While CHARLES AND EMMA is easily one of the best books of the year, I do think many people will not be entirely comfortable with it in the Newbery field.  It does skew older than most of the titles we’ve discussed here, and (like LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES) is more likely to find an audience among 7th, 8th, and [...]

Ernie Cox and I sat down with Marco Torres after his inspiring keynote and chatted a little more about the importance of creativity, community,

Moonshot was brought up a few times in our discussions of  short texts that could be Newbery worthy. As commenters like Monica and Wendy have pointed out, the poetic text is full of great imagery and sound.  "High above / there is the Moon, / cold and quiet, / no air, no life, / but glowing [...]

I have a new book that I am absolutely besotted with, thanks to the National Book Award judges.  It will most likely appeal to the junior high grades of 7th, 8th, and 9th, at the very top of the age range, but this excellent book will probably be my favorite Newbery eligible fiction of the year.  It’s a book of kissing [...]

I have a new book that I am absolutely besotted with, thanks to the National Book Award judges.  It will most likely appeal to the junior high grades of 7th, 8th, and 9th, at the very top of the age range, but this excellent book will probably be my favorite Newbery eligible fiction of the year.  It’s a book of kissing [...]

I have a new book that I am absolutely besotted with, thanks to the National Book Award judges.  It will most likely appeal to the junior high grades of 7th, 8th, and 9th, at the very top of the age range, but this excellent book will probably be my favorite Newbery eligible fiction of the year.  It’s a book of kissing [...]

I’ve been steadily plowing through the many titles that have been suggested by you all, and still have a ways to go. My jaw isn’t dropping yet, and I find myself thinking a lot about Jonathan’s suggestion that "When I see the word writing in these conversations I am assuming that it is interchangeable with style [...]

PLOT   To my mind, this book had the most distinguished plot of last year.  The events were organized in such a fashion that they generated an enormous amount of suspense, and what was even more impressive is that Collins accomplished it with a single viewpoint character and a simple uncluttered narrative arc.  I thought THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, THE LINCOLNS, [...]

Laurie wrote– I am very surprised that The Hunger Games was third on your personal Newbery list last year. I enjoyed it very much, as did a number of my middle school students, but not because the writing was particularly distinguished. The plot is memorable and compelling, sure. I agree that "somebody has to represent [...]

It does appear to be wandering in circles. I missed the anniversary of Anita Silvey’s article "Has the Newbery Lost it’s Way?" by exactly one month. But will mark its thirteen months by inviting people to read–or at least dip into–Christine Jenkins excellent article of thirteen years ago in Library Trends: "Women of ALA Youth [...]