Everyone presented beautifully, especially YALSA rep Jackson Devious, who kept me laughing every other minute with off-the-cuff comments like "love bomb" and "ballyhoo."  Another presenter highlight for me was listening to the Pura Belpre Awards announced in English and Spanish.  So cool.  Though personally, if I were ever to become a bilingual announcer in the US, I might announce first in Chinese and then in English, to keep the English-only speakers in more suspense.

Because of the fabulous Heavy Medal Mock Newbery and my YA book club, I'd read a wider range of books this year I even went out on a limb and blogged my absolute favorites.  So it was even more exciting to learn that the awards committees honored some of my absolute favorites (Bomb, The One and Only Ivan, Splendors and Glooms, Seraphina, Code Name Verity) and many other books I really enjoyed (Dodger, Moonbird, No Crystal Stair, Each Kindness, I Have a Dream, I Too Am America, This Is Not My Hat).

Of particular note, there were two books that were honored three separate times:  Bomb: The Search to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (Excellence in Nonfiction Award, Robert Sibert Medal, Newbery Honor) and Aristole and Dante Discover the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Stonewall Book Award, Pura Belpre Award, Printz Honor).  I absolutely adored Bomb, and now Aristole and Dante Discover the Universe has risen to the top of my Must Read List, not only because of the many awards it received, but because I love reading stories about unlikely and fiercely loyal friends.

As the awards ceremony continued, my reading list grew.  I'm especially interested in the Mildred L. Batchelder Awards for translation (CONGRATS to Ed Gauvin for translating Honor book  “A Game for Swallows: To Die, to Leave, to Return") and the Schneider Family Book Awards for disability issues.  And I'm glad I don't know all the winners.  Awards should not be popularity contests--that's what The New York Times Bestselling List is all about.  Awards should honor excellence, whose definition can change from reader to reader to reader, and coming to a consensus about excellence in a committee can be a challenge.  Even if I don't love every single award winner, I am confident that each book honored this morning was carefully read multiple times and discussed for hours by a small group of thoughtful readers.  It's awesome that we have so many adults who are so passionate about children's literature.  I'm thankful for their dedication.