Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
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Posted by Jonathan Hunt on January 6, 2010
WHAT DOES DISTINGUISHED WRITING LOOK LIKE?We've hashed this out yet again under The Cream of the Crop. Coincidentally, if I were a committee member one of the things I would be particularly looking for in my final readings are passages that evidence a distinguished style that I can quote, if need be, to my fellow members. I mentioned a few of these in the earlier comments, but I've added a couple of new ones as well. Peruse these and then offer up some of your favorites in the comments below. CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Phillip Hoose More than any other story I know, Claudette Colvin's life story shows how history is made up of objective facts and personal truths, braided together. In her case, a girl raised in ...Read More 
Posted by Nina Lindsay on January 4, 2010
Everywhere I ask, the mood about starting another year seems a little...exhausted. Pensive. Hopeful that 2010 will be "better than 2009." Note Peter Sieruta at Collecting Children's Books: "Oh well, life will get better. The Newbery and Caldecott winners will be announced two weeks from tomorrow!"Yep, and I spent my restful holiday furlough re-reading our titles for discussion and keeping up with all your comments! After this coming weekend, we'll have some Mock results to share with you, and the following week, the real ones will be in. Meanwhile, in case you're still not getting enough: Over at Go...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on January 3, 2010
The Bulletin Blue Ribbons have been announced. Adding them to the mix, here is the top half of the composite best books list (Booklist, Bulletin, Horn Book, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal).SIX LISTS CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Phillip Hoose THE LION & THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney FIVE LISTS ALL THE WORLD ...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 31, 2009
I've had sporadic internet access this past week while traveling during the holidays, which has been unfortunate as there have been many interesting dicussions. This post collects my response to some of them; I hope to chime in on more of them when I return home this weekend.UNDER THE RADAR We're running out of time to lobby for individual books. When I mentioned HEART OF A SHEPHERD recently, one commenter inquired about ALL THE BROKEN PIECES, a book which I liked as much as any of the darkhorse contenders. I would find myself hard pressed to vote for it, however, over many of the other titles we've discussed here. What other books do you feel are in danger of slipping under the radar? Here's a couple more from me: SECRE...Read More
Posted by Nina Lindsay on December 29, 2009
While Jonathan seems very certain, I'm still juggling my choices for my top three Newbery picks for the year. When I posted about Claudette Colvin and Marching for Freedom way back in September, I mentioned that I felt slightly more compelled by one than the other. I just reread both of them yesterday (ah, Holiday furlough), and find I still feel the same, though it's a very close call. I found much elegance in Hoose's crafting of a narrative that switches between the first and third person voices...it's like a well-done documentary, where the narrator sets the stage perfectly for the protagonist's own words. He lays out events and comments compelling as elements that c...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 27, 2009
CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE by Phillip Hoose is the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 24, 2009
Last year, Sharon led a discussion about THE SECRET OF THE ANDES in an attempt to discover why the Newbery committee selected it over CHARLOTTE'S WEB. Since CHARLOTTE'S WEB did receive a Newbery Honor, it's hard to argue that the book was truly robbed. No, what I'm looking for are books that were heavily favored to win, and yet got nothing, zip, nada. Perhaps the most famous example is TUCK EVERLASTING by Natale Babbitt. Jane Yolen recently cited her book, THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC, as another.So . . . which books got robbed? SILENT TO THE BONE by E.L. Konigsburg? THE PENDERWICKS by Jeanne Birdsall? THE KING OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner? THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie? Tell us which books got robbed and why they deserved at least a share of Newbery glory.
Posted by Nina Lindsay on December 22, 2009
I hope many of you are finding the time to wind down a little for the winter holidays. At my library, children's librarians recently traded lists of titles of "comfort food books"....children's books that we turn to, to re-read as adults, to get through challenging times. Interestingly, the ones that leapt to mind first for me are all Newbery titles, and none of them sound particularly comforting. The Dark is Rising is always first on my list. When I think about this book, I'm immediately in the Stanton's homey home. There's a mood of something dangerous outside...something Will has not yet been able to put his finger on. But inside feels safe: just. Then he opens the present from his older brother, and something bigger and older than he can comprehend is sitting ...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 21, 2009
Since the Newbery Medal is most closely associated with middle grade novels, I imagine this blog has been frustrating for those who would like to see us discuss one middle grade novel after another. To be sure, we've spent lots of time on WHEN YOU REACH ME, A SEASON OF GIFTS, and THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE, much less on books like WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT, and WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS, but we've balanced our discussion of middle grade novels with nonfiction, poetry, picture books, and young adult novels. Personally, I don't see anything in the middle grade fiction that excites me nearly as much as several strong nonfiction candidates and, indeed, there is enough depth and quality in the nonfiction that, potentially damning controversies surrounding ALMOST ASTRONAUTS and YEARS OF DUST notwithstanding,...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 18, 2009
Now we turn our attention from starred reviews to best of the year lists. I've included Booklist Editors' Choice, Horn Book Fanfare, Kirkus Best Children's Books and Best Young Adult Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books, and School Library Journal B ...Read More
Posted by Nina Lindsay on December 17, 2009
I'm trying to clean up on my re-reading in time for our Mock Newbery and the actual announcements.... Having now read Years of Dust thoroughly, I'm not sure I have much to add to the debate, except to respond to Jonathan when he says: "I think the incorporation of Florence Owens Means (aka Migrant Mother) shows how Marrin has attempted, at least, to acknowledge American Indians. He could have told the story of the Dust Bowl without any mention of American Indi...Read More
Posted by Jonathan Hunt on December 16, 2009
With one month to go before The Great Lakewood Newbery Book Club holds its own mock Newbery, I decided we need to focus our time and energy on a narrower segment of books. Students nominated their top two to three books and the following list represents the titles that we will be discussing next month.
CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Phillip Hoose
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS by Jeff Kinney
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