Many May Suggestions: First Quarter Mock Newbery Possibilities
It was a busy month for reading and suggestions and although OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS remains at the top of our suggestion list, we have a large number of new titles to keep an eye on as the first quarter of publishing has officially ended.
Here’s a look by the numbers:
- 47 May suggestions
- 19 people suggesting
- 10 new titles
- 10- highest number of total suggestions (OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS)
- 5- highest number of suggestions this month (ANYBODY HERE SEEN FRENCHIE, AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT AND THE LAST MAPMAKER)
A few clarifications that were asked: these totals are year-long, so a cumulation of March, April, and May. Titles that are suggested for the first time this month are marked by an asterisk. We’ll be back again in June for more suggestions, and in-depth conversations start in September (which all are welcome to participate in).
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| Title | Author | Total |
| OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS | Barnhill | 10 |
| AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT | Reynolds | 9 |
| I MUST BETRAY YOU | Sepetys | 8 |
| ANYBODY HERE SEEN FRENCHIE | Connor | 6 |
| LOVE IN THE LIBRARY | Tokuda-Hall | 6 |
| THOSE KIDS FROM FAWN CREEK | Kelly | 6 |
| THE LAST MAPMAKER* | Soontornvat | 5 |
| LOUISA JUNE AND THE NAZIS IN THE WAVE | Elliott | 4 |
| NEW FROM HERE | Yang | 4 |
| ALIAS ANNA: A TRUE STORY ABOUT OUTWITTING THE NAZIS | Hood | 3 |
| COMB OF WISHES | Stringfellow | 3 |
| DREAM ANNIE DREAM | Brown | 3 |
| JENNIFER CHAN IS NOT ALONE* | Keller | 3 |
| NORTHWIND | Paulsen | 3 |
| A DUET FOR HOME* | Van Glaser | 2 |
| FREEWATER | Luqman-Dawson | 2 |
| LITTLE MONARCHS* | Case | 2 |
| MAIZY CHEN’S LAST CHANCE | Yee | 2 |
| SOLIMAR | Ryan | 2 |
| AFRICAN TOWN | Latham and Water | 1 |
| AIR | Roe | 1 |
| ALL MY RAGE | Tahir | 1 |
| AT THE END OF EVERYTHING | Nijkamp | 1 |
| AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK* | Lowe | 1 |
| BARE TREE AND LITTLE WIND | Perkins | 1 |
| CRESS, WATERCRESS* | Maguire | 1 |
| EACH OF US A UNIVERSE | Ferruolo | 1 |
| GIBBERISH | Vo | 1 |
| LAWLESS SPACES | Haydu | 1 |
| LOYALTY | Avi | 1 |
| MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS* | Kooser and Wanek | 1 |
| MY OWN LIGHTNING* | Wolk | 1 |
| OMAR RISING | Saeed | 1 |
| THE LUCKY ONES* | Jackson | 1 |
| THE PATRON THIEF OF BREAD* | Eager | 1 |
| THE RED PALACE | Hur | 1 |
| THE UNFORGETTABLE LOGAN FOSTER | Peters | 1 |
| TO THE FRONT | Friddell | 1 |
| VINYL MOON | Browne | 1 |
| WAYWARD CREATURES | Lorentz | 1 |
| WISHING UPON THE SAME STARS | Feldman | 1 |
Filed under: Suggestions
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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Quick note- THE PATRON THIEF OF BREAD comes out on May 17th , and I kept it on the list because it’s next week- though usually we stick to already published titles.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Emily mentioned the 47 titles on the list…last year at this time we had just 32. Which means two things to me: 1) Looks like another great year for children’s books; and 2) I really need to get going on my reading!
Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, check out the Spring 2022 issue of “Children and Libraries,” which is the journal of ALA’s Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). The whole issue is devoted to the 100 year history of the Newbery Medal, and includes fascinating articles by Leonard Marcus, KT Horning, and other scholars and writers. (I’ve got a short article on Mock Newberys in there too). Online access is free to ALSC members and subscribers to C and L. Or check for a copy at your local library.
Darn it! I am too late…but I just finished In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington – wow!! It needs to go on next month’s list. I will submit it then, but just offering a heads up!