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December 18, 2009 by Jonathan Hunt

Listmaker, Listmaker, Make Me a List!

December 18, 2009 by Jonathan Hunt   8 comments

Now we turn our attention from starred reviews to best of the year lists.  I’ve included Booklist Editors’ Choice, Horn Book Fanfare, Kirkus Best Children’s Books and Best Young Adult Books, Publishers Weekly Best Books, and School Library Journal Best Books.  When the Bulletin Blue Ribbons come out in a couple of weeks, I’ll update this list (which includes everything, including stuff too old for the Newbery, too young for the Newbery, and ineligible for the Newbery by virtue of citizenship and/or residency).

FIVE LISTS

 
YOUNGER READERS
 
THE LION & THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney  
 
MIDDLE READERS
 
CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Phillip Hoose
MARCHING FOR FREEDOM by Elizabeth Partridge
WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead
 
OLDER READERS
 
MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD  by Francisco X. Stork
 
FOUR LISTS
 
YOUNGER READERS
 
ALL THE WORLD by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
HIGHER! HIGHER!  by Leslie Patricelli
MOONSHOT  by Brian Floca
 
MIDDLE READERS
 
THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly
 
OLDER READERS
 
CHARLES AND EMMA  by Deborah Heiligman
FIRE by Kristin Cashore
 
THREE LISTS
 
YOUNGER READERS 
 
BIRDS by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek
JOHN BROWN by John Hendrix
YUMMY by Lucy Cousins 
 
MIDDLE READERS
 
A SEASON OF GIFTS by Richard Peck
THE STORM IN THE BARN by Matt Phelan
TRUCE by Jim Murphy
 
OLDER READERS 
 
CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins 
TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA by Shaun Tan
SWEETHEARTS OF RHYTHM by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson
YEARS OF DUST by Albert Marrin
 
TWO LISTS 
 
YOUNGER READERS  
 
ADVENTURES IN CARTOONING by James Sturm, et al
BUTTON UP by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Petra Mathers
THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiana
DUCK! RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
PHAROAH’S BOAT by David Weitzman
RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
REDWOODS by Jason Chin
THE SNOW DAY by Komako Sakai 
THE FANTASTIC UNDERSEA LIFE OF JACQUES COSTEAU by Dan Yaccarino
YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Andre Carrilho
 
MIDDLE READERS  
 
ALVIN HO by Lenore Look
THE GREAT AND ONLY BARNUM by Candace Fleming
HEART OF A SHEPHERD by Rosanne Parry
THE LOST CONSPIRACY by Frances Hardinge
LUCY LONG AGO by Catherine Thimmesh 
MISSION CONTROL, THIS IS APOLLO by Andrew Chaikin 
THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O’Connor
 
OLDER READERS  
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS by Tanya Lee Stone  
THE ASK AND THE ANSWER by Patrick Ness
THE CARBON DIARIES 2015 by Saci Lloyd
CREATURE OF THE NIGHT by Kate Thompson
GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray
IF I STAY by Gayle Forman
LAST NIGHT I SANG TO THE MONSTER by Benjamin Alire Saenz
LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld
LIAR by Justine Larbalestier
PURPLE HEART by Patricia McCormick
WRITTEN IN BONE by Sally Walker
 

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About Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt is the Coordinator of Library Media Services at the San Diego County Office of Education. He served on the 2006 Newbery committee, and has also judged the Caldecott Medal, the Printz Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. You can reach him at hunt_yellow@yahoo.com

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Comments

  1. Jonathan Hunt says

    December 18, 2009 at 12:02 pm

    So, based on this list, how does this sound?

    Caldecott Medal
    THE LION & THE MOUSE
    Caldecott Honors
    ALL THE WORLD
    HIGHER! HIGHER!
    MOONSHOT

    Newbery Medal
    WHEN YOU REACH ME
    Newbery Honors
    CLAUDETTE COLVIN
    MARCHING FOR FREEDOM
    THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE

    Printz Award
    MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD
    Printz Honors
    CHARLES AND EMMA
    FIRE

    Are we cool with these?

  2. Monica Edinger says

    December 18, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    Quite cool (what with a snow storm headed our way). And let’s, ahem, see about that still-to-come-list, none other than SLJ’s very own Battle of the Kids’ Books of 2010! Woot, woot! Will there be any overlap, do you think? (For the rest, there is a good chance as Jonathan is one of three making up that list. The other two being myself and Roxanne Feldman.)

  3. Dean Schneider says

    December 18, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    Excellent list, Jonathan…because it’s so close to what I would select. I love seeing Marching for Freedom and Claudette Colvin in the mix for Newbery, and Lion & the Mouse–what a great possibility for Caldecott. Sibert will be tricky in that there are so many distinguished nonfiction books this year.
    It’ll also be interesting to see what surprises are in store–books that didn’t get the buzz but won medals or honors anyway. That’s a big part of the fun!

  4. Briar says

    December 18, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    I really want CURIOUS GARDEN to sweep up and take them all down for Caldecott, but I do think you could be on to something here.

    Our Mock Newbery finalists have been cut to 7:
    CALPURNIA TATE
    WHEN YOU REACH ME
    DARKWOOD
    SCAT
    LOCKED GARDEN (strangely our frontrunner)
    PEACE, LOCOMOTION
    SLOB

  5. The Brain Lair says

    December 18, 2009 at 8:03 pm

    Until I saw your list for Printz I was lamenting that my Newbery focus cut into my Printz reading but I’m with you on those titles!

    I would love to see When the Whistle Blows honor for Newbery and also Jumped honor for Printz…

  6. Nina says

    December 19, 2009 at 10:21 am

    I know this is a Newbery blog, but I have do say I just don’t get the hoopla over CURIOUS GARDEN. It’s a lovely book…when you know the reference. Do you have to be a New Yorker to think this is distinguished?

  7. Nick Glass says

    December 19, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Great list, Jonathan. Thanks for compiling and sharing this.

    I’m surprised how few books had 2 or more stars from these distinguished journals.

    The relationship between stars and award-winning, though, has to be seriously considered. What works for exemplary for a journal, doesn’t directly correlate with “distinguished”, let alone eligible. But this list is fun and very thought provoking. It also helps me read more before the January announcements! Cheers — Nick

  8. Jonathan Hunt says

    December 19, 2009 at 4:33 pm

    Nick, if you want the compiled list of starred reviews go to the “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” post and click on the link to PW’s Shelftalker blog. You can see there are much more books on that list.

    This list is for the best books list that each journal does (minus the Bulletin Blue Ribbons which are still forthcoming). But your point is well taken. Making a list of best books is much different than finding THE best book through a weighted ballot process. Then, too, PW Best Books, Horn Book Fanfare, and Bulletin Blue Ribbons typically have at least half as many “best books” as Kirkus, SLJ, and Booklist. So everything should be taken with a grain of salt. This compiled list is probably most useful as a reading list rather than a set of predictions; just don’t be surprised if books at the top earn recognition.

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