[caption id="attachment_112390" align="alignright" width="214"] Michelle Obama, Credit David Slijper[/caption] Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s much-anticipated memoir, BECOMING, will be published in the U.S. and Canada on November 13, 2018, by Crown, and will be released simultaneously in 24 languages. Considered one of the most popular First Ladies of recent times, Mrs. Obama in her book invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. Warm, wise, and revelatory, BECOMING is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same. Michelle Obama has described writing BECOMING as “a deeply personal experience. It has allowed me, for the very first time, the space to honestly reflect on the unexpected trajectory of my life. I hope my journey inspires readers to find the courage to become whoever they aspire to be. I can’t wait to share my story.” A product of Chicago public schools, Obama studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University and is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Mrs. Obama started her career as an attorney at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She later worked in the Chicago mayor’s office, at the University of Chicago, and at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Mrs. Obama also founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that prepares young people for careers in public service. For more information, visit the ALA Conference website.

    Michael L. Printz Award Winner WE ARE OKAY by Nina La Cour (Dutton Books for Young Readers) The Michael L. Printz Award annually honors the best book written for teens. Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent Winner THE STARS BENEATH OUR FEET by David Barclay Moore (Knopf Books for Young Readers) The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. Laura Ingalls Wilder Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson The Wilder Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. Schneider Family Book Award Winner YOU’RE WELCOME, UNIVERSE by Whitney Gardner (Knopf Books for Young Readers) The Schneider Family Book Award is for the title that best embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience. Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner THE MURDERER’S APE by Jakob Wegelius, translated by Peter Graves (Delacorte Press) The Mildred L. Batchelder Award is for the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English. William C. Morris Award Finalist   DEAR MARTIN by Nic Stone (Crown Books for Young Readers) The William C. Morris Award recognizes a debut title by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. Pura Belpré Medal Author LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar (Nancy Paulsen Books) Pura Belpré Medal Illustrator LA PRINCESA AND THE PEA by Juana Martinez-Neal (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers) Pura Belpré Honor Authors FIRST RULE OF PUNK by Celia C. Pérez (Viking Books for Young Readers) THE EPIC FAIL OF ARTURO ZAMORA by Pablo Cartaya (Viking Books for Young Readers) The Pura Belpré awards, medals and honors are presented to Latino/Latina writers and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.  Previously posted: Our ALA Midwinter Award Recipients, Part One: Odyssey, RUSA Listen Audio Winners More ALA Awards news  to come.