Newbery Possibilities on the National Book Award Longlist

Unlike the Newbery and most other ALA awards, the National Book Awards share their longlists of finalists. We’ll get the shortlist on October 3rd (usually 5 titles) and the winner is announced on November 15th this year. But for now, we’ve got the 10 books on the NBA Longlist for Young People’s Literature to consider. The NBA’s are different from the Newbery all kinds of ways. More details can be found in the Newbery Terms and Criteria, the Newbery Manual, and in the NBA’s Deadlines and Guidelines, but here are a few key areas of differences (and one shared element):

Not surprisingly, the ten books chosen for the NBA Longlist may not all be a part of our Mock Newbery conversations here on Heavy Medal. Some we’ll save for later and some just might not fit with a Mock Newbery. Eight of those are listed below. But first, let’s take a closer look at two NBA Longlist titles that have the most support so far on Heavy Medal.  

SIMON SORT OF SAYS by Erin Bow
This was published in January and has been at the top of our suggestion list all year. It shines in many elements highlighted in the Newbery Terms and Criteria. I’ll take a quick look at three of those: 

Development of a Plot: The gradual revelation of the trauma that Simon survived is done just about perfectly. First we might be mildly curious why a town without information access would be something Simon wants. Then he drops a few hints (“You would know the name……” (35)). Eventually we learn that he survived a mass shooting. And finally we get the specific details of exactly what those hours were like for him. We learn all that gradually, while also following the current story of how Simon carries on a couple years later, trying to make friends, keep his secrets, and somehow get past the trauma that won’t disappear.

Appropriateness of Style:  In our survey from earlier this month, Emily noted that “using humor to deal with serious/traumatic topics” was noted as a trend by multiple respondents, and SIMON shows how effective that can be. Simon’s narration is distinct, funny, and clever. Not what you might expect given what he’s been through, but we still sense he has a serious story to tell behind the lightheartedness.

Even the chapter titles are not what you expect in a book about a mass shooting: “In Which I Meet a Girl (not in a kissing-book way)” (16), for example, and “Release the Emus” (270). But you still get the feeling that tone is hiding something deeper, as evidenced by the more straightforward, and slightly ominous interludes: “A Note on Lockdowns” (122), or “A Note About News Vans” (233). When the tone does shift to the serious stuff, it’s a natural and powerful transition.

Delineation of Characters: SImon’s first person voice sets the tone, and we get to know him partly by the way he expresses himself. I thought the other characters were pretty strong too. The adults seemed about as imperfect as the kids, which you don’t often see. 

It’s been a while since I read SIMON, and all my notes are positive. One thing I would look at on a re-read, though, is that scheme about the alien messages, which was maybe a little far-fetched and distracting? But overall, this does seem like a strong Newbery contender. 

THE LOST YEAR by Erin Marsh
Like last year’s Honor book, MAIZY CHEN’S LOST YEAR, this one starts with a modern character, then jumps into the past as he learns about his family history. Marsh uses that structure very effectively. The three points of view, Mathew during Covid, Helen in 1930’s Brooklyn, and Mila during the 1930’s famine in Ukraine, are all engaging. There are some really tense moments. Some of the chapter endings are especially strong, transitioning into the next point of view perfectly. I loved the one where Matthew discovers a letter that had come to Helen 90 years earlier:

…That’s when I noticed a yellowed copy in the “Letters” pile addressed to Miss Helen Lomachenko. At the bottom of the letter was the sender’s name.
I couldn’t help myself: I held it out to GG.
“They wrote her back!” (214)

It’s an exciting moment in the Ukraine story, when we discover that Helen and Mila are finally going to be in touch. At the same time, it shows Matthew’s total immersion in his family’s past and the excitement of a historian’s discovery .

In other examples, the abruptness of the transition build suspense. Here’s the ending of a particularly tense Mila chapter:

…As the headlights illuminated the way, I could only take in the familiar landmarks – Khreschatyk, the Golden Gate, the children’s home.
That’s what they called it when they pulled up. But I knew the hulking standstone and brick building by another name.
The Collector. (245)

Turn the page and we’re back with Matthew in New Jersey in 2020, dying to know what’s about to happen to Mila, but also jumping back into the more familiar world of early Covid.

I like the way the characters have some similar things to deal with, even though they’re all distinct and live in such different circumstances:

• All three have limited power to change things, but all, in their own way, keep trying to.
• They struggle with getting the truth from institutions: For Matthew it’s Covid. Mila gets lies about the famine. Helen can’t convince the Times to take her seriously.
• They all need to act like adults, and sometimes protect the adults they care about from knowing this. Matthew says “Good was my go to response…” as he tries to keep his mom from worrying. Two chapters later, Helen uses the same technique when her Pop asks her how things are going (89). And in between, Mila starts to wonder if she can truly trust her Papa (81).

But those similarities aren’t hammered home, and none of the individual plot threads seem contrived. And that climactic plot twist, when we learn the true fate of Nadiay (291) is very powerful.

This is first-rate historical fiction, written at a level that’s just right for that upper-elementary/middle school age range.

Here’s a bit about the other Longlist titles and how they might fit (or not fit)  into our Mock Newbery conversations: 

GATHER by Kenneth Cadow
A debut novel coming out on October 3rd. Looks like it’s might skirt the top of that 0-14 Newbery range, but I hope to read it when I can.

FORGET ME NOT by Alyson Derrick
Another book for older readers which looks like maybe even more of a Newbery age-range stretch. I haven’t read it, but reviews put the age range at 14 and up.

HUDA F CARES by Huda Fahmy
A graphic novel memoir, sequel to HUDA F ARE YOU? This one’s not out until October 10th. Could be a good comparison to SCHOOL TRIP, A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, and some of the other middle school graphic novels from this year.

BIG by Vashti Harrison
The lone picture book on the list, and it’s an interesting one. I could see it as a Caldecott, but I think it’s worth discussing for Newbery too. I’ll bring it up in our Picture Book Round-Up on October 18th, but that’s a few weeks away, so feel free to talk about this one in the comments below.

HIDDEN SYSTEMS by Dan Knott
I mentioned this in our Nonfiction Round-Up. I thought it was fascinating, but am not convinced it will grab young readers, especially compared to other nonfiction titles from this year.

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING by Dan Santat
We’ll save discussion of this for our Graphic Novel Round-Up on September 27th.

PARACHUTE KIDS by Betsy C. Tang
Another graphic novel that we’ll save for that Graphic Novel Round-Up.

MORE THAN A DREAM by Yohuru Williams & Michael G. Long
I still haven’t read this, but hope to soon. Looks like a first-rate history book for young readers.

Please share thoughts about SIMON and/or LOST YEAR below…or any of the other Longlist titles (even the ones we’ll be getting to later):