Comments on: It’s Written in the Stars http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/ A Mock Newbery Blog Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:12:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Sam Bloom http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103042 Sam Bloom Thu, 27 Sep 2012 18:42:28 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103042 Well, yeah... I ignored that whole 64 page rule, sorry. =) But that sort of is mind–boggling about this year; we're going to hit 30 (or maybe 40) books with multiple starred reviews by the time all is said and done! Well, yeah… I ignored that whole 64 page rule, sorry. =) But that sort of is mind–boggling about this year; we’re going to hit 30 (or maybe 40) books with multiple starred reviews by the time all is said and done!

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103011 Jonathan Hunt Wed, 26 Sep 2012 20:36:18 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103011 Sam: I agree that the Sidman books make 2010 an especially strong and deep year--perhaps at the same level as 2009. I mean, the Sidman books are so good that they tweaked the Sibert rules so that something like that could win in the future. But I'm not counting anything less than 64 pages for the purposes of this list, not because they aren't worthy, but because (with the possible exception of poetry) you start getting a triple bias (against short texts *and* illustrations *and* nonfiction). Nevertheless, this is a freakishly good year for nonfiction, both in terms of quality and quantity. I mean, if we wanted to include the nonfiction picture books, too . . . (4) ISLAND by Jason Chin (4) THE BEETLE BOOK by Steve Jenkins (4) LIFE IN THE OCEAN by Claire Nivola (4) BROTHERS AT BAT by Audrey Vernick (3) OCEAN SUNLIGHT by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm (3) ELECTRIC BEN by Robert Byrd (3) BARNUM'S BONES by Tracey Fern (3) IT JES HAPPENED by Don Tate Sam: I agree that the Sidman books make 2010 an especially strong and deep year–perhaps at the same level as 2009. I mean, the Sidman books are so good that they tweaked the Sibert rules so that something like that could win in the future. But I’m not counting anything less than 64 pages for the purposes of this list, not because they aren’t worthy, but because (with the possible exception of poetry) you start getting a triple bias (against short texts *and* illustrations *and* nonfiction). Nevertheless, this is a freakishly good year for nonfiction, both in terms of quality and quantity. I mean, if we wanted to include the nonfiction picture books, too . . .

(4) ISLAND by Jason Chin

(4) THE BEETLE BOOK by Steve Jenkins

(4) LIFE IN THE OCEAN by Claire Nivola

(4) BROTHERS AT BAT by Audrey Vernick

(3) OCEAN SUNLIGHT by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm

(3) ELECTRIC BEN by Robert Byrd

(3) BARNUM’S BONES by Tracey Fern

(3) IT JES HAPPENED by Don Tate

]]> By: Susanna Reich http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103010 Susanna Reich Wed, 26 Sep 2012 20:23:16 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103010 Whether or not Dark Emperor qualifies as nonfiction (which I would argue it does not), it still wouldn't make this list because it's less than 64 pages long. Whether or not Dark Emperor qualifies as nonfiction (which I would argue it does not), it still wouldn’t make this list because it’s less than 64 pages long.

]]> By: Sam Bloom http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103009 Sam Bloom Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:40:47 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103009 Not to split hairs, but not including poetry means you didn't include Dark Emperor on your list of 2010 books... a book that won the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery, if I'm not mistaken? Since it includes a nonfiction section on each spread (same with Ubiquitous), I motion that you add these two to the 2010 list. I'm sure they both received plenty of starred reviews, right? And all of this is just a ploy to show that 2010 was, in fact, a pretty amazing year for nonfiction. (Say it, Jonathan... say that 2010 was a bumber crop!!) Not to split hairs, but not including poetry means you didn’t include Dark Emperor on your list of 2010 books… a book that won the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery, if I’m not mistaken? Since it includes a nonfiction section on each spread (same with Ubiquitous), I motion that you add these two to the 2010 list. I’m sure they both received plenty of starred reviews, right? And all of this is just a ploy to show that 2010 was, in fact, a pretty amazing year for nonfiction. (Say it, Jonathan… say that 2010 was a bumber crop!!)

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103008 Jonathan Hunt Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:21:58 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103008 I'm not going to include poetry or mythology/folklore here so no to TREASURY OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY. I bumped HEART AND SOUL to five stars, and added both BRONTE SISTERS and BOMB to the three-star list. It now stands at 17 and counting. Wow! I’m not going to include poetry or mythology/folklore here so no to TREASURY OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY. I bumped HEART AND SOUL to five stars, and added both BRONTE SISTERS and BOMB to the three-star list. It now stands at 17 and counting. Wow!

]]> By: Jen J. http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103005 Jen J. Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:00:44 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103005 I don't have any records before 2011, but I did finally get to go back and look at that. I show Heart and Soul with 5 stars (Booklist, Horn Book, Kirkus, PW, SLJ). The only other thing I see is I. M. Pei by Jill Rubalcaba had 3 stars (from Kirkus, Booklist and the Bulletin). I'm assuming that Donna Napoli's Treasury of Greek Myths (3 stars) either wouldn't be considered non-fiction exactly or wouldn't be eligible. I haven't had a chance to get through this year's list yet, but I do know the Bronte Sisters grabbed a third star, so there's one more to bump up into this year's non-fiction multi-star dominance! I don’t have any records before 2011, but I did finally get to go back and look at that. I show Heart and Soul with 5 stars (Booklist, Horn Book, Kirkus, PW, SLJ). The only other thing I see is I. M. Pei by Jill Rubalcaba had 3 stars (from Kirkus, Booklist and the Bulletin). I’m assuming that Donna Napoli’s Treasury of Greek Myths (3 stars) either wouldn’t be considered non-fiction exactly or wouldn’t be eligible.

I haven’t had a chance to get through this year’s list yet, but I do know the Bronte Sisters grabbed a third star, so there’s one more to bump up into this year’s non-fiction multi-star dominance!

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-103000 Jonathan Hunt Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:34:26 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-103000 I should know this because my student Newbery group picked TRUCE as an honor book. I think some of the lists that I pulled were not the final year-end versions. I'll make the change above. Thanks. I should know this because my student Newbery group picked TRUCE as an honor book. I think some of the lists that I pulled were not the final year-end versions. I’ll make the change above. Thanks.

]]> By: Alison http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-102954 Alison Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:58:35 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-102954 Another "for the record": In 2009, Jim Murphy's Truce: The Day that the Soldiers Stopped Fighting also received 3 starred reviews. Another “for the record”: In 2009, Jim Murphy’s Truce: The Day that the Soldiers Stopped Fighting also received 3 starred reviews.

]]> By: Jonathan Hunt http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-102669 Jonathan Hunt Wed, 19 Sep 2012 23:23:53 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-102669 I've noted the change above, Susanna. Undoubtedly, I've missed a few more. Please let me know if you spot any. Thanks! I’ve noted the change above, Susanna. Undoubtedly, I’ve missed a few more. Please let me know if you spot any. Thanks!

]]> By: Susanna Reich http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/08/its-written-in-the-stars/#comment-102663 Susanna Reich Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:16:11 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/?p=2380#comment-102663 The question of whether a book engages us emotionally or intellectually is perhaps the wrong one. Emotions and intellect are not necessarily separate. I can be emotionally moved by the sheer beauty of a sentence or the inventiveness of a metaphor. And I get very excited when I read an elegantly-wrought argument. Great nonfiction can evoke emotion that has nothing to do with the subject matter. Also, for the record, Painting the Wild Frontier: The Art and Adventures of George Catlin (Clarion, 2008) received 3 starred reviews, bringing to 8 the number of nonfiction books that received 3 or more stars that year. The question of whether a book engages us emotionally or intellectually is perhaps the wrong one. Emotions and intellect are not necessarily separate. I can be emotionally moved by the sheer beauty of a sentence or the inventiveness of a metaphor. And I get very excited when I read an elegantly-wrought argument. Great nonfiction can evoke emotion that has nothing to do with the subject matter.

Also, for the record, Painting the Wild Frontier: The Art and Adventures of George Catlin (Clarion, 2008) received 3 starred reviews, bringing to 8 the number of nonfiction books that received 3 or more stars that year.

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