It's book award season!!!

The winners of the ALA Youth Media Awards will be announced on Monday morning at 8 am PT (11 am here in NC). Here's the link if you would like to watch in real time on Monday: http://ala.unikron.com/

Therefore, I am taking a break from my best of list to post about the Newbery and Printz groups that I ran this year and make my own predictions.

Mock Newbery

This was the second year that I facilitated a Mock Newbery group for my public library. Some members were new and some participated last year, so it was a good mix of experience and new ideas. The group met for our final discussion on December 12. Below is the list we discussed.

• Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
• Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin
• Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
• Blended by Sharon Draper
• Front Desk by Kelly Yang
• Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes
• Peter and Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths by Graham Annable
• The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

After two hours of discussion and voting, consensus was reached. The group picked Ghost Boys as their winner, with Baby Monkey, Private Eye, Blended, Front Desk and The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl as their honor books.

My Newbery Picks and Predictions

Personally, I would pick either The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson or The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I think Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, et. al., Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, and The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang would be excellent honor books.

As for what is likely to be picked, popular choices online seem to be Front Desk, Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier, The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin, Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis and Snow Lane by Josie Angelini. 

What will the committee pick? Who knows?! There are a ton of good choices this year and no end to opinions. Chances are good that the Real Committee will have a tough time reaching consensus and the winner may be safer than we would like. Or maybe they will go way out and pick a graphic novel or horror book or older reader book. We'll know soon enough.

I am a bit tired of hearing the argument against older books like Hey, Kiddo and The Poet X. This comes up every year. Many want the overlap between Printz and Newbery to be removed, but the Newbery is almost 100 years old and many of the early winners were on the older reader end of the spectrum, so maybe we should just get over it.

Mock Printz

This was the first year for my teen Mock Printz group. Some had a hard time getting a lot of reading done as well as their studies, but they tried really hard and did a decent job of it.  We met on December 13 and discussed these books:

• After the Shot Drops by Randy Ribay
• As You Wish by Chelsea Sedoti
• The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X. R. Pan
• The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
• Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
• Fatal Throne by Candace Fleming, et. al.
• Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed
• Mary's Monster: Love, Madness and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge
• Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

After two hours of discussion (and some tooth pulling to get them to talk), consensus was reached. The group picked Love, Hate & Other Filters. Their honor books were The Astonishing Color of After, Fatal Throne and Picture Us in the Light.

My Printz Picks and Predictions

My pick for Printz is The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. This book blew me away both as a print book and an audio. If it doesn't win a few awards, I will be very surprised. My honor books would be Hey, Kiddo, Dread Nation, Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram, Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman, Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough, Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake and The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee.

Likely to be picked are The Poet X, Hey, Kiddo, and The Astonishing Color of After. Online favorites include these three, plus A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi, Mary's Monster and The Prince and the Dressmaker.

Other Awards

Since I was on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens committee a few years ago, I love to predict that award, too. I'm sure they will pick Hey, Kiddo, The Prince and the Dressmaker, Be Prepared and Cardboard Kingdom for the top ten. I also expect Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Unwanted by Don Brown will make an appearance. If I were still on the committee, I would add Crush by Svetlana Chmakova, Sanity and Tallulah by Molly Brooks and Check, Please!: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu.

For Geisel, I would choose Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi, with honors for Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake by Jeff Mack and See Zip Zap by David Milgrim. 

For Caldecott, I'm hoping for either Dreamers by Yuyi Morales or Drawn Together by Minh Le and Dan Santat to win. I would also be happy with Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, Ocean Meets Sky by the Fan brothers, or Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery by Sandra Neil Wallace and Brian Collier won. It would be truly hilarious if The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee took the award.

As for the rest, I'm happy to wait and see....and then read them all!

Meanwhile at Mock Newbery and Printz Clubs...

First rounds of Mock Newbery and Mock Printz happened at my library this summer. Each group consisted of 6-8 teens who read a variety of eligible books and discussed them afterwards. For the purposes of our groups, at least two teens had to agree to make a book a nominee for the final discussions which will take place in December.  The following are the nominees and the other books recommended by each group.

Mock Printz

Nominees:

Eldon is a boy in the remote town of Madison, where you wishes come true. But he is going to learn the real consequences of wishing.  --Prajwal

After her mother commits suicide, Leigh is convinced that she is returning as a bird that she has seen in her neighborhood. --Ananya



Maya Aziz has to deal with being raised by an Indian, Muslim family while she wants to follow her dream of becoming a film major at NYU. I nominate this book because it shows an accurate representation of what life is like nowadays being a Muslim Indian and constantly being accused of being a terrorist  –Annika

Recommendations:

This is a story of two former best friends that have a lot in common. Bunny made it into the championship where he can win and secure his future or lose to get his best friend back.  –Prajwal

A girl who grew up in a family without Green Cards uses an easy style to tell the serious truth, about both the struggles and about growing up and living in two different cultures.  –Yun

This book about Henry VIII and the fates of his wives uses creative twists on perspective and style.  –Ria

When Zarin is found dead on a highway in Saudi Arabia with a boy, the mystery of her life slowly unravels through multiple perspectives. -- Sanvi

A girl named Nisha whose mom was Muslim and dad is Hindu, struggles with how her mom’s death affects her harshly. You should read this book because of the dangerous journey they have to go through – Sanvi

Set in a world where people are immortal, this book shows multiple perspectives about what that means and how technology is used to make it so. It leads the reader to think deeper about life and its meaning   – Yun

This killer mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. –Manas

Mock Newbery

Nominees:

Baby Monkey, Private Eye is an adorable story about a monkey, who is a detective, and he loves snacks! –Philip

With a radical ruler and terrorist groups causing havoc, a family tries to escape their home in Syria. When one of their daughters is separated from them, directions from her family and the help of a strange old man are all she has to guide her.  –Jeremy

A thrilling and exciting sequel to Nemesis. Continues Noah’s and Min’s journey in a world where no one can die, but they can only kill. –Kaanjaree

7 Days of the week,

7 children,

7 – the evil number

A family of 7 kids has many, many problems. Can they fix it in time? I recommend this to kids who believe in mischief.  –Naina

Join Elizabeth in a book filled with magic that could go good or bad…with a magic hotel and two people dressed in black.  –Mihika

Recommendations:

A girl named Betty lives with her aunt because her mother was not ready to take care of her. But she has to go to her mother when her aunt passes away. Very emotional. –Dhruva

A funny and exciting story about Megan, a girl who is trying to fit in at her new school when she sees a cat clock in her history class. She makes a wish at 11:11 and then strange things start happening.  –Kaanjaree

Mia Tang is a Chinese immigrant in a family facing poverty. When her family lands a job and living space at a motel, life seems to turn for them. But a corrupt manager, debt troubles, English struggles, and conflict create troubles. With a thesaurus and her friends and family, Mia faces her problems. – Jeremy

A girl discovers that there is a whole other world full of storybook characters. As she journeys to and through it, she finds surprising facts about herself and her family. People aren’t always what they seem. –Anushka

This book is about a girl who does not remember anything about her island and she needs to complete an assignment about where she used to live. Through asking others she finds out about her home and other unexpected things.  –Anushka

For those who believe in family sticking together no matter what. This is perfect for you. –Naina

I would recommend this book for younger kids who are interested in music. It is inspiring and pretty amazing how the Libba becomes who she was meant to be. She was also born in North Carolina!  --Sudiksha

Join Leo in an unforgettable magic adventure. She learns about family and friends and becomes a bruja along the way!  --Mihika

Join Nisha in her quest to find where she belongs in Southwest Asia. As a half Muslim and half Hindi, she struggles to find her homeland in 1947. –Mihika

Natalie’s mom is suffering from depression. How can she help? –Mihika

Kiranmala is on an adventure in a different dimension to rescue her parents with a handsome prince.  --Naina

Etzel, a German Shepherd who is torn away from his home to be trained as a police dog, is discovered by an American director who sees the potential in him. After renaming him Strongheart, the two bond and partake in a life of adventures together.  –Jeremy



This book is about a group of girls going through drama. Boys, friends, and parents are all involved. It’s basically middle school drama.   – Anushka



For those who are bullied and for those who care about friends. This book is about a boy who gets bullied and loses his friend and almost loses another.  –Naina

There they are! Both clubs start back up next month, so we'll see what else they pick. I'll keep you posted.

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.

YALSA Hub Challenge Part 3

So since the last post, I have finished 3 more books from the Challenge. Officially this means it is complete, but I'll probably try to read a few more, if I can.



The Book of Dust vol. 1: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman; read by Michael Sheen (Odyssey Award)

In a prequel to the original Mortal Instruments series, we learn how Lyra came to Jordan College and meet some people who influenced her very, very early life. She is an infant here, so the story primarily concerns two young teens who help her survive a flood and a dangerous man, Malcolm and Alice. The narrator for the book is quite good. I like this every bit as much as The Golden Compass. I didn't think I would be sucked back into the world but I truly was. Can't wait for the next book.



Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery; read by Damaras Obi (Amazing Audiobooks for Teens)

Moving first-hand account of a turbulent time in American history (one we sadly seem to be repeating). The reader was amazing, esp. when she sang the songs at the beginning and end. The appendix that details significant people that the author encountered during the march was well researched and appropriately detailed.



I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (National Book Award)

Technically this one wasn't included in the Hub Challenge, but it should be.

Julia's perfect older sister dies unexpectedly and now her parent's seem to think she should take her place in their home. But Julia is not her sister and she suspects that her sister wasn't as perfect as she appeared to be.

At times Julia seems a bit whiny but this seems authentic to her age, situation and mental illness. I was surprised several times near the end and moved by the life experiences of many of the characters.

YALSA's Hub Reading Challenge Part 2

Whew! Got 16 of these read since I posted last. So I'll break this into two posts.



Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson (Best Fiction for Young Adults, Amelia Bloomer list, and Coretta Scott King Author Award as well as Newbery Honor)

Impressive and realistic story about a regular girl in a school where she doesn't quite fit. Also, tackles issues of race, privilege, police brutality and how anyone can make a difference in today's world. I like how Maxine is not perfect, how Jade's mom has a complex personality and reaction to the Woman to Woman program, how EJ both has it together and totally doesn't. Jade is conflicted and sure of herself, confident and shy, hopeful and hopeless; like all teens she is actively trying to discover who she is and how she fits in her world. Definitely deserves it's Newbery Honor. 



My Brother's Husband volume 1 by Gengoroh Tagame (Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten)

I love this! The art is gorgeous; the story is so relatable and realistic and my experience of it was so visceral. I adore Kana and think Mike and Yaichi are people I would love to meet. The scene where the neighborhood boy finally tells them why he is hanging out around their house was very well done and made me cry. One of the best graphic novels of 2017 for sure!




The ABC's of LGBT+ by Ashely Mardell (Rainbow List)

A good guide to the complex worlds of sex, gender, sexuality, romantic attraction and everything in between. I really like the diagrams and other visuals and the personal experiences of contributors.

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova (Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten)

Chmakova returns to Berrybrook Middle School for the story of Jenson, a lonely dreamer with bullying issues. Jenson dreams of being an astronaut, but has trouble with math. He longs to make friends but doesn't recognize that some of those he consider friends are really mistreating him. Slowly he discovers how to be brave and still be himself while making friends.



Looking for Red by Angela Johnson (Edwards Award)

I spent the first part of this book wondering if Red just ran away or was dead. Once the ghost parts kick in, things cleared up a bit. The atmosphere grabs you and so clearly inhabits the pain of unexpected loss that it takes your breath. An almost perfect story of how a teen deals with the death of a sibling.




The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell; narrated by David Tennant (Odyssey Award)

"You have to listen to the stories, for stories always mean something."

With shades of the Tempest and a touch of Harry Potter, Cowell has created another world full of magic, sarcasm, and adventure. The fairy tale tone is spot on and the plot pulls you along for a wild ride. I can't wait for the next one!

And David Tennant does all the voices so well. It is a pleasure to listen to this story.




Girl Rising: Changing the World One Girl at a Time by Tanya Lee Stone (Amelia Bloomer List)

Inspiring and illuminating stories of girls who have been saved from slavery around the world and are beginning to heal and become awesome women.



Flying Lessons and Other Stories by Various authors; edited by Ellen Oh and narrated by Various Readers (Amazing Audiobooks for Teens)



An inspiring collection of diverse short stories read by a fabulous variety of voice actors. I especially liked Sol Painting and Flying Lessons.

Newbery Rewind: 1922

Back in May I started my first Mock Newbery group with the teens at my library. As I started preparing for this new challenge, I was brushing up on the criteria and realized that I have read many of the newer winners and honors (mostly during my own lifetime) and very few of the older ones. I also realized that the 100th anniversary of the award itself is coming up soon.

So, I challenged myself to read all of the winners and honors that I can get my hands on starting at the very beginning. And I'm going to share my thoughts with ya'll here!

1921
Some interesting things happened in the world in 1921, the year that the first books were eligible for the Newbery Award. Here's a bit of context:

• Turkey becomes a country after the fall of the Ottoman Empire
• Insulin is discovered.
• Congresswoman Alice Mary Robertson becomes the first woman to preside over the floor of US House of Representatives.
• Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) Party 
• Warren G. Harding becomes the 29th president of the United States.
• National quotas on Eastern European and Jewish immigrants are established in the US.
• The Tulsa Race Riots leaves an estimated 39 dead.
• World War I formally ends.
• The first Miss America Pageant is held.
• White Castle opens in Wichita, Kansas.
• The Kid premieres in theaters.
• Wonder Bread begins distribution.
• Albert Einstein wins the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work on solar energy. He also lectures in New York City on his new theory of relativity.
• Gucci starts selling handbags.
• Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) attends Dartmouth College.
• Amelia Earhart takes first flying lesson.
• At the Battle of Blair Mountain in West Virginia an army of 10 to 15 thousand miners and their families face a private army of some 2,000 men and 2,100 state and federal troops in the largest civil uprising to date.

And the Honor books were....

The Old Tobacco Shop by William Bown
Let's start with the weirdest first, why don't we? In this story we follow young Freddie on a wild adventure that begins when he visits the local tobacco shop for his father. There he meets a strange old man and old lady who claim to be relatives and tell him a weird tale about the statue outside the shop, some local citizens and the strange "tobaccy" found in the Chinaman's head container on the top shelf. Of course, after a short time, Freddie smokes the special "tobaccy" and that is where things get really odd.

As is obvious, there is no way that this story could be published for children today. Even having a child walk into a tobacco shop is controversial enough. Some of the things that happen along the way are even more inappropriate. However, the adventure itself is reminiscent of Wonderland and Gulliver's Travels in a way that pulls you along through the story, so it is surprisingly entertaining.

The Windy Hill by Cornelia Meigs; illustrated by Elmer and Berta Hader
Next we have a mystery set in the country near Boston. A group of children learn some local stories and history from a beekeeper and discover that it all relates to a mystery in their own family. The narrative is told in interlocking stories and "present" day circumstances.

The children are pretty free in how they spend their days and the attitudes about "girl things" and "boy things" is a bit archaic, but overall nothing is objectionable by today's standards. It is overall a quiet and bucolic read.


Cedric the Forester by Bernard Marshall; illustrated by J. Scott Williams
This one is a medieval tale in the vein of Ivanhoe or The Song of Roland. Here we find the tale of a forester's son and a lord's son who become close friends, with the forester's son eventually earning a title and knighthood for protecting the family of the lord. The language is quite flowery and the adventures quite harrowing.

Occasionally the serfdom situation can be a bit icky, especially since the story is told from the lord's son's point of view. And the violence is far more prevalent than in many stories written for this age group today. But if you know a child that loves knights, castles, and quests, they could possibly enjoy this one. Just remember that they will have to get past the complexity of the language and grammar since it is told in epic poem format.

The Golden Fleece and the Heroes That Lived Before Achilles by Padraic Colum; illustrated by Willy Pogany
A compilation of Greek mythological hero tales, in some ways this book is even better than the winner below, in that it has stood the test of time. By and large, mythology does not change and these stories are still very much part of our consciousness. And they are still fun, too!


The Great Quest by Charles Boardman Hawes; illustrated by George Varian
Finally, we have the story of a young man whose uncle is tricked into selling everything he owns and traveling to Africa on a secret mission. In the end the bad men who tricked him are there to capture or purchase slaves to bring back to the United States to sell. At the time of the story, this is an illegal, but not uncommon, enterprise. And ultimately Josiah (our young man) defeats their plans with the help of his friends, but not before his uncle is ruined and dies a terrible death.

Of all the Honor books, this is the most problematic. While the plot is an adventure, the prose is very unwieldy and the topic makes the reader feel downright dirty. And while Josiah doesn't participate in slave catching, at first he is not against it and in the end only hates the bad men for what they did to his uncle. His main reason for siding against slave catching is a religious girl they find along the way that he finds attractive. Definitely not Newbery material today with its racist and sexist attitudes and language.

And the Winner was....

The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon
A rambling account of Western Civilization from a very privileged white male perspective. Granted, van Loon is highly readable most of the time. And the book covers a whole lot of ground in a somewhat concise manner given its scope. However, the rest of the world is given very little coverage and women don't seem to matter at all. Also, if you read the updated versions, the parts that were added on latter are not nearly as enjoyable; they read like a laundry list of events, people and dates. So try to just read the original parts and don't judge the book by the sad add-on sections.