June #23 Online Library Newsletter

Carnegie Medal | Kate Greenaway Medal Winners 2017

The Winners of the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards have been announced!  Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys wins the Carnegie Medal in this special 80th anniversary year and There is a Tribe of Kids written and illustrated by Lane Smith takes the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Carnegie Medal Winner 2017

Synopsis

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Four young people, each haunted by their own dark secret, narrate their unforgettable stories. Fans of The Book Thief or Helen Dunmore's The Siege will be totally absorbed.

When the German ship the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in port in early 1945 it had over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board. Nearly all were drowned. Ruta Sepetys, acclaimed author of Between Shades of Grey, brilliantly imagines their story.

About the Author

Ruta Sepetys is the author of acclaimed YA novel, Between Shades of Grey. Born and raised in Michigan in a family of Lithuanian descent, Ruta now lives with her husband in Tennessee. Ruta was a highly successful promoter of classical music concerts, booking and touring with orchestras worldwide, before turning to writing full-time. In 2015, Ruta was awarded The Rockefeller Foundation's prestigious Bellagio Center writing residency, where she interacted with other leading international artists, writers and thinkers.

Ruta discovered the story on which Salt to the Sea is based originally through a family connection and discovered that a cousin of her father’s should have been on board but a fortunate accident near the port meant he missed boarding, saving his life. The book has recently been picked up for development by Universal Pictures.

Kate Greenaway Medal Winner 2017

Synopsis

There is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith

Did you ever want to waddle with a colony of penguins? Wriggle with an army of caterpillars? Or march with a troop of monkeys? Legendary illustrator Lane Smith takes us on a colourful adventure through the natural world, following a child as he weaves through the jungle, dives under the ocean and soars into the sky.

Along the way he makes friends and causes mischief with a dazzling array of creatures both large and small - but can he find his own kind? Full of warmth and humour, There Is a Tribe of Kids is a sumptuously detailed portrayal of wild childhood to be pored over for hours on end.

A witty and playful exploration of curiosity, discovery and what it means to belong, ideal for sharing with children of all ages. Sprinkled with beautiful gold flecks and specially designed peek-through flaps at the front and back.

About the Author

Lane Smith has written and illustrated a number of novels and picture books for children, including the two Caldecott Honor titles, Grandpa Green and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Stories. He was a 2014 recipient of a Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement Award and was named an Honor Artist by the Eric Carle Museum. He lives with his wife, book designer Molly Leach, in rural Connecticut, USA.