2008 Mildred L. Batchelder Winner
Winner: VIZ Media for Brave Story, written by Miyuki Miyabe and translated from the Japanese by Alexander O. Smith
Brave Story tells the story of a boy named Wataru whose chaotic life leads him to enter the videogame-infused world of Vision to alter his fate. This complicated quest, with a real-world rival, and fierce and friendly creatures, unleashes a future Wataru could not have anticipated. The wisdom and power Wataru gains on his journey enables him to embrace the transformed reality to which he returns.
“This is a bold, major masterpiece that will surely find a lasting, important place in children's literature,” said Batchelder Chair Fran Ware. “Authentic, complex and captivating, the journey is one that will resonate with readers of all ages for many years.”
2008 Honor books
Milkweed Editions for The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity, written by Jutta Richter, with illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner, and translated from the German by Anna Brailovsky
The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity is a timeless fable featuring willful young Christine's attempts to understand the nature of true learning and friendship. After imagining encounters with a persistent, sassy, mysterious cat, she discovers she can choose to act on behalf of others. Child-friendly exchanges created by a celebrated German children's book writer are accompanied by sophisticated artwork in an exceptionally handsome little volume.
Phaidon Press for Nicholas and the Gang, written by René Goscinny, illustrated by Jean-Jacques Sempé, and translated from the French by Anthea Bell
Nicholas and the Gang, a collaboration between writer René Goscinny and artist Jean-Jacques Sempé, one of the most famous teams in French children's literature, was translated into English by Anthea Bell. Originally published in French as “Le petit Nicolas et les copains,” this companion volume to “Nicholas,” a 2006 Batchelder Honor Book, presents the further hilarious escapades of a schoolboy and his classmates in an all-boys school. Sempé's jaunty pen-and-ink artwork extends the energy of the text. Brief, fresh, and funny, the Nicholas stories have been favorites among French schoolchildren for nearly 50 years.
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