Ready! Set! Vote!
I know we said we were not doing an online ballot this year, but since we’ve been doing mock nominations throughout the year, the natural and logical conclusion is to vote. Now keeping in mind that we’ve had just over 30 people participate in each round of voting, we would probably need a single book to capture at least 15 first place votes and probably more. I’d be surprised if that happened on one vote, so we’ll likely declare the top vote-getter as our winner with the next highest titles as honor books.
It is important that (a) you only vote from the following list and that (b) you number your books 1-2-3 because it is a weighted ballot. Failure to comply will nullify your vote–and we wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?
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(21) LIAR & SPY
(20) BOMB
(20) SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS
(17) THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
(13) STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY
(12) WONDER
(10) MOONBIRD
(9) NO CRYSTAL STAIR
(8) TWELVE KINDS OF ICE
(8) TEMPLE GRANDIN
(8) THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE
(8) THREE TIMES LUCKY
(7) SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS
(7) MR. AND MRS. BUNNY
(6) EACH KINDNESS
(6) CHICKADEE
(5) WE’VE GOT A JOB
(4) PALACE OF STONE
(4) CODE NAME VERITY
(3) JEPP, WHO DEFIED THE STARS
(3) ONE FOR THE MURPHYS
(3) CHILD OF THE MOUNTAINS
(2) THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK
(2) SERAPHINA
(2) WATER SINGS BLUE
(2) TITANIC
(2) KINDRED SOULS
(2) THE GREAT UNEXPECTED
(2) A BLACK HOLE IS NOT A HOLE
(2) THE MIGHTY MARS ROVERS
(1) BENEATH A METH MOON
(1) THE HUMMING ROOM
(1) ABRAHAM LINCOLN & FREDERICK DOUGLASS
(1) REMARKABLE
(1) CROW
(1) DUMPLING DAYS
(1) SHADOW ON THE MOUNTAIN
(1) DANGER GOES BESERK
(1) SAME SUN HERE
(1) WOODEN BONES
(1) THE SEVEN TALES OF TRINKET
(1) THE BROKEN LANDS
(1) STEP GENTLY OUT
(1) SON
(1) JAKE & LILY
(1) GOBLIN SECRETS
You do not need to provide a justification for each book, but I will do so in order to make my thinking process more transparent.
1. BOMB . . . Still the most distinguished book at the top of our nomination list. I could place others over BOMB, but they don’t seem to have enough support to beat the five middle grade novels clustered at the top.
2. CHICKADEE . . . I’m eschewing MOONBIRD and NO CRYSTAL STAIR this time around, hoping the late surge of love for CHICKADEE can carry this into the top echelon.
3. TWELVE KINDS OF ICE . . . This gained a substantial number of readers between our November nominations and our December nominations, and if that trend continues than I think we could see this one, too, move into contention.
Shall we set a deadline? All votes should be in by this coming Tuesday morning.
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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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1) Bomb – amazing non-fiction and most distinguished overall; hope it doesn’t get shut out like Amelia Lost did.
2) Starry River of the Sky – most distinguished in terms of setting
3) The One and Only Ivan – most distinguished in characterization and I think the readability spans the most ages for its audience
I think Crow is most distinguished in plot, but alas, we can only vote for three.
1 – JAKE & LILY – I have a soft spot for Spinelli, and nothing I’ve read has been able to top this.
2 – TWELVE KINDS OF ICE – Just finished this one this morning. I’m fully on the bandwagon. I loved the icy world it transports the reader to, with so few words.
3 – BOMB – I was on the edge of my seat throughout my entire reading of this book. If only all nonfiction could be this enthralling!
If you’re not one of the 30 people from the previous voting rounds, can you vote in this final round?
Anyone can vote. We never had the same exact 30+ people nominating in each round anyway.
1. LIAR & SPY – plotting, language, character development, and above all voice are most distinguished in the field. The characters evolve reasonably but no miraculous changes. Liked but didn’t love on first read because it was so different from WHEN YOU REACH ME, which is my favorite Newbery of the past ten years; on second read this had me in its spell completely.
2. BOMB – utterly distinguished nonfiction, completely captivating as any thriller, full of details that made it come alive.
3. MR. AND MRS. BUNNY – just read this a few days ago and it vaulted over SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS for me, in its marvelous quirkiness, empathy for the characters without sentimentality, humor, and language.
1) BOMB – because I really think it is the best book of the year, and because I want it to have enough votes to win.
2) TITANIC – I just counted and there are literally at least 10 books on this list I would be happy seeing in the number 2 spot, so chalk this up to nonfiction love
3) MR AND MRS BUNNY – do I really think this is a better novel than LIAR AND SPY and SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS? Probably not. But it’s close enough, and I want it to get some votes (plus, not giving those novels votes gives BOMB a better shot – is that too petty a reason?)
(Wish I could go back and edit – I shouldn’t have referred to WYRM because mention of books from other years is off-limits int he Newbery discussion.)
1. Splendors and Glooms
2. Liar and Spy
3. Starry River of the Sky
I have never commented not voted but I have avidly followed the discussion and read all the books so I’m going to vote!
1. LIAR AND SPY
2. SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS
3. ONE AND ONLY IVAN
I love, love, loved CODE NAME VERITY and SERAPHINA but think they skew too old. So many good books this year! I can hardly wait to see the winner.
Also new to voting here… 🙂
1. THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE
2. STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY
3. WONDER
1. SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS
2. BOMB
3. LIAR & SPY
I’m pretty sure I’ve been deeply influenced by the discussions here. I suppose that is the committee process. Although, I feel a bet like a lemming.
My students are voting in a half hour I will post the results in the other thread.
1. BOMB
2. LIAR & SPY
3. TWELVE KINDS OF ICE
1. LIAR AND SPY — An engaging conflict with memorable, believable characters whose voices were true from beginning to end.
2. Pass — I wish I’d read more of the top vote getters on the list, but none of those that I did read were, in my opinion, Newbery worthy.
3. Pass — oh, dear, have I disqualified myself?
1. Bomb
2. Three Times Lucky
3. Splendors & Glooms
I’m another new voter, though I’ve been a huge follower of your blog the past several years. It wasn’t too hard to select my top 3, but deciding which order is tougher!
1. THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
2. BOMB
3. CHILD OF THE MOUNTAINS
I have two sixth grade classes participating in a Mock Newbery through Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, IL. They begged to keep reading over this long weekend, so our voting will take place next Tuesday. What wonderful choices to consider this year! I’ve read 16 from the list, and still hope to get in THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE and JAKE AND LILY before 1/28.
1. LIAR AND SPY
2. BOMB
3. CHICKADEE
1. SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS–This one has stuck with me the longest and is the one I’ve re-read more than anything else this year. Honesty compels me to say though that I am the ideal reader for the subject, since I’m a puppeteer.
2. BOMB–I echo Sara.
3. TWELVE KINDS OF ICE–I’m not a winter person but this book almost made me happy to see low temperatures on the forecast.
First time voter here…there are so many distinguished books this year that it was quite difficult to select my top 3.
1. Bomb
2. The One and Only Ivan
3. Starry River of the Sky
1.Splendors and Glooms
2.The one and only Ivan
3.Liar and spy
1-Crow
2-Twelve Kinds of Ice
3-Splendors and Glooms
1. Twelve Kinds of Ice–really held up under re-reading. Loved it. I think it deserves more attention
2. Bomb–fascinating story, gripping narrative, (although I liked Moonbird better at the sentence level)
3. Starry River of the Sky–simple and profound is hard to write–this book makes it look easy
It was a little challenging ranking these 1, 2, 3, because I loved all of them!
1. Splendors and Glooms
2. Chickadee
3. Twelve Kinds of Ice
1-Liar & Spy
2-Bomb
3-Water Sings Blue
1: The One and Only Ivan
2: Liar and Spy
3: Mighty Miss Malone
1- Bomb
2- The One and Only Ivan
3- Moonbird
1. The Mighty Miss Malone
2. Bomb
3. Beneath a Meth Moon
1. Wonder
2. Jake and Lily
3. The One and Only Ivan
(Phew! That was not easy.)
1. Bomb
2. Starry River of the Sky
3. One and Only Ivan
1. BOMB
2. MR AND MRS BUNNY
3. STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY
Although, after reading these comments, I feel in desperate need for a re-read of 12 KINDS OF ICE! So annoyed with myself for already returning it to the library…:(
1. Crow
2. Starry River of the Sky
3. Liar & Spy
1. Bomb
2. Starry River
3. Twelve Kinds of Ice
Another new voter, but an avid follower. This is a tough year! So many great books!
1. The One and Only Ivan
2. Bomb
3. The Lions of Little Rock
1. Splendors and Glooms
2. Starry River of the Sky
3. Mighty Miss Malone
1) Mr. and Mrs. Bunny- because it is awesome.
2) Splendors and Glooms- because it is absolutely the best but I can’t help loving Mrs. Bunny a bit more.
3) Twelve Kinds of Ice- because it made me nostalgic for something I didn’t even experience in childhood.
Can we have a do-over for “Okay for Now”? I still think it was robbed last year.
I love your comment about 12 KINDS OF ICE- I felt the same way, but didn’t realize it until I read that! 🙂
1. Bomb
2. Liar & Spy
3. The One and Only Ivan
1. Bomb
2. Splendors and Glooms
3. Liar and Spy
1. Bomb – Extremely distinguished nonfiction meticulously researched and written in a style that will keep readers engaged to the end and willing to learn even more.
2. Starry River of the Sky – Distinguished tale based on Chinese folk tales, yet changed and combined so that individual stories refer back to each other, creating a satisfying tale that will please readers.
3. Splendors and Gloms – Dark but sprinckled with humor, this Victorian fiction combined with fantasy and magic features suspense, compelling characters, impressive descriptions and highly believable settings.
Also a first time voter, but I have followed along closely. I have read a decent amount of the perceived front runners, so I feel pretty comfortable that these are the books I would stick with, regardless.
1. Splendors and Glooms–Simply the book that has stuck with me the most. It is a bit of a traditionalist’s pick. However, when a book nails setting and character so well, it will win me over every time.
2. Bomb–not much I can say about this that hasn’t been said elsewhere in this blog.
3. Mr. And Mrs. Bunny–I can’t really defend this pick, other than I would want other readers to talk it over with. In some ways it’s a mess of a book, but–oh–what a glorious mess!
Interested to see how this all plays out. Were I really on the committee, I would probably have voted slightly differently, to make it more strategic, but I would be really happy if this was the line up announced on January 31.
1. The Mighty Miss Malone
2. Wonder
3. The One and Only Ivan
1) Liar and Spy
2) Wonder
3) The One and Only Ivan
1.Seraphina
2.Slendors and Glooms
3.Jepp, Who Defied the Stars
1. Starry River of the Sky
2. The One and Only Ivan
3. Wonder
Liar & Spy # 1
Bomb # 2
Seraphina # 3
1. Seraphina
2. No Crystal Stair
3. Moonbird
We had a Printz/Morris sweep last year… why not a Newbery/Morris sweep this year?
1. Chickadee. The language is is clear and vivid, like water flowing, and so perfectly captures that little boy.
2. Splendors and Glooms. Rich and tangled and full of layers.
3. Liar & Spy. It made me angry, then stayed with the 9 year old I was for a long tome.
1. Splendors and Glooms
2. Starry River of the Sky
3. Bomb
1. Bomb
2. 12 Kinds of Ice
3. Splendors and Glooms
1. Starry RIver of the Sky
2. Twelve Kinds of Ice
3. Splendors and Glooms
I’m really hoping for some recognition for Twelve Kinds of Ice!
1.) SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS– I know it has its issues, but I love, love, love.
2.) TITANIC
3.) WONDER
I realize that my vote is tampered by the fact that library school and jobs have limited my time, so I have not read Bomb, Twelve Kinds of Ice, or Splendors and Glooms. I feel like mine shouldn’t count….
1. BOMB
2. LIAR & SPY
3. SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS
1. Bomb
2. The One and Only Ivan
3. The Mighty Miss Malone
My choices would be basically arbitrary at this point. There are a lot of books I think are “good enough” this year, and nothing I’m married to for the top spot. I read 70 books that have been Newbery-buzzed one way or another this year, and liked almost all of them. (I gave ten two-star reviews and no one-star. Three stars isn’t very high praise from me, but there are 36 I gave four or five stars to.) Not all of them would I consider real Newbery contenders–sometimes I “really liked” them (as Goodreads puts it) for non-criteria reasons–but there are a dozen or more I think are very Newbery-worthy.
Hey, I guess I CAN make strategic picks, though.
1. Chickadee
2. Liar & Spy
3. The One and Only Ivan
(I confess, I’m kind of BOMBed out after all the discussion. Luckily this will not happen to normal readers. And it would feel odd to nominate another non-fiction over it. Sorry about the homogenousness of my list, Jonathan. And apologies to The Great Unexpected and Kindred Souls. It’s strategy, you lovely books.)
(1) STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY
(2) EACH KINDNESS
(3) BOMB
1) Bomb
2) The One and Only Ivan
3) Twelve Kinds of Ice
Such great choices this year! I’ll see everyone at ALA! I’ll be cheering loudly even if my favorites don’t win a medal.
1. Twelve Kinds of Ice
2. Bomb
3. Goblin Secrets
1. Twelve Kinds of Ice
2. The One and Only Ivan
3. Splendors and Glooms
It all came down to the beauty of the prose for me, and these three are tops.
I’ve been on vacation, so feel free to disregard my ballot if it’s too late. Nonetheless, I’d go:
1) Twelve Kinds of Ice
2) Wooden Bones
3) The One and Only Ivan
I figured we might have a rash of late voters because of the three day weekend. I’ll count them after 12 pm Pacific time and post the results shortly thereafter, so anything that slides in before noon is still good.
Ah, excellent. Thanks 🙂
1. One and Only Ivan
2. Splendors
3. Twelve Kinds of Ice
1. Summer of the Gypsy Moths
2. Starry River of the Sky
3. Bomb
I love Code Name Verity but I think it belongs on the Printz side of the equation.
(I did figure out on reading Liar & Spy that Rebecca Stead’s voice/characters must resonate for lots of people in much the same way E.L. Konigsburg has always affected me; but I seem to be tone-deaf to Rebecca Stead myself.)
1. Bomb
2. Mr and Mrs Bunny
3. Splendors and Glooms
1. Splendors and Glooms
2. Lions of Little Rock
3. Mighty Miss Malone
1. Bomb
2. One and Only Ivan
3. Starry River
The results of the vote are here–
https://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2013/01/22/the-virtual-mock-supercommittee-has-spoken/
Feel free to continue to post your top choices here.
1- Wonder
2- Liar and Spy
3- The Humming Room