Introducing the Heavy Medal Committee

We are very excited to introduce this year’s Heavy Medal Committee! Sixteen serious children’s book people who have volunteered to participate in the challenging process of discussing 15 books in 21 days (Jan 2 – 22).They will also vote for our Mock Heavy Medal Newbery Award starting on January 23rd. With sixteen members, our mock committee matches the number of real Committee members, which is kind of neat. But if you still want to volunteer but just haven’t had time, we can add more participants if you act fast by filling out our Heavy Medal Committee Volunteer Form . We’ll officially close the volunteer period at the end of the day on December 28th. Here’s our current roster:

Alissa Tudor
Alissa is a 31-year-old straight, white female living in Allen, Texas with her two “tweenage” daughters, husband, and very spoiled Pomeranian. She is currently a children’s librarian at a public library. Before moving into the library world, she spent six years as a middle school teacher. When she is not at work, she can usually be found with her nose stuck in a book ignoring the dirty dishes and laundry.

Amanda Bishop
I am an elementary school librarian and book lover. I live in Oklahoma City and have a son, a cat, and a dog the size of a dinosaur.

Cherylynn
I am a Children’s Public Librarian from the Midwest. I am a white female conservative heterosexual. I help process the new young people’s books in my library so I see all the exciting new things coming out. I read over 300 young adult and children’s books each year.

Courtney Hague
I’m a 34 year old white woman. I have been working as a Youth Librarian for 8 years in public libraries. Currently I am a Youth Librarian at a large busy suburban public library in the St. Louis area. I live with my librarian husband, our 2 year old son, and two cats.

Deborah Cooper
Hello. I’ve been a Children’s & YA materials selector since 2006, and a children’s librarian from 2000 – 2006. I work at the Stark County District Library in Canton, Ohio.

Earl Dizon
Born in Manila, Philippines. Bookseller at a children’s bookstore in Portland, Oregon. Volunteer. Aspiring picture book writer.

Jen Bartkus
I am a Librarian at a midsize K-12 school in Central Ohio

Katie @ the Logonauts
Katie is in her second year of teaching fifth grade after eight years of teaching language arts, social studies, and drama to enthusiastic third (and in previous years fourth) grade students and two years of teaching not-always-enthusiastic seventh graders. She is a life-long reader and enjoys ensnaring others in the web of life-long reading. She shares her and her students’ thoughts about books at www.thelogonauts.com.

Mary Zdrojewski
I am a middle school librarian (grades 6-8) in a suburban and rural district.

Melissa Bailey
I’m a straight, white, 42 year old librarian, mom, and wife. I’m currently a children’s selections librarian in Maryland. When I’m not reading I can be found walking to the local bakery or building robots with my 4 year old.

Molly Sloan
I am the school librarian at Portland Jewish Academy in Portland, Oregon. I lead a Newbery Club of 5-7th graders who spend lunch with me once a week discussing this year’s contenders. We vote and select our own winner each year just before the actual Newbery is announced. My students have excellent taste; winners of the recent past have included The Season of Styx Malone, The War that Saved My Life, Wolf Hollow, Beyond the Bright Sea, Brown Girl Dreaming.

Rachel Wadham
I am a librarian, a radio show host, and a book reviewer.

Sallianne
I’m a teacher in Australia. I love great books and reading them to and with children.

Sam Leopold
I love books and I love getting kids—and adults—excited about books. I am a 50+ year old Educator who is crazy in love with my first grandchild—-my 4 month old grandson. I have 2 wonderful sons, 2 great daughters, a very patient wife and a border collie who is my best friend!

Shaunterria Owens
I am a current children’s reviewer for Booklist and work in children’s services at a public library in Miami. I also love the Newbery Award and trying to figure out which books will be honored each year. As an avid Heavy Medal reader, I would love to participate this year and share my thoughts. My personal bio is below; thanks for the consideration. Shaunterria Owens, a recent transplant to Miami, Florida from Southern California by way of New Jersey, has worked in school and public libraries for over 14 years. A prolific reader of children’s books and current Booklist magazine reviewer (including young adult, picture books, nonfiction, graphic novels, middle grade, early chapter books and board books), Ms. Owens previously published reviews for Booklinx, a book evaluation program whose membership consists of public librarians and school library media specialists in New Jersey. She is also an avid cross stitcher, book geek, and lover of the Oxford comma. Find her on Twitter at @shaunterria and on Goodreads under ca11i0pe.

Tamara DePasquale
Tamara DePasquale is the Head of Youth Services and the Assistant Director at the Eldredge Public Library in Chatham, MA where she has shared her passion for children’s and young adult literature for eighteen years.  When she is not reading, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking in the Arizona desert, playing escape games, and dreaming of a retirement where she is either driving a bookmobile or working at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  She is white, 59, and a big fan of Heavy Medal and other award blogs that provide insight into running her library’s three mock award discussion groups.

Filed under: Process