Since this is my first time doing a Sibert Smackdown/Mock Sibert with students, I went into the Youth Media Award announcements with my fingers and toes crossed that some of the books that my students have been reading and considering would win. When I first, heard that there would be five honor books, I felt hopeful. However, as the honor books were announced, my hope faded. I had called only one of the honor books. Now, I was on the edge of my seat. Would the winner be one of the books we had read? Alas, we were not going to have bragging rights. Though I loved so many of these books, it was sad to not see certain books get much love and recognition.
I will say I recognize the hard work that the Sibert Committee put in to select these six books. Several of the books were ones that I really enjoyed and I was especially happy for Joyce Sidman.
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award goes to the most distinguished informational book published in the United States. Last week, I made my predictions. On Monday, at the ALA Youth Media Awards the Sibert Winners were announced. Click here to read the ALA Press release for the 2019 Robert F. Sibert Medal Winners.
Here are the winners….
The Winner:
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian’s Art Changed Science, written by Joyce Sidman, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Honor Book Winners:
Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild, written by Catherine Thimmesh, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and The War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America, written by Gail Jarrow, and published by Calkins Creek, an imprint of Highlights
The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees, written and Illustrated by Don Brown, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, written by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac, and published by Charlesbridge
When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana, written by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Jose Ramirez, and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Congratulations to all of the authors, illustrators, and publishers.
Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…