The Best Tweets from the 2021 Youth Media Awards

15 minutes until the ALA Youth Media Awards! Ahhhh!! I'm excited about all the gorgeous books this year. Can't wait to see what was chosen. Good morning everyone!! #alayma #alayma21 #ALAMW21 Link is here https://t.co/yZrQi5vtEY pic.twitter.com/WmYgrOZNSa

— Alia Jones (@readitrealgood) January 25, 2021

I remember getting the call from the Newbery Committee at 4:15 AM. It was the biggest shock I’d had in my life. I was used to dreaming big. But until that day I had little experience having my dreams come true.

To everyone whose dreams come true today: Congratulations! #alayma pic.twitter.com/M2QSxtS0SN

— Gennifer Choldenko (@choldenko) January 25, 2021

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Thank you so much to the ALA and stonewall committee for making Beetle and the Hollowbones a stonewall honor book! Team beetle is in amazing, astounding company! pic.twitter.com/5KDlGSquaT

— aliza layne and the hollowbones (@alizabees) January 25, 2021

@candacemfleming!!! Congrats on finally winning Sibert gold!!! #ALAyma

— Sam Bloom, who depends too much on gifs (@sibloom24) January 25, 2021

I love that the Newbery Committee chose to honor so many amazing titles this year. So. Much. Joy.

— katemessner (@KateMessner) January 25, 2021

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL https://t.co/1gSbiDmWQ6

— Tae Keller (@taekeller) January 25, 2021

Christina Soontornvat has received a DOUBLE Newbery Honor for her books ALL THIRTEEN and A WISH IN THE DARK, as well as a Sibert Honor, and has been named a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist. Whew!!!! ? CONGRATULATIONS, @soontornvat! #ALAYMA #ALAMW21 pic.twitter.com/40NeyVrJCo

— BookPeople (@BookPeople) January 25, 2021

I have typed in words, deleted words, typed them back in. I have no words. I am just still very stunned to be honest! Give me one second and I will come back here and say something coherent!

— Christina Soontornvat (@soontornvat) January 25, 2021

Oh my god, you guys, last night on the phone with the Sibert Committee I meant to say "From now on we will always be connected" but what actually came out of my mouth was, "We are in a relationship now."
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— Christina Soontornvat (@soontornvat) January 25, 2021

Still haven't stopped crying! Thank you to everyone for the good wishes and congrats – I am so sorry I can't reply to you all! Please know I treasure every word. How beautiful it is that we can all be together today, celebrating books even though we are physically apart. ??? pic.twitter.com/kkM8I2Sopf

— Christina Soontornvat (@soontornvat) January 25, 2021

Someone had asked if an author had ever won 2 Newbery honors the same year. I looked thru the list, & yes— in 1954, Meindert Dejong won 2. So @soontornvat you’re the second! ????? #alayma21 pic.twitter.com/3DbMLcBApd

— Basil E. Frankweiler (@aslan_magic) January 25, 2021

It’s almost like the @Candlewick design team knew to leave space for ALL THE AWARDS
???????? #TheYearofSoontornvat https://t.co/wzLEGN5j6v pic.twitter.com/Y4a4TdzRxB

— Minh Lê (@bottomshelfbks) January 25, 2021

Still letting this sink in. Truly, an honor of a lifetime. #EfrenDived #BeSoper https://t.co/zVxgdOdg3G

— Ernesto Cisneros: back teaching… (@Author_Cisneros) January 25, 2021

I Talk Like a River wins the Schneider Family Book Award, given to a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience. Thank you to the Schneider Family, @ALALibrary, and @HolidayHouseBks @Sydneydraws. I am so honoured to work with such incredible people. https://t.co/UMbVvqRfZS

— Jordan Scott (@jscottwrites) January 25, 2021

CRYING & SCREAMING!!!!!! #alayma #ALAMW2021 pic.twitter.com/GbYwnBGOYw

— Tracy Deonn ????? (@tracydeonn) January 25, 2021

Michaela Goade is the first Native writer or illustrator to win either a Caldecott or Newbery. Native people everywhere are delighted!

— Debbie Reese (tribally enrolled, Nambé Pueblo) (@debreese) January 25, 2021

I am still struggling to find the right words. More to come but for now, w/ a VERY full ? gunalchéesh to @ALALibrary, the Caldecott committee, my dear @CaroleLindstrom & the team @MacKidsSL! To EVERYONE who lifted this book up, thank you & I love you. pic.twitter.com/QdAYhgWjlh

— Michaela Goade (@MichaelaGoade) January 25, 2021

This is me putting the #Caldecott Medal?sticker on my copy of WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS after our committee called @MichaelaGoade. Congratulations & THANK YOU (& @CaroleLindstrom) for this beautiful, beautiful book ?? #alayma #alamw21 pic.twitter.com/oPm4Z2VHpO

— Alec Chunn (@thestoriesguy) January 25, 2021

Whoa. I am…this is….wow. I am so incredibly honored and humbled. Thank you endlessly to the Caldecott committee & @ALALibrary , the enchanting @underwoodwriter, and the entire team @HMHKids. I found out inside the car last night. pic.twitter.com/ctwM9F4QbQ

— Cindy Derby (@CindyDerby) January 25, 2021

20 years ago I wrote a poem that @literaticat placed with @GraceKendallLit in 2016; she paired me with debut illustrator Noa Denmon. As #BlackLivesMatter protests spread across the globe, we got 2 trade reviews & zero stars. But today there’s a shiny silver sticker on our book ? pic.twitter.com/X5jyycx9cc

— Zetta Elliott (@zettaelliott) January 25, 2021

Damn, the Caldecott Committee said: WOMEN (we love to see it <3) #alayma21 #alayma #alamw21 pic.twitter.com/SUBn2J16Sl

— Alia Jones (@readitrealgood) January 25, 2021

Some fantastic #alayma21 Caldecott facts:
•All 5 Caldecott winners are women this year!
• They are also all first time Caldecott award recipients!
• And 4 of the 5 women are BIPOC!
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— Lauren Castillo ? (@studiocastillo) January 25, 2021

EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE won the Printz Medal!

Okay I’ve had a minute to take it in, and dance w/my family. But I stayed up last night wondering what would I do with the 15 seconds of attention I'm so grateful to have. I wrote this thread. Hear me out if you would: pic.twitter.com/66hLXUXemy

— Khosrou Daniel Nayeri (@DanielNayeri) January 25, 2021

When the ALA is trying to call you, but your phone keeps declining it as spam and you don't know how to turn off the spam filter so you're frantically screaming and pressing buttons. #ALAMW21 #alayma https://t.co/zFC6hrQ9XE

— Erin Entrada Kelly (@erinentrada) January 25, 2021

I'm happy for my book! I'm happy for all the books! I'm happy for @soontornvat who won 5 zillion awards! I'm happy for your messages! I'm happy that I figured out how to deactivate spam blocker on my phone so I could finally answer the Newbery call! #ALAMW21 #ALAyma

— Erin Entrada Kelly (@erinentrada) January 25, 2021

#ALAyma Congrats in advance to all of the books and media that will be honored to today. But also lots of kudos to the committees who've worked hard this year during such trying times. pic.twitter.com/bdLFF2YZ0u

— Shelley (Diaz) Vale (@sdiaz101) January 25, 2021

To celebrate #ALAYMA, I do my 1 blogpost of the year… it’s time for: EXTREME CALDECOTT PLACEMENT! (thread)

Basic idea: this is an honor of a lifetime, so why restrain yourself to just a sticker on the cover?? ? #ExtremeCaldecottPlacement #ALAYMA21https://t.co/koQKf5AOUD

— Minh Lê (@bottomshelfbks) January 25, 2021

How it started. How it’s going. Fun to see the impact the #alayma’s have on sales. (WHEN YOU TRAP A TIGER) pic.twitter.com/uyBPmIFZ8t

— Colby Sharp (@colbysharp) January 25, 2021