Like Oscars, but for books!

In case anyone wasn't up at 7:00 this morning to watch the live webcast from Philadelphia (because they have enough sense to get their sleep and just wait for the list to be uploaded), here are the 2008 winners of all the children's and young adult literature awards!

For the slightly less interested, the "big winners" were...

[drumroll, please]

Newbery Medal: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz, published by Candlewick;

Caldecott Medal: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, published by Scholastic;

Michael L. Printz Award: The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean, published by HarperTempest;

...and just because I love Mo:

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award: There is a Bird on Your Head by Mo Willems, published by Hyperion.

With all the award winners and honor books, I've got quite the reading list to tackle! Let me know if you want to discuss any of the titles!

J.K. Rowling outs Dumbledore

I don't think I've ever seen a piece of news circulate the Internet so quickly. In case any of you managed to miss the big news, at a Q&A session in New York J.K. Rowling revealed that she always thought of Dumbledore as gay.

Story from The Observer

Story from Time

I can't say I'm totally surprised by this information, but I'm quite surprised Rowling actually said so!

Although to be honest, if I'd ever made a list of "Potentially gay Harry Potter characters", Dumbledore would have been at best #3.

RIP Kilgore Trout

I was absolutely bummed to hear of Kurt Vonnegut's death today. I always feel a little melancholy when an author dies, but Vonnegut is one of my favorites. Seems especially sad that someone who made his career from his creativity and intelligence would pass away as a result of brain injuries. Time to reread my favorite: Welcome to the Monkey House. Maybe that will cheer me up a little.