On Monday, January 27 the American Library Association will announce the winners for this year's Youth Media Awards. Until that date, we will not know which materials are in the running. It is a very exciting time for authors, illustrators, publishers, voice actors and librarians. After a lot of research and searching our collection, we have decided on 5 books we think have the potential to be in the running for this year's Caldecott Award. Patrons and staff may browse the books and choose their favorite by dropping a ticket in that title's ballot box. On January 25, we will reveal our library's winner. It'll be fun to see how our choices compare to the actual nominees.
Read below for a description of the Caldecott Award and some of our other favorite awards from this ceremony. For the entire list of awards, check out the ALA Youth Media Award's website.
The Randolph Caldecott Medal has been awarded each year since 1938 to the illustrator of the most "distinguished picture book." It is named for the English illustrator who died just shy of his 40th birthday. The image on the front of The Caldecott Medal is Randolph's "John Gilpin's Ride" from The Diverting History of John Gilpin. On the back is his pie with four and twenty blackbirds from the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence."
Last year's Caldecott Medal was awarded to Sophie Blackall for Hello Lighthouse published by Little, Brown and Company.
The Coretta Scott King Award is given to an African American illustrator and author whose works exhibit an appreciation for African American culture, in particular.
Last year's Coretta Scott King Awards were given to author Claire Hartfield for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 published by Clarion Books and illustrator Ekua Holmes for Marion Dane Bauer's The Stuff of Stars published by Candlewick Press. 
One of the newer awards given out each year is the Geisel Award named for Dr. Seuss. The winners and honors from this category represent beginning readers. Last year's award went to Corey R. Tabor for his book Fox the Tiger published by Balzer + Bray and imprint of HarperCollins.
The oldest ALA award, and perhaps the most well-known, is the John Newbery Award, given each year since 1922 to the author of the "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." Last year Meg Medina won for Merci Suárez Changes Gears published by Candlewick Press.