Thinking about what to give the children on your holiday gift list?  Check out the titles on the just released  New York Times list of Best Illustrated Books for Children for 2009.  This annual selection represents the titles  judged to be among the best of the thousands published each year.  Adam Gopnik, author of Paris to the Moon and Angels and Ages: a short book about Darwin, Lincoln, and modern life was among the three member panel of judges.  Preview the books first by checking them out from the library.

Wolf Hall is set in the 1520s and tells the story of Thomas Cromwell’s rise to prominence in the Tudor court.  Hilary Mantel has been praised by critics for writing ‘a rich, absorbingly readable historical novel; she has made a significant shift in the way any of her readers interested in English history will henceforward think about Thomas Cromwell. She is currently working on a sequel. Quote from the Man Booker Prize web site

A list of fifty books, both fiction and nonfiction that is both comprehensive and thought- provoking. (Newsweek Web Exclusive June 27, 2009)

A web site based in Seattle, WA. that supports boy’s reading.  It has lots of suggested readings and lots of resources to help develop boy’s literacy.

Marilynne Robinson has won the 2009 Orange Prize for her third novel, Home.

The Orange Prize is awarded to a woman writing fiction in the English language. Past winners include: Zadie Smith and Ann Patchett.

http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/home

Alice Munro, a well known Canadian short story writter, wins the Booker International Prize . “The Man Booker International Prize, worth £60,000 to the winner, is awarded once every two years to a living author for a body of work that has contributed to an achievement in fiction on the world stage. It was first awarded to Ismail Kadaré in 2005 and then to Chinua Achebe in 2007.” quote from the Man Booker web site

A very helpful web site that helps identify series and sequels in Children’s literature.

Lists of Best Books of 2008 compiled on one web site.

Lists  are from  major newspapers and other organizations. Very handy to have all these lists in one place!

A list of suggestions from booksellers through NPR!

A list of notable books for 2008 organized by title. The list includes fiction and nonfiction titles.