January 31st, 2012 Comments(26)

Here are some of the more promising candidates for the 2013 Newbery Medal.  Some of the starred review information may quickly become outdated–if it isn’t already.

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate (three stars) is a novel in prose poems with rich themes.

DRAGONSWOOD by Janet Lee Carey (two stars) is a sequel to the author’s earlier fantasy book.

THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE by Christopher Paul Curtis (two stars) is a sequel to Newbery Medal winner BUD, NOT BUDDY.

STEP GENTLY OUT by Helen Frost (two stars) is a single poem with striking photographic illustrations.

PENNY AND HER… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 28th, 2012 Comments(24)

Is there a Newbery book that you’re ashamed to admit that you haven’t read yet?  Perhaps one that is considered a classic?  That everyone else seems to have read but you?  Don’t we all have these books on our own personal shelf of shame?  Now some of you are more ambitious about your goals, like Colby Sharp and John Schu with their Newbery Challenge to read all the Medal winners, but for those of you with more modest ambitions here’s a smaller one.  Pick one author and read all of their Newbery… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 27th, 2012 Comments(14)

I don’t have very many vivid recollections from my childhood, but I do remember being in the sixth grade, going to the school library, browsing the shelves, and pulling THE GREY KING off–I remember all of that very vividly with precise sensory details.  By then, I had developed the knack for sniffing out fantasy without asking the librarian or consulting the card catalog: 1. Glance at the title, 2. Check out the cover, and 3. Read the jacket copy.  THE GREY KING sounded kind of like THE HIGH KING (a book I had… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 24th, 2012 Comments(12)

While DEAD END IN NORVELT wasn’t on our shortlist, the book earned three starred reviews, made three best of the year lists, and won the Scott O’Dell Award.  We had a running conversation about the book here and here and here.  Similarly, we did not include INSIDE OUT & BACK AGAIN despite the fact that it earned four starred reviews, made four best of the year lists, and won the National Book Award.  It was discussed here and here and here.  Both of these… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 20th, 2012 Comments(8)

Well, I’m here in Dallas now.  Here are some final thoughts to mull over this weekend . . .

During our mock Newbery, I voted the same way on all three ballots: 1. AMELIA LOST  2. I BROKE MY TRUNK!  3. SIR GAWAIN.  Since I clearly thought AMELIA LOST was the most distinguished that claimed my first place vote.  I also knew I wanted I BROKE MY TRUNK on my ballot, and finally I opted for SIR GAWAIN despite a mixed discussion.  I eschewed the novels entirely–since I still hadn’t made up my mind–and then, too, I wanted to keep SIR GAWAIN on… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 17th, 2012 Comments(13)

Yesterday, thirteen of the smartest, most articulate, most passionate people in all of Northern California gathered at the Rockridge branch of the Oakland Public Library for the annual Mock Newbery.  The discussion was stimulating, the snacks yummy, and the results surprising.  I’m having a hard time making both the book covers and the ballot tables behave in this post, so I’m going very low tech with these results because I thought you’d want them in a more timely manner.

WINNER: AMELIA LOST by Candace Fleming

HONOR: A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness

HONOR: I BROKE MY TRUNK!… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 16th, 2012 Comments(35)

UNSTARRED

ICEFALL is the book most often mentioned in the comments that we have never properly featured in a post.  Nina read it and was unimpressed.  I read the first three chapters (about fifty pages) and put it down because nothing had happened yet.  Since many of you have mentioned this book is similar to Megan Whalen Turner’s books, I realize that those first three chapters could hold important clues to the plot later on, and perhaps it is silly to admit this, but it just felt like a… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 14th, 2012 Comments(20)

Nancy Werlin first brought THE FREEDOM MAZE to our attention in the comments to the 2012 Newbery Reading List thread.  I hunted a copy down, read it, and loved it as much as Nancy did.  My gut instinct was that it was a top five sort of book, but as I shared the book with various people my response was tempered by their mixed to negative responses.  I’ve just reread the book and find it even more impressive a second time around, so much, in fact, that it jumps back… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized

January 9th, 2012 Comments(24)

Each review journal has books that are unique to its own best of the year list.  Many of these books got starred reviews from multiple journals, but others were championed solely by one publication.  Since there is no correlation between my earlier composite list and Newbery recognition, these books are just as likely–and oftentimes just as worthy–as more heralded books.  Here’s a rundown of some of the more likely Newbery outliers.

Publishers Weekly

We’ve spent our time here championing I BROKE MY

Posted in Uncategorized

January 6th, 2012 Comments(9)

We discussed I BROKE MY TRUNK! earlier here and here. I’m not sure that I can argue the merits of this book any better than I have already done. I still think it’s distinguished as all get out. Ironically, most of its strongest competition within the easy reader field comes from three other books penned by Mo Willems: AMANDA & HER ALLIGATOR, SHOULD I SHARE MY ICE CREAM?, and HAPPY PIG DAY!

The other strong picture… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized