Time for June Suggestions
Have you read any more excellent Newbery-eligible books in the past month? Now’s the time to let us know by submitting your June suggestions.
To add to our growing list of possible 2023 Newbery contenders, just provide the titles and authors in the comments below. It’s fine to include books that others have already suggested. Please include only titles that have been published…if you’ve read a great Advance Reader Copy, just keep it on hold until its official publication month. You can add as many as five suggestions per month; fewer is fine too. More details about our suggestion process can be found in this post from March.
I got off to a slow start this year by catching up on adult fiction, but I’ve made the shift and have had a fine time getting caught up on new children’s books in the past several weeks. I read enough excellent books that I had to winnow down my list to make it to the five-title-per-month-maximum. Please add your below any time through Saturday, June 11th, and we’ll count them up and post the cumulated list of suggestions shortly after that..
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Filed under: Process, Suggestions
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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Falling Short by Cisneros – books for kids should be fun, distinguished writing can also be fun.
Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Kelly – She is a master at allowing the reader to see the story and the characters, without heavy-handed exposition.
A Song Called Home by Zarr – Brutally bare and honest.
NEW FROM HERE – Yang
THE LAST MAPMAKER – Soontornvat
Had a terrible reading month in May but at least the two kids’ books I made it through were great!
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
My suggestions for this month are:
1. Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff
2. Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly
3. Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
4. Alias Anna: The True Story About Outwitting the Nazis by Susan Hood
5. Omar Rising by Aisha Saeed
My five for June:
AWAY WITH WORDS by Mary Ann Hoberman
BIG AND SMALL AND IN-BETWEEN by Carter Higgins
CRESS WATERCRESS by Gregory Maguire
HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN by Pamela S. Turner
THE LAST MAPMAKER by Christine Soontornvat
Star Child by Ibi Zoboi
New From Here by Kelly Yang
I have read three more books worth recommending New From Here by Kelly Yang, I must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys, and Jennifer Chan is not Alone by Tar Keller
1. My Own Lightning, Lauren Wolk.
2. Jennifer Chan is not Alone, Tae Keller.
1. Moonwalking by Zetta Elliot
2. And We Rise by Erica Martin
3. Wishing Upon the Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
While we’re in the middle of June suggestions, just a mention that ALA has just published a new book in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Newbery Medal. “The Newbery Practitioner’s Guide: Making the Most of the Award in Your Work” is edited by Laura Schulte-Cooper, with timely, insightful chapters written by experts in the field (and a short introduction by me).
In the Key of Us by Mariama J. Lockington
Northwind by Gary Paulsen
Falling Short was fantastic.
1. Jennifer Chan is not Alone, Tae Keller
2. I Must Betray You, Septys
3. The Legend of Gravity, Palmer
4. Out of Range, Lang
5. Drew Leclair Gets a Clue
I’m not sure any of these is THE winner for me, but all worth discussion:
NEW FROM HERE
THOSE KIDS FROM FAWN CREEK
THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS
I’ve also been catching up on my reading and I finally have 5!
HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN by Pamela S. Turner (no steven and I have not discussed this book together LOL)
DREAM ANNIE DREAM- Brown
TINY DINO- Deb Freedman
MAIZY CHEN’S LAST CHANCE- YEE
OMAR RISING- Saeed (This one’s stuck in my mind the past few months after reading)