“You are on a speakerphone with at least 14 teachers and librarians and suchlike great, wise and good people, I thought. Do not start swearing like you did when you got the Hugo. This was a wise thing to think because otherwise huge, mighty and fourletter swears were gathering. I mean, that’s what they’re for. I think I said, You mean it’s Monday?” – a sleep befuddled Neil Gaiman‘s advice to himself on being awoken in the wee small hours to be told he was the recipient of this year’s Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book.
(cover to the adult edition of the Graveyard Book, published in the UK by Bloomsbury, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean)
For those who aren’t familiar with it, the Newbery “is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” In American literary circles it is one of the most respected awards and it is a huge honour to be a recipient – I suspect even if he hadn’t just been woken in the early hours of the morning Neil would still have been gobsmacked. It’s especially nice as it comes from the folks at the Library Association and I know Neil is a solid supporter of libraries and librarians, that service we often take for granted in our towns and cities and which is actually, when we think about it, one of the more remarkable institutions our clever forefathers created – a place where anyone, even lacking funds, can go and borrow and read endless amounts of books. I’m sure coming from people who spend their work days promoting reading this means a huge amount to Neil.
Wed, Jan 28, 2009
Awards, Books