Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog

January 30, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (5)

REBECCA STEAD REDUX

Peter Sieruta talks about the first printing.

Monica Edinger talks about genre mashups. 

And Studio 360 interviews the author.

LOOKING BACK

Well, it's been five months of stimulating, enriching book discussion with me playing Sue Sylvester to Nina's Will Schuester, but now it draws to a close.  I'd like to thank everybody, not only for generous participation in the comments, but also for lurking.  You really made this a very successful endeavor.  Nina mentioned exploring the p...Read More

Industries: Awards, Books, Interviews, K-8, Preschool to Grade 4

January 27, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (18)

I had hoped to be able to comment on THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG, but I have been unable to retrieve my copy from the student, and my hold at the public library has not become available yet, so my commentary on that book will have to wait.

Historical fiction, as many of you already know, seems overrepresented in the Newbery canon--with CALPURNIA and HOMER being the latest additions--especially since the genre is reportedly not very popular with students.  I think those rankings of reading preferences can be misleading, however, because historical fiction often has other elements that draw students.  For example, readers of BUD, NOT BUDDY probably identify the book as a funny book rather than a historical one.

While I personally thought A SEASON OF GIFTS was the most distinguished historical fiction of the year, I...Read More
Industries: Awards, Books, Interviews, K-8, Preschool to Grade 4

January 23, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (19)

Nina and I will be posting through the end of January--just one more week--before Heavy Medal goes on hiatus for the spring and summer.

INSTANT REPLAY

If you missed the ALA webcast of the announcements then you can still view it.  You can also catch the winners on the Today Show if you missed that, too.  And be sure to read about how Rebecca Stead, Jerry Pinkney, and Grace Lin responded to their Monday morning phone calls.  Finally, if your pet book got robbed and didn't make the grade for an ALA award or list, then bookseller extraordinaire Elizabeth Bluemle is working on a ...Read More
Industries: Awards, Books, Interviews, K-8, Preschool to Grade 4

January 20, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (15)

ARBUTHNOT

So many possibilities.  Who would you want to hear?  I think the appeal of an author or illustrator is really sexy, but oftentimes I think the editors give even better speeches, and librarians . . . If K.T. Horning's speech was anything like her CLNE lectures!

It seems obligatory that if you've won two Newbery Medals then you give the Arbuthnot so it's somewhat surprising that Lois Lowry has not been selected before.  But what's this?  Katherine Paterson has given the lecture, but not E.L. Konigsburg--and she's a great speaker!  Oh, wow.  There's my Arbuthnot prediction for next year!  Anyway, Lowry is a great choice.  What are the odds we can get her to come to *ahem* Modesto? 
 
ALEX AWARDS ...Read More
Industries: Awards, Books, Interviews, K-8, Preschool to Grade 4

January 18, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (23)

Newbery

WHEN YOU REACH ME

CLAUDETTE COLVIN
THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE 
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON
THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG
 
Caldecott

THE LION & THE MOUSE 

ALL THE WORLD 
RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS 

Geisel

BENNY AND PENNY IN THE BIG NO-NO

I SPY FLY GUY
LITTLE MOUSE GETS READY
MOUSE AND MOLE: FINE FEATHERED FRIEND
PEARL AND WAGNER

Carnegie

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS

Sibert

ALMOST ASTRONAUTS

THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS
MOONSHOT
CLAUDETTE COLVIN

Arbuthnot

LOIS LOWRY

Batchelder

A FARAWAY ISLAND

BIG WO...Read More

Industries: Awards, Books, Interviews, K-8, Preschool to Grade 4