Me So Horn Booky

I’m just home from the Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards at the Boston Athenaeum. (All winners listed here.)

Since I grabbed the chance to do a little Boston 1775 research before the ceremony, I came down the elevator and stepped right into the VIP gathering. Before I could get too uncomfortable, though, Roger Sutton called M. T. Anderson and me over to tell Candace Fleming about folks next door in the Old Granary Burying Ground. Ben Franklin’s parents! Paul Revere! John Hancock (remembered at left)! John Hancock’s slave Frank!

Candlewick continues to do well at this awards show, having Honor Books in all three categories. HarperCollins, with its bigger list, also took in three. All the thank-you speeches were good, with Terry Pratchett’s (delivered by his US editor, Anne Hoppe) the stand-out. Neil Gaiman sent both the text of a speech to be read and a video, but the video part didn’t work so we got to hear only his disembodied voice—quite appropriate, really.

I remain astonished by the cheeses that the Athenaeum obtains for its receptions. They’re even drier than the crackers and the wine. On one tray was a half-keg of what looked like a light and fluffy Camembert, but you literally had to chip shards off it with the little round knife.