Tricia and I attended the ALA Midwinter Convention in Dallas, where we stuck around to attend the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements live on Monday morning. It's always fun and interesting to hear the announcements instead of having them filtered through Twitter or Facebook feeds--and this time it was especially fun, when my recently signed client Duncan Tonatiuh's name was read out as the recipient of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, for his book Diego Rivera! Duncan was also recognized by the Belpre committee with an illustrator honor designation last year for Dear Primo.

Much of the focus at Midwinter is on the work of the awards committees. Some of them are open, and you can sit in and listen to discussions, and there is an awareness of them that hums through the exhibit hall and the events of the convention. That hum continues well into the week, as the committees' final choices are not all announced Monday morning. Now that the lists are up, we are so pleased to have even more books on even more lists!

On the Notable Children's Books list:

Stars, by Mary Lyn Ray (illustrated by Marla Frazee)

Diego Rivera, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

On the Best Fiction for Young Adults list:

Liar's Moon, by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy

The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango

On the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list:

Can I See Your I.D.?, by Chris Barton (illustrated by Paul Hoppe)

And on the Amelia Bloomer list:

Flutter, by Erin E. Moulton

The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango

Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy

Huge congratulations to all!

—Erin