There is not (as yet) any such thing as The Morris Medal, but every year when I get frustrated with the titles I see getting left off everyone else’s "Best of the Year" picks, I think maybe there ought to be! I’ve been intermittently adding to my list of "Morris Medal Contenders" as 2007 has progressed, and what follows is how this year’s results would look, were actual Morris Medals being minted. Or printed on shiny self-adhesive paper.

Note that because this is my award, I can select as many Medalists and Honor books as my little heart desires, and I’ve exploited that fact, though at the expense of being able to put links in for all of these titles (there are just too many!). Note, too, that I add and subtract categories from my Medals list every year, because some years there are books that fit them well, and other years there are not. In the same vein, some categories have honor books this year, and some don’t. That’s just the way I’ve decided to do things this time, and it’s kind of nice, actually, that these awards aren’t "real" so I don’t have to take any actual flack for those changes!

That having been said, let me explain that just because I don’t have actual tangible medals to award to this year’s Morris Medalists and Honor recipients, that doesn’t mean I love their books any less. My sentiments here are the real thing, even if the medals aren’t.

Titles within each category are listed alphabetically by author’s last name, not by any "I like you more than this book but less than that book" or "this author was especially nice to me at such-and-such conference" ranking system.

Also, on the topic of authors being nice to me, I recused myself from the voting for any books adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds, because I feel my ability to be impartial regarding said books has been extremely compromised by 10 months of blissful cohabitation. Gareth supported this decision.

And one more thing: I know there are probably great books missing from each award category, but honestly? I haven’t read every single novel that came out this year, nor have I necessarily seen every picture book. If your novel or picture book or misc. nonfiction title hasn’t made it onto this list of accolades, just assume that I didn’t read it or see it, but that I will in the very near future, okay? That way no one has to feel insulted, and I suffer a lot less guilt over the number of books I’m not getting to nowadays.

And now… The lack of envelope please:

The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Book Illustration goes to 6 books this year (listed alphabetically by author’s last name):

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller, illustrated by Boris Kulikov

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Stephane Jorisch

17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Honor Books (there are 18 this year, again listed alphabetically by author’s last name):

The Nightingale by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by Igor Oleynikov

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, retold by Stephen Mitchell, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

New Clothes for New Year’s Day by Hyun-Joo Bae

Deep in the Swamp by Donna M. Bateman, illustrated by Brian Lies

Let It Shine by Ashley Bryan

The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska

Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary by Beverly Donofrio and Barbara McClintock

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington, illustrated by Shelley Jackson

Little Eagle by Chen Jiang Hong

Today and Today by Kobayashi Issa, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Waiting for Mama by Tae-Joon Lee, illustrated by Dong-Sung Kim

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China by Deborah Noyes, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird by Jacques Prévert, translated and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (a novel) by Brian Selznick

I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Writing in a Picture Book goes to:

The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller, illustrated by Boris Kulikov
(Apparently the text of this book is 25 years old, but it’s presented in this edition with new illustrations and the text was new to ME this year, so… It qualifies. Because I make up the rules here, remember?)

Pink by Nan Gregory, illustrated by Luc Melanson

Honor Books:

 I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Most Engaging Middle Grade Novel of the Year goes to:

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Honor Books:

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

When I Crossed No-Bob by Margaret McMullan

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (a novel) by Brian Selznick

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Most Engaging Young Adult Novel of the Year goes to:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm, illustrated by Rich Tommaso

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Writing in a Graphic Novel goes to:

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm, illustrated by Rich Tommaso

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Illustrations in a Graphic Novel goes to:

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Honor Books:

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow by James Sturm, illustrated by Rich Tommaso

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Beginning Reader Book goes to:

Dodsworth in New York by Tim Egan

The Cat on the Mat Is Flat by Andy Griffiths

Honor Books:

Wiggle and Waggle by Caroline Arnold and Mary Peterson

Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang Campbell, illustrated by Molly Bang

My Friend Is Sad by Mo Willems

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Book of Poetry goes to:

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, illustrated by Stephane Jorisch

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Honor Books:

Today and Today by Kobayashi Issa, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

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Dancing on the Roof: Sijo Poems by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Istvan Banyai

This Is Just to Say: Poems of Forgiveness and Apology by Joyce Sidman

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Read-Aloud goes to:

That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Honor Books:

Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon by Ruth Forman

I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

The Aurora County All-Stars by Deborah Wiles

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Book Most Likely to Entertain a Toddler goes to:

What’s Wrong, Little Pookie? by Sandra Boynton

Penguin by Polly Dunbar

The Police Cloud by Christophe Niemann

Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Children’s or Young Adult Book to Give to Your Adult Friends goes to:

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Book to Give to Your Teacher Friends & Their Classroom Libraries goes to:

Vinnie and Abraham by Dawn FitzGerald, illustrated by Catherine Stock

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Best Ways to Beat Boredom goes to:

101 Things You Gotta Do Before You’re 12 by Joanne O’Sullivan

Squiggles: A Really Giant Drawing and Painting Book by Taro Gomi

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The 2008 Morris Medal for Best Non-Fiction Book goes to:

The Secret of Priest’s Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story by Peter Lane Taylor with Christos Nicola

Honor Books:

Disguised: A Wartime Memoir by Rita la Fontaine de Clercq Zubli

Vinnie and Abraham by Dawn FitzGerald, illustrated by Catherine Stock

Lightship by Brian Floca

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II by Lita Judge

Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas by Meghan McCarthy

Jesse Owens: Fastest Man Alive by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Book That Made Me Laugh the Loudest goes to:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Honor Books:

Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Mélanie Watt

The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (This is a book for grown-ups, but I had to include it here because it DEFINITELY qualifies for this award — just ask anyone who was near when I was reading it!)

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Book That Made Me the Teariest goes to:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

Today and Today by Kobayashi Issa, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

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The 2008 Morris Medal for The Book(s) I Most Wish I’d Discovered in My Childhood goes to:

How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Quentin Blake

A Near Thing for Captain Najork by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Quentin Blake

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The 2008 Morris Medal for the Most Kid-Friendly Book of the Year goes to:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Honor Books:

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

The Cat on the Mat Is Flat by Andy Griffiths

How Big Is It? A Book All About Bigness by Ben Hillman

Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners by Laurie Keller

Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O’Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems

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