As The Crow Flies and Roughneck win at ALA Awards

The Mid-Winter ALA meeting is wrapped up with all the awards presentations. Diane Roback has a report on the major winners:

Newberry Award:  Hello, Universe, Erin Entrada Kelly
Caldecott Medal: Wolf in the Snow, Matthew Cordell
Printz Award: We Are Okay, Nina LaCour

Graphic novels rarely go without some recognition at these awards and the Beat’s own Torsten Adair has been on the scene to report two wins.

As The Crow Flies, by Melanie Gillman, was named a Stonewall Award Honor Book, given to books with strong LCBTQ content. Gillman’s acclaimed webcomic-to GN has been winning awards all oevr the place, so not unexpected. In maybe a little more of a surprise, Jeff Lemire’s Roughneck was presented with an Alex Award, which are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.

Although not a graphic novel, Thi Bui (The Best We Could Do) won a Caldecott HOnor Book for Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut; A Different Pond written by by Bao Phi,‎ and illustrated by Bui.

Roughneck is from a newish graphic novel imprint (Gallery 13) and As The Crow Flies is from Iron Circus Comics; like most of ICC books it was initially crowdfunded. Nice acclaim for both publishers.