tag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:143038Amy SternAmy SternAmy Stern2011-01-13T01:58:13Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2009-05-01:143038:1598Award Season2011-01-13T01:58:13Z2011-01-13T01:58:13Zcontemplativepublic0As probably most everyone reading this knows, Monday was the announcement of the ALA awards! This is basically my Oscars. I have been reading a ton of books in preparation (although I haven't read nearly as many winners as I'd hoped- way to go, DARK HORSES) and I was really excited. So I'm really disappointed that there are two things that jumped out to me as problematic.<br /><br />I don't mean problematic as in "I disagree." I disagree that <i>Hush</i> didn't get at least a Printz honor, but I understand it. I disagree with the choice of <i>A Sick Day for Amos McGee</i> for the Caldecott, but I can see how people would choose that. But two things rubbed me the wrong way. First of all, while I think Terry Pratchett deserves many awards, I'm not really sure he deserves the Edwards specifically. And second, the distribution of awards for the Stonewall confuses me.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://astern.dreamwidth.org/1598.html#cutid1">cut for length</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />To be clear, I do think it's important that the award goes to the best books. But "best books" doesn't exist in a vacuum. That's why the Stonewall exists: because the books for LGBTQ teens deserve their own attention, and because the ALA is making a great move toward making sure they're better serving an under-served population. And I don't think they're adequately serving that marginalized community if they've chosen five books to recognize, but none of them acknowledge any type of lesbian or bisexual female experience.<br /><br />For what it's worth, I can think of at least two books about the relationship between teen girls (<i>A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend</i> by Emily Horner and <i>Scars</i> by Cheryl Rainfield) that were strong, engaging YA reads published in 2010. If you have any other recommendations, please feel free to leave them in the comments.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=astern&ditemid=1598" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments