In an earlier post, we shared information about the 2011 Youth Media Awards, which  were announced last week— these are the winners of the prestigious awards for children's and teen's literature published in the past year. 

This post, highlighting the Sibert Award, is for all you nonfiction lovers out there!

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois.

AND THE 2011 WINNER IS…

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Bird written by Sy Montgomery & illustrated by Nic Bishop On remote Codfish Island off the southern coast of New Zealand live the last 91 kakapo parrots on earth. Originally this bird numbered in the millions before humans brought predators to the islands. Now on the isolated island refuge, a team of scientists is trying to restore the kakapo population.

Two Sibert Honor Books were also named this year;  they are: "Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring," written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca; and "Lafayette and the American Revolution," written by Russell Freedman.   I look forward to some great informational reading!