Newbery 2022 Predictions
As we narrow down our Heavy Medal Mock list and prepare for our Zoom conversation, the 2022 Newbery committee is also rereading titles before their big discussions. We touched base to determine our predictions. Without further ado, here they are.
Watercress 
Starfish
HMAC Newbery Winner
Emily’s Pick: JUST LIKE THAT: I Think that from the top five, discussions are going to determine committee support of JUST LIKE THAT. I’m voting WATERCRESS for an honor too.
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Steven’s Pick: AMBER & CLAY: STARFISH may have drawn the most widespread support from within the HMAC, but I’m gambling that when it comes to the pure excellence of the writing, AMBER & CLAY might emerge in the end.
Heavy Medal Zoom Viewers Poll Winner
(from top 5)
Emily’s Pick: STARFISH. Of the top five, I think Starfish is going to get the most viewer love.
Steven’s Pick: STARFISH: This book just seems to connect with so many readers.
Heavy Medal Readers Poll Winner
(from top 15)
Emily’s Pick: HARRY VS. THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF SCHOOLl. HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!
Steven’s Pick: BEATRYCE PROPHECY: I’m guessing that a new DiCamillo will have drawn the most readers, and there is a lot to like about this one.
2022 Newbery Winner
Emily’s Pick: TOO BRIGHT TO SEE or THE LAST CUENTISTA both these titles are very well-rounded and “distinctive” and I could see rising to the top.
Steven’s Pick: GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE. Nonfiction rarely gets the medal, and this is a different style than the nonfiction that does do well, but it fits that “distinctive” quality, it’s both ambitious and accessible, and it might stand out from the pack just enough.
Dark Horse Title
(title that hasn’t been in our discussions lately that we think is going to win something)
Emily’s Pick: FINDING JUNIE KIM; I was surprised this didn’t get more love and could see some good things coming. Also SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, maybe something can happen there! That title impressed me on my re-read.
Steven’s Pick: FINDING CLEM; Maybe not a winner, but I could see this one coming in as an Honor book.
The One You Wish Would Win, But Probably Won’t:
Emily’s Pick: THE PEOPLE REMEMBER by Ibi Zoboi- the unique look at Kwanzaa! I just wish this got more love and think it’s SO WELL DONE!!! Also RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE- I think enough flaws were pointed out that it’s not getting a big win, but I still love the storyline and the importance of it.
Steven’s Pick: I’m still stuck on THE RACONTEUR’S COMMONPLACE BOOK, and though it didn’t get too much support on this blog (some, just not a lot), I think there’s a solid argument for this book as “most distinguished.”
Beyond Newbery
Emily’s Pick: WATERCRESS for the Caldecott with MILO as an Honor, HARRY for the Geisel, THE LAST CUENTISTA for Pura Belpre and GENIUS for the Sibert. Here’s an ALSC Blog I wrote with all those predictions too!
Steven’s Pick: I can’t see how GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE and FALLOUT can’t both be at least Honors for the Sibert. WATERCRESS seems like a strong Caldecott candidate…also UNSPEAKABLE, which would be a posthumous award.. A few more that I think (and hope) could win: LEGEND OF AUNTIE PO (Asian-Pacific American Award); THE LAST CUENTISTA (Pura Belpré); BEING CLEM (Coretta Scott King); TOO BRIGHT TO SEE (Stonewall); and SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA (American Indian Youth Literature).
Final Comments
Emily: I don’t even want to know how our predictions rank, but REALLY because we have so many categories one of these titles has to win something?
Steven: I usually don’t do very well with predictions, and I’m okay with that. Sometimes the big surprises (like MERCI SUAREZ from Emily’s year) are even more fun…
And as always, leave your predictions in the comments- we love to see them!
Filed under: Heavy Medal Mock
About Emily Mroczek-Bayci
Emily Mroczek (Bayci) is a freelance children’s librarian in the Chicago suburbs. She served on the 2019 Newbery committee. You can reach her at emilyrmroczek@gmail.com.
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Good predictions all around!
Mine are as follows:
Newbery Medal: Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Newbery Honors: Starfish by Lisa Fipps, Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor, Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin
Coretta Scott King Author: Alicia D Williams–Jump at the Sun
Coretta Scott King Illustrator: Laura Freeman–Standing on Her Shoulders
Caldecott Medal: Watercress by Andrea Wang
Printz Award: Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Pura Belpre Author:The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Pura Belpre Illustrator: Erika Meza, My Two Border Towns
YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award: Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Bethany
YALSA Morris Award: Me (Moth)
DA VINCI’S CAT is an interesting pick, Aryssa. Such an interesting blend of history, fantasy, and even humor…and pretty unique in style among this year’s books I think. I would be happy to see that one get something…
HMAC Newbery Winner: Starfish
Heavy Medal Readers Poll Winner: Red, White, and Whole
2022 Newbery Winner: Flight of the Puffin
Dark Horse Title: Runaway
The One You Wish Would Win, But Probably Won’t: Harry vs. the First 100 Days of School
Last year, there was lot of lively discussion in the blog comments about Everything Sad is Untrue, but it seemed to win the HMAC Newbery pretty handily. I even remember the question being raised during the Zoom to the effect of “what about the criticisms in the blog comments” and the reaction seeed to be, “we didn’t have those issues.” I think something similar may happen with STARFISH. I think the comments from actual HMAC committee members have been super-positive and the critical comments have come from non-HMAC committee members like me.
I think Steven commented on RED WHITE AND WHOLE having both the most suggestions and nominations on HM this year, and yet nobody seems to have given it a passionate defence in the comments. I could be wrong, but maybe the same silent majority will elevate it in the reader’s poll.
If not MILO or WATERCRESS, I do think RUNAWAY is consistent with the kind of picture book that has been recognized in the last couple years.
My PUFFIN prediction is a shot in the dark. I do imagine different kinds of readers could mount different kinds of strong arguments for it, so this could be a possible consensus builder. But since I haven’t seen many actual reactions to it here, this is just all in my head. (Certainly there are many books I fantasize everyone will love until I see the actual comments here.)
I like that RUNAWAY longshot pick, Leonard. I think that might be the strongest picture book text for me this year…
Puffin is also one of my favorites!!!
Also be sure to check out Betsy Bird’s final predictions on Fuse #8. One of her Newbery picks has not been mentioned on this blog I think…and I haven’t read it myself: Any thoughts about LOTERÍA by Karla Arenas Valenti?
Betsy mentions the ending of LOTERÍA, and I imagine there will be divided opinions about it. To me, it was just a downer, to the extent that I don’t really think this is a children’s book. There are a lot of words devoted to an ongoing discussion about free will vs. determinism (which I suppose sets up the end), and it takes about a 100 pages for the main plot to get going, which ends up being a sort of fantasy land rescue reminiscent of Andersen’s The Snow Queen and others.
Great predictions everyone!
Here are mine:
Newbery: THE GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE
Honors: WATERCRESS
JUST LIKE THAT
FALLOUT
Caldecott: WATERCRESS
UNSPEAKABLE
MILO
Pura Belpre: THE LAST CUENTISTA
Printz: AMBER & CLAY
Honors: FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER
A SITTING IN ST. JAMES
Geisel: HARRY
Sibert: GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE
Honor: FALLOUT
Coretta Scott King: BEING CLEM
Asian-Pacific Award: WHILE I WAS AWAY
Hi Stephen, I just finished reading The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book and I loved it!!! The word choice, character development, setting, all excellent! I agree with you!