Junior Library Guild’s Selections Win Newbery Medals 10 Times In 11 Years

Jan. 25, 2011 - PRLog -- JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD’S SELECTIONS WIN NEWBERY MEDALS 10 TIMES IN 11 YEARS

Contact:
Wendy Jones
800.325.9558, x 7627
wjones@mediasourceinc.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY, January 14, 2011—For the tenth time in eleven years, when the 2011 John Newbery Medal winner and Honor Books were announced at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting earlier this month in San Diego, it included numerous titles that Junior Library Guild had picked for its members.

Identifying award winners months in advance is something this library selection service has been doing for over eighty years. JLG reviewers evaluate over 3,000 new books each year prior to publication. They see and select new titles—often in manuscript form—before other reviewers. Their ability to choose only the best for their members—evidenced by JLG’s amazing track record for picking award winners and future classics—has long been respected in the industry.

In fact, this year’s winner, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (picked by JLG in July 2010), and three of the four Honor Books: Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm (picked in January 2010), Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen (picked in July 2010), and One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia (picked in January 2010) were all chosen as selections by JLG months before the Newbery committee made its decision.

In addition to Newbery winners, JLG had also chosen the Randolph Caldecott Medal winner and Honor Books as selections for its members. Months ago, JLG reviewers made sure the winning title, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead and written by Phillip C. Stead (picked in January 2010), and the two Honor Books, Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Laban Carrick Hill (picked in July); and Interrupting Chicken, written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein (picked in July) were available to its member libraries.

“It was a thrill to be at the press conference and see the committees honor one JLG selection after another. I usually reach a point where I think, ‘That’s enough. If one of our titles doesn’t get any more awards, we can still be excited about the outcome.’This year went far beyond that point, and I am elated,” said Susan Marston, JLG Editorial Director.

“Members know that they can count on JLG to make the right decisions. The choices this year (especially the Newbery) took many by surprise. But not JLG—we recognized the value of this book early on,”she said.

Through the years, JLG selections have appeared on the winning and honor lists of some of the most prestigious book awards in the country, including the Michael L. Printz Award—10 books since 2000; and the National Book Award—18 titles since 2000. And in 2010, JLG selections, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don’t You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge were winners of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.

ABOUT JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD
Junior Library Guild is a book review and collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Founded in 1929, JLG helps libraries of any size save money and simplify collection development. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. JLG is part of Media Source, Inc. Visit www.juniorlibraryguild.com.

ABOUT MEDIA SOURCE, INC.
Media Source, Inc., serves the library community by combining school and public library expertise with access to some of the most respected brands and best minds in the world of children’s and young adult literature, collection development, and library management. Subsidiary companies include Junior Library Guild, The Horn Book Magazine, Library Journal, and School Library Journal. Visit www.mediasourceinc.com.




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Collection development made easy!

Junior Library Guild is a book review and collection development service which helps thousands of school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books, saving them time and money.

Junior Library Guild is a privately held company based in Plain City, Ohio. Founded in 1929, JLG provides libraries across the United States with the very best children's and young adult books and very best customer service in the industry. Our services help libraries of any size save money and simplify collection development. Our members trust us to put only the best books into the hands of their eager young readers.