist added a complex website and 17 other digital products, including newsletters, webinars, white papers, sponsored eblasts, and live events. He conceived and built a licensing program that continues to get Booklist content in front of a much wider audience while also generating new revenue. Booklists’ total number of reviews increased from around 6,000 in 1980 to the current 8,000, and the number of features from five bibliographies a year to more than 150 columns, essays, interviews, lists, read-alikes, and more. Ott personally wrote more than 3,000 reviews and 400 Back Page columns, and in addition to his Booklist work, in 2017 he served as interim associate executive director of ��ýPublishing.

After retirement, Ott continued contributing to Booklist, editing and writing his popular mystery and crime fiction reviews and related content. At the time of his death, he had just completed his final Spotlight on Mysteries & Thrillers, which will appear in the May 1, 2023 issue. ��ýand Booklist remain deeply grateful to Ott for all his tireless and innovative work and passionate dedication, and for his outstanding legacy, both in the publications themselves and in the talented staff and freelance reviewers he hired, trained, and inspired.

ABOUT BOOKLIST

Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the ��ý for more than 100 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view or listen to. It comprises two print magazines, a magazine for library patrons, an extensive website and database,e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers' advisory.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

The ��ý (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Founded on October 6, 1876 during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ��ýis “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” For more information, visit www.ala.org.

RAGARCIA Tue, 04/11/2023 - 16:30

Contact:

Raymond Garcia

Communications Specialist

Communications and Marketing Office

cmomedia@ala.org

2023 Odyssey Awards for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children and Young Adults announced

JCARMICHAEL — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:14:02 +0000

2023 Odyssey Awards for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children and Young Adults announced

NEW ORLEANS — Taryn Beato for Simon & Schuster Audio, producer of the audiobook “Stuntboy, in the Meantime,” has won the 2023 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children. Melissa Ellard for Weston Woods Studios and Scholastic Audio, producer of the audiobook “The Honeys,” has won the 2023 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Young Adults. The awards were announced today during the ��ý’s (ALA) LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience, held January 27-30, in New Orleans.

The Odyssey Awards are given to the producer of the best audiobooks produced for children (0-14) and young adults (12-18) available in English in the United States during the preceding eligibility year. One winner may be selected for each age category with a single honor list comprised of titles for both age categories. The award is jointly administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), divisions of the ALA, and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

“Stuntboy, in the Meantime,” is written by Jason Reynolds and narrated by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, and Angel Pean with a full cast, and produced by Taryn Beato for Simon & Schuster Audio. Upbeat Portico shares his home and school adventures with enthusiasm, while his alter ego Stuntboy protects his neighbors and battles “The Frets.” In this highly entertaining audio, exuberant sound effects, music, and a full cast led by Guy Lockard, bring Stuntboy's cinematic story to life.

“‘Stuntboy, in the Meantime,’ shows how an illustrated book can be translated into audio. The use of music and sound effect makes this a rich experience,” said Odyssey Award Committee Chair, Lynda Salem Poling.

“The Honeys,” is written by Ryan La Sala and narrated by Pete Cross and produced by Melissa Ellard for Scholastic Audio. Struggling to find their place at an elite summer camp after a family tragedy, gender-fluid Mars discovers a gruesome revelation. Subtle yet immersive sound effects and a narration by Pete Cross that empathetically embodies the range of characters enhances this atmospheric novel.

“Pete Cross’ skillful narration, along with the use of occasional sound effects, makes ‘The Honeys’ a gripping story of loss and discovery,” said Odyssey Award Committee Chair, Lynda Salem Poling.

Four Honor Audiobooks also were named:

“The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” is written by Mac Barnett, narrated by the author, and produced by Melissa Ellard and Paul Gagne for Weston Woods Studios and Scholastic Audio. “Jaunty music, intermittent goat poetry, and a jubilant voicing by the author, Mac Barnett, set this audio apart. Listeners of all ages will take delight in the humorous narration. This fresh audio will give librarians and caretakers something unique to bring to storytime.

“Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel,” is written by Leigh Bardugo, narrated by Ben Barnes and a full cast, and produced by Steve Wagner and Michelle Altman for Macmillan Young Listeners, an imprint of Macmillan Audio. The graphic novel prequel to the Shadow and Bone series is artfully recreated as an exceptionally produced audio. A rich soundscape and a full cast transform this visual book into a fantastic listening experience. It is a treat for fans but is also strong as an entertaining stand-alone.

“Inheritance: A Visual Poem,” is written by Elizabeth Acevedo, narrated by the author, and produced by Caitlin Garing for Quill Books, an imprint of HarperAudio. Elizabeth Acevedo passionately performs her spoken-word poem celebrating the complexities and the cultural legacy that hair symbolizes for her as an Afro-Dominican woman. She layers intonation, rhythm, pacing, and volume in crafting this recording, making it a dynamic addition and approachable entry point to the art form.

“The First Helping (Lunch Lady Books 1 & 2),” is written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, narrated by Kate Flannery, the author, and a full cast; and produced by Jarrett J. Krosoczka and Lauren Klein, Executive Producer Nick Martorelli for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group. These graphic novels have been reimagined by author Jarrett J. Krosoczka into a full cast audio production. The larger-than-life voices and sound effects set a perfect tone for retelling a beloved series, allowing it to be enjoyed in a new way.

Audiobooks constitute a fast-growing area of usage in libraries. The award is named after the epic poem titled, “The Odyssey,” which was told and retold in the oral tradition and eventually ascribed by the poet Homer, on the tales of Odysseus as he returns to his kingdom after the Trojan War. The Odyssey Award allows us to return to the ancient roots of storytelling, while living in our modern world.

Members of the 2023 Odyssey Award Committee are: Chair Lynda Salem Poling, Long Beach Public Library, California; Catherine M. Andronik, Bridgeport, Connecticut; Alicia Blowers, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, Alexandria, Virginia; Celia Dillon, PS 89 Cypress Hills Community School, New York; Dr. Colette Drouillard, Valdosta State University, Georgia; Alyson R. Feldman-Piltch, Christina Seix Academy, Trenton, New Jersey; Shannan L. Hicks, North Little Rock Public Library System, Arkansas; Amy Kleman, Oceanside Public Library, California; Marcia Melkonian, Canoga Park Branch, Los Angeles Public Library, California; and Rebecca F. Oberhauser, Cary Area Public Library, Illinois.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is driven by more than 4,000 members dedicated to the support and enrichment of library service to children. Our members include youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty. ALSC supports its members in engaging communities to build healthy, successful futures for all children. To learn more about ALSC and how to join, please visit our website at www.ala.org/alsc.

The mission of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) is networking, advocacy, and professional development. The Young Adult Library Services Association empowers all those involved in the profession to provide equitable, diverse, and inclusive teen services. For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources visit www.ala.org/yalsa.

For information on the Odyssey Award and other ��ýYouth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

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JCARMICHAEL Mon, 01/30/2023 - 09:14

Awards (Books & Media)

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'All My Rage' wins 2023 Printz Award

JCARMICHAEL — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:53:49 +0000

'All My Rage' wins 2023 Printz Award

NEW ORLEANS — “All My Rage” written by Sabaa Tahir and published by Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House, has won the 2023 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. The award was announced today by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the ��ý (ALA), during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held Jan. 27-30, in New Orleans.

“Tahir deftly tackles Islamophobia, addiction, and abuse in this story of seniors who are struggling in a world that does not seem to want them,” said Printz Committee Chair Valerie Davis.

Four Printz Honor Books also were named.

“Scout’s Honor” written by Lily Anderson and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of MacMillan Publishing Group.

The Ladybird Scouts are knitting-needle-wielding-huntresses of beasts who feed on human emotions. After a traumatic event, Prue quits the scouts, but is tasked with training a new crop of junior scouts when a monster starts terrorizing the area. Prue agrees, if only to acquire The Tea of Forgetting.

“Icebreaker” written by A.L. Graziadei and published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of MacMillan Publishing Group.

Mickey knows exactly who he’s supposed to be: hockey star, #1 draft pick, 100% straight in a homophobic sport. With five overachieving older sisters and larger than life parents, Mickey hides his anxiety, depression, and bisexuality, as he struggles to manage his mental health find his place in world and with his mental health.

“When the Angels Left the Old Country” written by Sacha Lamb and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido.

From Warsaw to America, an angel, a demon and a rejected teenager figure out who they are, their place in the world, and how to care for the people they love. Brilliantly queer, with authentic Jewish representation, this book validates the truth and horror of the immigrant experience before, during and after Ellis Island.

“Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality” written by Eliot Schrefer and published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Penguins are queer. So are dolphins, bonobos, fish, birds, and even deer. Queer Ducks sets the record straight–or queer, by highlighting the wonders of same-sex animal behavior to prove that queerness is not, and has never been, “unnatural” -- and is instead the most common thing under the sun.

The award, first given in 2000, is named for the late Michael L. Printz, a Topeka, Kansas school librarian known for discovering and promoting quality books for young adults. The award is administered annually by YALSA and is sponsored by Booklist magazine.

Members of the 2023 Printz Award Committee are: Chair Valerie Davis, Campbell County Public Library, Newport, Kentucky; Ariel Birdoff, Mosaic Preparatory Academy, New York City; L. Butler, The Key School, Washington, D.C.; Kim Dare, Herndon High School, Virginia; Amanda Kordeliski, Norman Public Schools, Oklahoma; Kaitlin Malixi, New England Innovation Academy in Marlborough, Massachusetts; Emily Mills, Cromwell Belden Public Library, Cromwell, Connecticut; and Kali Olson, The Blake School, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For more information on the Michael L. Printz Award and other ��ýYouth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

��ý (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ��ýhas been the trusted voice for libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.

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JCARMICHAEL Mon, 01/30/2023 - 08:53

Awards (Books & Media)

Contact:

��ýMedia Relations

Communications and Marketing Office

��ý

cmomedia@ala.org

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