First of all, just to note that we are thrilled to see how many followers are working to read as many contenders as possible and often posting reviews of them. What is especially gratifying is to see the surprise some express about how much they enjoyed a contender they would not have read otherwise. Now back to this week's links and such. As always, please let us know of anything we missed in the comments and we will add them in here. The Provo Library Children's Book Review is creating completely AWESOME displays.  Here are a couple of them. provoicon
BoB Round 1b Bob Round 1d
  Leila at bookshelves of doom thinks that: bookshelvesofdoomicon

More entertaining than SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books...

...is Roger Sutton in the Peanut Gallery.
Speaking of which, Judge of Judges Sutton on Gidwitz v. Billingsley begins: hornbookicon
Let us first note that both Adam Gidwitz (Jepp, Who Defied the Stars v. Starry River of the Sky) and Franny Billingsley (Liar & Spyv. Splendors and Glooms) break the mold by discussing their winning books first.
Check-out what he thinks about Murdoch v. Lu and who won his First Round. Lisa at Read for Keeps noted that: readsforkeepsicon
…but there’s also a serious trend of water playing a huge role in the plot. The Titanic sinking, the drowning inSplendors and Glooms, the Resistance canoeing down a river in CNV, the river in Three Times Lucky, the Moonbirdcoastlines…I could go on. Am I missing something? Are books usually so water-heavy, or is there something special about this year’s lot?
Miss Tiff Reads caught up to us: MissTiffIcon
 Blast it all!  I was so busy reading random books, trying to slog through my book club book, and stringing balloons that I forgot it was Battle of the Kids' Books time!!
And Liz B is all starry-eyed, weighing in on Stars v Grandin, Stars v Starry, Spy v Splendors, and Crystal v Ivan. BooksnStories was all Crystal Ball, Crystal Ball. Sondy (who discovered on Friday that she is not the only Sondy here:) got ready for Round Two. Random Musing of a Bibliophile considered Round One and gave her druthers for Round Two. The LibrariYAn is keeping up with us: Temple Grandin vs The Fault in Our Stars, Jepp, Who Defied the Stars vs Starry River of the Sky, Prediction for Moonbird vs Seraphina, Splendors and Glooms vs Liar & Spy, Moonbird vs Seraphina, Cecelia over at The Card Catalog is on the case with Bullies, Shipwrecks & Spies, Animals, Mysteries, and Romance, Stars, Puppets, and More Spies, and Dragons, Birds, and Gorillas. The Dirigible Plum has the Battle of the Books So Far. Jen at Reads for Keeps has some thoughts about the past week. Over at Twitter there have been some strong reactions this past week!  Here is a selection of them:
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