Do a blog search - is there any chatter on mock Coretta Scott King Awards for 2009? No librarians seem to be talking about the CSK awards? No bloggers? No book industry publications? I have not been able to find any, so decided to start a thread given the awards are coming out later this month. Here are my picks for 2009 - what are yours?
2009 Mock CSK - Author Award Nominees
- Sunrise Over Falluja by Walter Dean Myers (He's won a CSK Award 9 times before)
- Letters to a Young Sister by Hill Harper (Should have been honored for 2007 Letters to a Young Brother)
- Brand New School, Brand New Ruby by Derrick Barnes (Dark horse, I don't think any CSK Award has gone towards a series novel... Think Connie Rose Porter of the American Girls Addy book series ... or the Willimenia Rules! series by Valerie Wilson Wesley... or... you get my point.)
- You Can Do It! by Tony Dungy - a popular book with over 25 Amazon comments.
2009 Mock John Steptoe New Talent Award - Author Nominees
- Bird by Zetta Elliott. This book also won a Lee & Low New Voices honor award.
- Howard Thurman's Great Hope by Kai Jackson Issa
2009 Mock CSK - Illustrator Award Nominees
- Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope illustrated by Bryan Collier. Collier has won the CSK Illustrator award five times previous. Did the newly published book get submitted in time for the December deadline?
- We Are the Ships: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson, a three time CSK award winner. Very strong promotional efforts in 2008; many Amazon comments.
- A Man for All Seasons: The Life of George Washington Carver illustrated by Wil Clay. Clay has also won a CSK award before. Georgeous illustrations in this book, but is the subject of Carver too nineteenth century given the new dawn of Obama?
- No Mush Today illustrated by Nicole Tadgell. Just so sweet!
- Art from Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter illustrated by Shane Evans. I admit, I'm biased on this and the next selection. How can we live in a world that Shane Evans' illustrations have not been at leasted HONORED for a CSK Award. Did you know that 31% of all past CLK Illustrator Awards have gone to just five illustrators (Ashley Bryan, Jerry Pinkney, Leo Dillion and Diane Dillion and Bryan Collier). Now, this is no disrespect to any winning illustrators - I just can't understand why one award would continue to go to the same folks year after year. Judges?
- Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt illustrated by Cozbi Cabrera. Again, I'm biased. I'm a quilter and happen to be a fan of Cozbi's illustrations and dolls. There have been 37 illustrators to win any CSK Illustrator award - less than 10 have been women. Last year sistah Nancy Devard won an Honor award. As for the Gee's Bend Quilting subject matter, these quilts are of historical importance. In 2008 there were three different law suits regarding aspects of the Gee's Bend Quilt phenomena. What other woman illustrator would you nominate for 2009?
- Howard Thurman's Great Hope illustrated by Arthur L. Dawson.
- March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World illustrated by London Ladd.
- Bird illustrated by Shadra Strickland. Did you know there have been ZERO... NONE... NO female winners of the John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator award? None. Maybe 2009?
- Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by sistah poet Nikki Giovanni
- The Brown Bookshelf blog - What a tremendous job this team of Paula Chase Hyman, Varian Johnson, Don Tate, Kelly Starling Lyons, and Carla Sarratt has done to keep us all updated on new books, authors and illustrators. I, for one, am looking forward to the 2nd annual 28 Days Later Black History calendar!
