Don’t you just love good news?

It makes me cry.

In a heart-swelling-hope-incited-life-ain’t-all-off-afterall kind of way.

Well, the National Book Award nominations are in and it’s a tear-jerker, folks.

First of all, the poetry?
I adore Mark Doty and Reginald Gibbons. For very different reasons.
Also, I’m really curious about the Patricia Smith book and I think I might just see if I have a little National Book Award cash stash hidden in my wallet somewhere. In a secret pocket in my wallet. In a secret invisible pocket? Or maybe it looks an awful lot like a MasterCard?

But moving on — the Young People’s Literature category.
Bestill my heart. 
Honestly. 

Look, if you’re ready for a good cry, check out the following:

This little blurb from Emily Lockhart’s blog.

Laurie Halse Anderson’s original post and her follow up.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s interview with Kathi Appelt.

This gush over Kathi at Through the Tollbooth.

All is not lost people, no matter what the polls say.
All is not lost…