Another Groundhog Day has come and gone, with yet another dire prediction of six more weeks of winter. But we won't let that get us down! To us, the groundhog merely declared six more weeks of reading indoors. We'll be happy to move outside come spring, of course, but for the time being, we're determined to foil the winter doldrums by reading as many sunshine-themed books as humanly possible. We just have to ignore the fact that we're wearing mittens to hold them...

KIDS' Q&A: CYNTHIA RYLANT AND NIKKI MCCLURE
All in a Day is a lovely book that illuminates all the possibilities a day offers, and also delivers a gentle message of good stewardship of our planet. Newbery Medal winner Cynthia Rylant serves poetic text alongside Nikki McClure's stunning, meticulously crafted cut-paper art, making this picture book not only timeless but appealing to readers of all ages. Publishers Weekly promises readers will "enjoy Rylant's rhythms and the tenderness of McClure's images." Read our dual Q&A with Rylant and McClure and save 30% on All in a Day.

AWARDS
Drumroll, please... The big awards have arrived! On January 26, the 2009 Newbery Medal went to Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book, sending a ripple of shock, then disbelief, and, finally, acceptance. (The award committee's notorious aversion to popular titles left the book industry pleasantly surprised.) The 2009 Caldecott Medal went to Beth Krommes, illustrator for the warm tri-colored bedtime picture book A House in the Night, which, we might add, is very Goodnight Moon-esque. We invite you to check out all of the 2009 award recipients!

NEWBERY MEDAL
Winner:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Honors:
The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle
Savvy by Ingrid Law
After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

CALDECOTT MEDAL
Winner:
The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson and Beth Krommes
Honors:
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
River of Words by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet

MICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARD
Winner:
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Honors:
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Vol II: The Kingdom of Waves by M. T. Anderson
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

ORIGINAL ESSAY: GLORIA WHELAN
With After the Train, the National Book Award-winning author of Homeless Bird weaves an important, atmospheric story about a young German boy who discovers a troubling mystery that sheds light on his town's dark nature and casts doubts on his parents' stories about the war. "[T]he intensity of the issues, the blend of personal conflict and historical facts, and the young teens' present-tense narrative will hold readers," hails Booklist. Read Gloria Whelan's original essay for Powells.com and save 30% on After the Train.

ILLUSTRATED YA BOOKS
Shaun Tan's new book came out in January, and we are all in love with it. Tales from Outer Suburbia is amazingly original; eerie, beautiful short stories are all accompanied by pictures in a wide variety of styles. But despite its pictures, this is clearly a book for the teen set, not for toddlers. It got us thinking about the number of fantastic books out there which combine images and text in a much more mature manner than the picture books we're used to. David Almond's The Savage is another such book, the darkly mysterious story of a boy creating his own graphic novel. The hip-hop Swan Lake, Amiri and Odette is lush and urban, and a credit both to author Walter Dean Myers and artist Javaka Steptoe. On the lighter side, Jeff Kinney's incredibly successful Diary of a Wimpy Kid series combines graphic-novel style illustrations and a hilarious story line. And finally, who could forget last year's Caldecott winner, which shocked us all by not being a picture book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. All are worth both a look and a read!

ORIGINAL ESSAY: WALTER DEAN MYERS
In Dope Sick, the new novel by New York Times-bestselling author Walter Dean Myers, Lil J's broke and needs some cash. But a drug deal goes wrong, and now the cops are after him. Hiding and getting dope sick from his latest high, Lil J would do anything to change the last 24 hours. Maybe he can. Publishers Weekly declares, "A didn't-see-that-coming ending wraps up the story on a note of well-earned hope and will leave readers with plenty to think about." Read Myers's original essay for Powells.com and save 30% on Dope Sick.

ORIGINAL ESSAY: VIRGINIA EUWER WOLFF
In This Full House, the rich and satisfying conclusion to her Make Lemonade trilogy (which began with Make Lemonade and True Believer), Virginia Euwer Wolff takes on the big themes of life and love and, miraculously, reveals something new about them both. In its starred review, Publishers Weekly cheers Wolff's "steady, sympathetic characterizations" and declares "the trilogy closes warmly, sagely and, yes, even triumphantly." Read our original essay by Wolff and save 30% on This Full House.

NATIONAL CRAFT MONTH... FOR KIDS!
March is National Craft Month, and what could be better than introducing kids to fun, family-centered, homemade activities? There are a few kids' craft books that really stand out for us. Ellen Lupton's book DIY Kids is definitely one of the best, full of cool projects that encourage creativity and foster a do-it-yourself ethic. The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule offers up not only great craft activities but ideas to bring the whole family together. In Making Stuff for Kids, Black Dog Publishing has given us a kid-centric version of their amazing alternative craft book. This one includes craft ideas by age level, projects for kids to do, and projects for you to do for your kids.

KIDS' Q&A: ALISON GOODMAN
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the 12 energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret: "he" is actually Eona, a 16-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragoneye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn is the first installment of a "mesmerizing" (Booklist) new fantasy series. "Enthralled readers will be hard-pressed to wait for the story's second half," cheers Publishers Weekly (starred review). Read Alison Goodman's Kids' Q&A and save 30% on "Eon: Dragoneye Reborn."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS!
"I wish we could do what they do in Katroo / They sure know how to say 'Happy Birthday to You!'" Theodor Geisel, our favorite Pisces, was born March 2, 1904. We'll give you a moment to dig out your planner and red pen. Ok? So, how will you celebrate this momentous occasion? Here are some ideas: Stage an impromptu reading of Happy Birthday to You! in the rain or on a train, on a box or with a fox. Make a unique breakfast from the Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook. Donate a collection like Your Favorite Seuss: A Baker's Dozen to your child's school, or volunteer some hours at Start Making a Reader Today or your local literacy program.

KIDS' BESTSELLERS

1. Christmas Alphabet Cards by Robert Sabuda 2. The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney 3. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George 4. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan 5. Twilight (Twilight Saga #1) by Stephenie Meyer