This is always an exciting time for Children's Librarians and Teen Librarians around the country. I can't count the number of times I have pulled myself out of bed to either attend the announcements (held during the ALA Midwinter Conference in January each year) or at work or home to listen to the list of winners. When I served on the Batchelder and Odyssey Committees, it was especially exciting to call the winners on the phone first thing in the morning to let them know our decisions.
Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators who are named on this year's list. I know how exciting it is as a librarian to hear these wonderful announcements. I can only imagine how it feels on your end.