Printz Rewind: 2000

Since I'm doing both a Mock Newbery and Mock Printz group this year, I thought I could reread the Printz books as well. In some cases, this was a first read, but lots of these I have read already.

The Michael L. Printz Award began in 1999 with the first set of awards being given in 2000. This means it is coming up on its 20 year anniversary! For more information on criteria and past winners, check out ALA's Printz Award page.

What happened in 1999?

• Bill Clinton was acquitted for impeachment.
• Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones became the first to circumnavigate the Earth in a hot air balloon.
• NATO launched air strikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
• Family Guy and SpongeBob SquarePants premiered.
• Canada established Nunavut as an Inuit homeland and new territory.
• Bill Gates became the richest person in the world.
• Tornadoes ravaged Oklahoma, killing 36 people.
• Napster debuted.
• The Columbine School Massacre resulted in the deaths of 12 students, 1 teacher and the 2 perpetrators.
• John F. Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash.
• Pokemon became the most popular toy/game in the US.
• Star Wars Episode I, The Matrix, and The Blair Witch Project premiered.
• Stanley Kubrick died on March 7, followed by Joe DiMaggio on March 8 and Shel Silverstein on May 10. 
• Stephen King got hit by a van and was hospitalized for three weeks.
• The first Georgia Nicholson, second Series of Unfortunate Events, and third Harry Potter books were published.
• Holes won the Newbery.

The Honor Books....

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger

John is a lonely guy with a sad home life who writes zines. While dropping off his newest creation, he meets Marisol, a "Puerto Rican Cuban Yankee Lesbian" who warns him not to fall for her. Off course he does...

Fairly good place to start my Printz book read. This just threw me back to the late 90's so hard. Much of it rang true, mostly in a good way. Remember how great zines were? Also, who hasn't fallen for someone who wasn't attracted to them and never could be? I wish I had found this book then instead of now, but I still felt the realness of it.

Skellig by David Almond

When Michael's family moves into an old house, he discovers a weird stranger in the garage. One who he wants to help and who might be able to help his sick baby sister.

Well, that book was just as weird and magical as I remembered. I read it the year it came out and surprisingly remembered most of the plot and feel of it clearly. This feels like a strange dream from beginning to end.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

For Melinda, freshman year of high school is just one big lie. Because she got the end-of-summer party busted, everyone hates her. But she had her reasons. In art class, she finds solace and begins to deal with the events of that night. 

This was a reread for me too. In fact, I recently read the updated graphic novel version. Sadly, this is still a quite pertinent topic. I am so glad that this book exists.

And the Winner Was....

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

An intense story about a boy on trial for murder told in a movie script format. I like the mystery of this book, how at the end you are still not sure what exactly happened. I think it is still very timely in its issues of race and the criminal justice system. Would love to hear reactions from modern teens.