Graceling, Kristin Cashore (Harcourt Children's)
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins)
House of Many Ways, Diana Wynne Jones (HarperCollins)
Savvy, Ingrid Law (Dial)
Nation, Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins)
And the winner is:
GRACELING! (which makes a nice change from The Graveyard Book*).All five of these are excellent books, but it seems to me that the award committee would have had a fairly easy time picking the winner. They have very specific criteria, after all--from the awards' website: "The Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature honors books for younger readers (from “Young Adults” to picture books for beginning readers), in the tradition of The Hobbit or The Chronicles of Narnia." I think Graceling falls much more squarely into that tradition than the other four.
Charles Butler's book, Four British Fantasists, won in the Myth and Fantasy Studies category. It is an excellent look at Alan Garner, Susan Cooper, Penelope Lively, and Diana Wynne Jones, and therefore of great interest, I assume, toanyone who reads my blog (except all the people that come here wanting to know
when the next Ricky Ricotta book comes out, for whom I have no help. If I knew, I'd share).
*And Gaiman already won in the adult category in 2006 for Anansi Boys. Jones, btw, won in 1999 for Dark Lord of Derkholm, a book I love (it is funny).
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I have to read Graceling. I've heard nothing but great things.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, I read all of the nominees! When does that ever happen unintentionally. lol I agree with the winner. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Juju, you should read Graceling. It might disappoint a bit, because you have heard so much about it, but it is worth reading.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time having read a whole list myself!
I am giving myself a pat on the back for reading 4 out of 5. Sci fi/fantasy is still my reading weakness but I've come a long way.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Graceling. I read it after hearing how wonderful it is and still loved it .
I liked Graceling too, but didn't fall quite as hard for it as I was expecting too...
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