August Suggestions

It’s been a different kind of Summer Reading season for most of us this year. At my public library in Oregon, the Children’s Room is still closed to the public. Kids can pick up holds at the library, browse a selection of “Book Bundles to Go,” and staff will page books, authors, and subjects upon request…but it’s just not the same. I don’t think I’ve had a conversation about 2020 titles with any kids this year…definitely not since March.
Fortunately, the year’s been filled with excellent children’s books, and librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers will continue to connect great books with readers in whatever ways we can find. Here at Heavy Medal, we’ve been building a list of Suggestions to identify 2020 titles that might be worthy of consideration for the 2021 Newbery Medal.
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August Suggestions are now open. Please add yours in the comments section below. Suggestion guidelines include a limit of five titles per month and we limit suggestions to books that have already been published in print form. More details are available here, The window for August suggestions will close on August 9th. We’ll reopen Suggestions in early September…and that’s also the time that we will (finally) jump into actual book discussions here on Heavy Medal.
Filed under: Heavy Medal Mock, Process

About Steven Engelfried
Steven Engelfried was the Library Services Manager at the Wilsonville Public Library in Oregon until he retired in 2022 after 35 years as a full-time librarian. He served on the 2010 Newbery committee, chaired the 2013 Newbery Committee, and also served on the 2002 Caldecott committee. You can reach him at sengelfried@yahoo.com.
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Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
CLEAN GETAWAY by Nic Stone
WAYS TO MAKE SUNSHINE by Renee Watson
Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh
A home for goddesses and dogs
Snapdragon
Dragon hoops
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
Efren Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
A Game of Fox and Squirrels by Jenn Reese
THE BLACKBIRD GIRLS by Anne Blankman
When Stars are Scattered by Jamieson and Mohamed
I know that these have all been suggested before, but they are my favorites so far.
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
When You Trap a Tiger by Tad Keller
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Show Me a Sign–Lezotte
When You Trap a Tiger–Keller
A Wish in the Dark–Soontornvat
Brave Like That–Stoddard
When Stars are Scattered–Jamieson and Mohamed
Clap when you Land, Elizabeth Acevedo
Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein
Itch, Polly Farquhar
ECHO MOUNTAIN by Lauren Wolk
QUINTESSENCE by Jess Redman
DOODLEVILLE by Chad Sell
From the Desk of Zoe Washington
Cast Away: Poems for Our Time by Naomi Shihab Nye
Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson Levine