The Cincinnati Enquirer

Winners of this year's John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott medals - considered the country's top children's book awards - were announced Monday at the 2003 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.

Avi was awarded the Newbery Medal for Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Hyperion; $15.99; ages 9-12 ), a coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old boy on the run from authorities in the 14th century. The judges cited the book for bringing to readers "a riveting adventure" that "invites them to consider how life hundreds of years ago echoes our contemporary search for freedom."

The Caldecott Medal for Illustration went to author/illustrator Eric Rohmann for My Friend Rabbit (Roaring Brook Press/The Millbrook Press; $15.95; ages 5-8 ), a humorous celebration of friendship in which the rescue of a toy airplane turns a whole neighborhood upside down.

The judges called the book, which features hand-colored relief prints, a "dramatic visual romp" in which the characters "tumble and spill from the page and back on again."

Nikki Grimes, author of Bronx Masquerade (Dial; $16.99; ages 12 and up) and E.B. Lewis, illustrator of Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman (Orchard Books/Scholastic; $16.95; ages 5-9) won this year's Coretta Scott King Awards honoring African-American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Bronx Masquerade is the story of an English teacher's weekly open-mike poetry class that allows students to open up and reveal themselves to their classmates. Talkin' About Bessie, also written by Ms. Grimes and named a King Author Honor Book, was selected for Mr. Lewis' "skillfully drawn, realistic and dramatic paintings" and their ability to highlight "Bessie's determination, excitement, pride or joy." Ms. Coleman was the first licensed African-American female pilot.

Complete list of winners