The Battle Commander is the nom de guerre for children's literature enthusiasts Monica Edinger and Roxanne Hsu Feldman, fourth grade teacher and middle school librarian at the Dalton School in New York City.  Both have served on the Newbery Committee, Monica on NCTE's Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, and Roxanne has just completed two years on ALSC/ALA's Notable Children's Books committee.  They are also published authors of professional books, articles, and reviews in publications such as the New York Times, School Library Journal, and Horn Book. Monica and Roxanne share their ideas and great love of children's and young adult books with the world via their blogs: Monica's is educating alice (http://medinger.wordpress.com) and Roxanne's is Fairrosa's Reading Journal (http://www.fairrosa.info/rj).

Battle of the Kids' Books

Recent Posts

Awards Ceremony

May 6, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (3)

Winners of the 2009 Battle of the (Kids') Books

Gold Medal
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Silver Medal
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. II
The Kingdom on the Waves by M. T. Anderson

People's Choice Bronze Medal
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Congratulations to All!

Recent Posts

Big Kahuna Round

May 6, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (20)

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. II The Kingdom on the Waves	The Hunger Games

...Read More

Recent Posts

Press Conference

May 5, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (2)

Welcome, everyone.  Can you believe that just a few weeks ago we were all standing here waiting for the Battle to commence?  And now it is almost time for the final two to have it out in front of our distinguished judge, Lois Lowry.

Er, yes, Octavian, she did say something about bribes, but we made it very clear to you and Hunger Games that we do not approve of them.  NOT AT ALL. Do you understand us?  We hope so or no coming back for you next year.  What is that?  You can't because your story is done?  Well, um...

...let's move on.  What's that, Graceling?  You will be back? Well, we can't promise a match between Fire ...Read More

Recent Posts

Judge Lowry

May 4, 2009 | Link This | Email this | Comments (3)

Our final judge is Lois Lowry, who having just read the new Cheever biography and achieved a new appreciation of venom, envy, and self-loathing, can hardly wait for the opportunity to manipulate children’s authors into a frenzied state of intellectual competition. She will, incidentally, accept bribes.*



* The Battle Commander wishes to remind the two finalists that we do not condon, do not, do not, do not, condon bribery. You are books for young people, after all!