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Roller Girl
ROLLER GIRL is not a flashy book in Newbery terms, and that is part of its charm. Stripped down just to its bare text, sentence by sentence, it wouldn’t wow me. But ROLLER GIRL is a great example of a...
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Echo, Nina’s Take
After our earlier discussion of ECHO, I’m sure there were some audible groans when Jonathan and I revealed our shortlist. Much of the previous discussion was around the story structure and...
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Crazy About Gone Crazy
UNPACKING BAGGAGE As you well know, if you’ve followed this blog long enough, I am an unabashed plot-driven reader. I most enjoy those types of books where the plot drives the action of the book and...
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Seneca Village Redux
Am I the only person that dreams my dreams? Does anybody else on this planet think my thoughts? Are my ideas like darting lights I’ve caught? Is my mind a net sieving through thought-filled streams? I...
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Mock Newbery Update
While Nina and I announced the dates for our respective Mock Newberys, we didn’t give you the additional details. The San Diego County Library and the San Diego County Office of Education are...
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The Hired Girl, Nina’s Take
Well I can’t say I’ve been looking forward to this post, but I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out whether to do it at all, and what it’s about. Jonathan and I decided we wanted this book...
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Goodbye Stranger and Rhythm Ride
Okay, here’s a second look at our last pair . . . GOODBYE STRANGER When I read all the overwritten books that got published this past year–and they are legion!–I just wanted to make GOODBYE STRANGER...
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Consider the margins
As some of you get ready, with Jonathan, for the San Diego mock Newbery tomorrow, the actual Newbery committee members are in the midst of their own re-reading, and many of all of us are approaching...
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San Diego Mock Winners!
We had a small turnout–just five people–but nevertheless managed a spirited and engaging discussion of our nine shortlisted titles. We also accomplished something I’ve never encountered in all my years...
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The War That Saved My Life
If there’s any book that we’ve given short shrift to this past year, then perhaps it’s THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE, a popular favorite–it dominated our Top Five Tally and is ranked second on the...
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Overlooked?
I’m still desperately plowing through other Newbery contenders before we reach ALA Midwinter and the Youth Media Awards announcement. I just finished THE JUMBIES by Tracey Baptiste…cannot remember who...
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Newbery Nonfiction
We’ve already discussed some nonfiction titles in depth already, namely our shortlisted titles MOST DANGEROUS, DROWNED CITY, and RHYTHM RIDE. We also briefly discussed THE BOYS WHO CHALLENGED HITLER...
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Choices
As I get ready for the Oakland Mock Newbery this coming Sunday, I’m thinking of the members of the many actual award committees, also doing some final re-reading and considering before they head to...
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Online Mock Newbery
Something weird happened. Knowing I was going to be out of town during the holidays, I wrote my last couple of posts and scheduled them. I wrote one about picture books, specifically THE SKUNK and...
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Oakland Mock Results!
We had a wonderful Mock Newbery discussion Sunday afternoon, with 20 in attendance, and 15 voting (who had read all nine titles). Yet…we ran short of time to come to a conclusive consensus. We took 3...
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Online Mock Winners!
MEDAL HONOR HONOR HONOR Here is the point breakdown. You can see that ECHO actually had more 1st place votes, but WAR had more...
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Also Truly Distinguished
From time to time, we have talked about the process for selecting honor books. There is always great interest in why the number of honor books varies from year to year, and that was especially true...
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When it Rains
It’s drizzling in Boston, and various award committee members are peppering social media with “we’re done!” They’re turning in their draft press releases, and the ALA Press office takes over until the...
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Everything Is Awesome!
Everything is awesome! To find out–and discuss–just how awesome, check back here later in the morning . . . Link to live webcast is here. Medal: LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET Honor: THE WAR THAT SAVED MY...
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Last Stop On Market Street
CJ’s journey with his Nana is not just a simple bus ride; it is a multi-sensory experience through which he discovers that beautiful music, nature and people surround him. CJ’s questions are...
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