Heavy Medal

Well, it's November, and for some of us that means serious Oscar season, but for me, it means it's time to get in gear and read a bunch of Newbery contenders!

I try to keep on top of the Heavy Medal blog over at School Library Journal. Two bloggers, Jonathan Hunt and Nina Lindsay, sound off on what they're reading, what should win, what the Newbery rules are, all sorts of things. Jonathan is particularly opinionated which makes for pretty lively discussions in the comments.

The Allen County Public Library has a vibrant Mock Awards program. Their reading lists are a great place to start if you're curious about what's getting that awards buzz so far.

There's talk it's a really strong year for nonfiction with titles like Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice, Moonshot, Almost Astronauts, and Charles and Emma rising to the top.

What did you love this year?

Inside Look at the Newbery Process

I just discovered (via a post from SLJ on Twitter) a blog from the University of Arizona, Worlds of Words: Currents. It is "a blog dedicated to current events, research, and issues pertaining to the use, publication, and reviews of children's and adolescent literature."

They recently had a 4 part interview with Nick Glass of TeachingBooks.net, about his experiences on last year's Newbery Committee.

Part 1: What's it like serving on the Newbery Committee? What is the process?
Part 2: About The Graveyard Book and the "popular v. distinguished" Newbery discussion.
Part 3: At this year's Awards Banquet, and thoughts on Neil Gaiman's acceptance speech.
Part 4: Is there a "Newbery" type of book?

First ACPL Mock Newbery List!

Allen County has published their first Mock Newbery list!

ACPL Mock Newbery List # 1:

Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin
All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg
Wild Things by Clay Carmichael
Happenstance Found by P.W. Catanese
Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane
The Problem with the Puddles by Kate Feiffer
The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Emmaline and the Bunny by Katherine Hannigan
Scat by Carl Hiaasen
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Traveling the Freedom Road by Linda Barrett Osborne
Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

I've only read one book on this list! It's time to get cracking. What are the strongest titles you've read this year?

Coraline

Neil Gaiman's movie Coraline was released yesterday! Coraline was also released as a graphic novel...anybody read both and want to comment?

As you know, Neil Gaiman just won the Newbery for his new title The Graveyard Book, so interest is probably going to be high for his stuff for awhile now.

His books have a creepy but literary vibe...what have you been recommending to kids and teens who want more? Did you know he even has a couple of picture books?

The director of the movie is the guy who did Nightmare Before Christmas. Would Corpse Bride work for the Coraline crowd, or not? Who's seen it?

Happy Awards Day!

The ALA Youth Media Awards were announced this morning!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, won the Newbery.

There were four Newbery Honors: The Underneath, The Surrender Tree, Savvy, and After Tupac and D Foster.

The House in the Night, illustrated by Beth Krommes and written by Susan Marie Swanson, won the Caldecott.

Of the 3 Caldecott Honors and 1 Medal winner, three of those titles were on our online Caldecott Hopeful poll! (How I Learned Geography and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever were the other honors on our poll, plus A River of Words, which we didn't pick.)

Full award info:

ALSC award list

Coretta Scott King awards

Ooops, forgot YALSA (including the new Morris award, for first-time YA author)

Horn Book has a nice round up.

Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux movie is out tomorrow!

Guess what I'm going to ask? Yes, that's right. What are we going to recommend? For books or for movies? Post your ideas!

We link to games on the movie site from the Treehouse and have a nice If You Like list there.

Monica Edinger at Educating Alice talks about seeing the movie and Alison Morris at PW talks about it too. (Thanks Fuse #8 for the links.)

This title is still a big favorite with classroom teachers and an easy one to recommend when a child has to read off the Newbery Medal list for school. If you haven't read it yet, now's a great time to get caught up.

If you have read it--how is it holding up for you? Did you like it when you read it? Do you like it now? What do you think? Does it still feel like a Newbery? Is anybody planning on seeing it?

I read it when it won, but now I just have foggy impressions of a dining hall, dungeon, and authorial asides. Guess it's time to read it again!