The American Library Association has announced the 2011 recipients of its top awards in children's literature.  Clare Vanderpool's debut novel Moon Over Manifest, a quirky coming-of-age tale set in a Depression-era Kansas railroad town, was awarded the John Newbery Medal for "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." 

Seven-year-old Bean (she only hears her full name Bernice Blue when getting into trouble) lives with her bossy eleven-year-old sister, Nancy, and her mom and dad in a house on Pancake Court. She's the kind of kid that gets along with everyone--at the center of the neighborhood action.  So when Ivy, a little girl the same age, moves in across the street, why wouldn’t Bean say hello?

Where Bean’s hair was usually in tangles, Ivy’s long red curly hair was always in place. Beside Ivy wore dresses and her nose was always in a thick book. Bean only wears a dress when her mom makes her and big books make her restless. And then there is  the “kiss of death” --her mom keeps saying that they should be friends because Ivy “seem[s] like a nice girl.” Well,  that's the last kid that Bean would want to be friends with. Verdict: “Boring.”

Our regular contributor and on-call children's librarian Lisa Von Drasek sent in a few wonderful titles to share with the young person in your life to mark Black History Month. (For additional related recommendations see our Five Books list of Black History Month reading).