2013 newberry & caldecott winners

"Locomotive" by Brian Floca: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

What do a girl and a squirrel have in common with an old timey steam locomotive?  They’re central figures in stories recognized by the American Library Association as America’s most distinguished children’s book of 2013.

Kate DiCamillo’s fantasy, Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures (Candlewick), won the Newbery Medal as the best children's book of 2013.  It features a feisty 10-year old who loves comics and a flying squirrel who can type poetry after a run in with a vacuum cleaner.

Brian Floca’s Locomotive (Simon &Schuster Children’s Publishing) received the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book.  Floca’s fact-based tale takes children on an oh-my-gosh-it's-so-real 1869 steam train journey ....a big draw especially for boys who may shy away from reading.

To see some of Floca’s drawings and learn more about Locomotive, click here.

To find a complete list of winners announced by the American Library Association, go here.

What do you think about the 2013 selections?  Would you add others to your list of top children's books for 2013?