Where is the non-fiction this year?  I’ve been on the lookout for outstanding non-fiction and there are a couple titles that have been tossed around. 

Savvy and Shooting the Moon are two titles that I heard a lot about this spring, and which some of you mentioned as soon as we said we were looking for titles.  Both of these books have engaging voices, and well-paced and compelling narratives. They are fun and well done. Are they distinguished? I’ve yet to have someone convince [...]

Certainly one of the most memorable books from the spring lists is The Underneath by Kathi Appelt (Atheneum)…already suggested by a couple of you in the last post. Monica Edinger posted earlier this year about its remarkable atmosphere, which is what I think makes the story linger, almost physically, in my memory. An unusual friendship is portrayed [...]

So, Nina and I have been reading all year in search of books that seem to have Newbery potential.  We’re sure you’ve been reading a lot too!  As we get into our Mock Newbery planning, we love to hear everyone’s suggestions of books that might be worth considering for our Mock Newbery short list.  The [...]

Is it, like Carroll’s Mock Turtle, the fictional embodiment of a popular dish?  Not exactly…a Mock Newbery is a real fake.     The actual Newbery Committee is bound to secrecy. But their criteria  and procedures are open.  Using these, Sharon and I coordinate each year a Mock Newbery Discussion in Oakland CA, where adult participants [...]