The Little Awards were announced last Thursday, and the American Library Association announced their prestigious awards on Monday, including the Caldecott (to an illustrator for the most distinguished American picture book) and Newbery (to an author of the most distinguished contribution to American children’s literature) Medals. Many of the winners have been to Decatur during the past year.

Sheila Turnage, who was here in September for the Decatur Book Festival, won a Newbery Honor for Three Times Lucky. In addition, Sheila visited students at the 4/5 Academy for a Friday school visit. Similarly, Peter Brown, who won a Caldecott Honor for illustrating Creepy Carrots!, visited Clairemont and Glennwood and made a DBF stage appearance.  Thanks to the Decatur Education Foundation for making the Friday school visits possible. It is the single most inspiring part of the Decatur Book Festival!

Mac Barnett, author of Extra Yarn (also a Caldecott Honor winner) and Chloe and the Lion (a Little Honor winner) made two trips to Decatur in 2012; he had visited College Heights and Little Shop of Stories in April — I fictitiously killed Mac following his appearance, causing a stir when some people didn’t get my humor and thought him truly dead — and again for DBF. [Extra Yarn was illustrated by Jon Klassen, who also won the Caldecott Medal for This is Not My Hat.]

John Green won a Little Award for The Fault in Our Stars, which also won an Odyssey Award for Best Audiobook. He appeared with brother Hank at an SRO performance at Agnes Scott College last January courtesy of Little Shop. The Greens (aka the VlogBrothers) sold out Carnegie Hall two weeks ago.

Christopher Healy won a Little Honor for The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, and had been at Little Shop last May. Adam Gidwitz won a Little Honor for In a Glass Grimmly, and was also named Most Engaging Author. He was here in October.

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor award for distinguished beginning reader books went to Mo Willems for Let’s Go for a Drive. Mo missed us last year, but will be making his third visit to Decatur in April.

Last, but certainly not least, Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons won both a Geisel Honor and a Little Honor. Little Shop hosted the Groovy Buttons worldwide release party in May. Congratulations to Pete the Cat creator and illustrator James Dean and author Eric Litwin!!!

This Week

Herman Parish, author of Amelia Bedelia books, Thursday, January 31st at 7pm, Little Shop of Stories, free.

Passion, Purpose, and the Page: Writerly Advice from Emory Faculty Authors, featuring Joseph Crespino (author of Strom Thurmond’s America), Andra Gillespie (The New Black Politician:
Cory Booker, Newark, and Post-Racial America), and Lawrence Jackson (My Father’s Name:
A Black Virginia Family After the Civil War), Monday, February 4th at 3pm, Emory Bookstore, free.

Dark Days Tour, featuring Brodi Ashton (author of Everbound), Cynthia Hand (Boundless), Tahereh Malfi (Unravel Me), and Veronica Rossi (Through the Ever Night), Tuesday, February 5th at 7pm, Little Shop of Stories, free.

Melanie Benjamin, author of The Aviator’s Wife, Wednesday, February 6th at 7pm, Margaret Mitchell House, free.