Early Year Favorites: Ogresses, Betrayal and Love
We had approximately 50 responses to our beginning of the year survey. I think the survey results lined up pretty well with our suggestions just far, but it’s always fun to see the numbers. We’ll do a mid year and end of the year check in as well and see if anything changes as discussion continues.
Favorite title of top suggested books: a tie between I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruta Septys and OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS by Kelly Barnhill
Title most looking forward to: SPARROWS IN THE WIND by Gail Carson Levine
Top Graphic Novel: THE AQUANAUT by Dan Santat and LITTLE MONARCHS by Case tied!
Top Picture Book: Tie Between GIBBERISH by Young Yo and TINY DINO by Deborah Freedman (both my suggestions might I add). These results were all over the board, with many many write-ins (listed below) and yes Steven, BIG AND SMALL AND IN-BETWEEN came in third.
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Top Non Fiction Book: LOVE IN THE LIBRARY by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Top Historical Fiction: I MUST BETRAY YOU (by a landslide)
Top Fantasy Title: THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS by Kelly Barnhill
Top Realistic Fiction: THOSE KIDS FROM FAWN CREEK by Erin Entrada Kelly
Write-In Titles not on our suggestion list: SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas, THE FIRST CAT IN SPACE ATE PIZZA by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris, SMALLER SISTER by Maggie Edkin Wallis, FRANCIS DISCOVERS POSSIBLE by Ashlee Latimer, THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU by Shannon Hale, ENDLESSLY EVER AFTER by Laurel Snyder, MY PARENTS WON’T STOP TALKING by Emma Hunsinger and Tillie Walden, KNIGHT OWL by Christopher Denise, ACTION by Megan McCarthy, PIZZA: A SLIZE OF HISTORY by Greg Pizzoli, BLUE: A HISTORY OF THE COLOR AS DEEP AS THE SEA AND AS WIDE AS THE SKY by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, SAVE THE PEOPLE: HALTING HUMAN EXTINCTION by Stacy McAnulty, JUST RIGHT JILLIAM by Nicole D. Collier
Additional Titles People are Looking Forward to: MOONFLOWER by Kacen Callender, THE DOOR OF NO RETURN by Kwame Alexander, MERCI SUAREZ PLAYS IT COOL by Meg Medina, MORNING SUN IN WUHAN by Ying Chang Compestine
Do you have any strong feelings on any of the above titles? Let us know in the comments!
Filed under: Book Discussion
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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Thanks to all for responding to the survey. I was especially interested in the leaders for fantasy and realistic fiction, because I think we have a wealth of contenders in both categories. Interesting to see mutiple nonfiction and picture books in the Write-ins, as well…
So many books!
I saw that The Ogress and the Orphans was on the National Book Award Longlist the other day. I enjoyed the book very much, particularly the ogress herself. I just wanted to reach through the pages of the book and hug her. I do feel that the book dragged a bit in places. I also felt that the villain was not very well-done. I simply could not understand the townspeople’s love for him. Perhaps his characterization was intentional, but it was hard for me to take him seriously.
I could not put I Must Betray You down. I did not know much about this horrendous time period, and the fear, deprivation and desperation of the people was so palpably portrayed. One scene that sticks in my head involved the protagonist and bananas. I loved that the protagonist used his writing to make such a difference. Another vivid scene involved the children having to clean up the excrement. It’s an unforgettable, heartwrenching yet hopeful book.
Love in the Library was beautiful, too. I loved the interchanges between the prisoners and how words brought them together. I do think the love story might not appeal to the age group, but I enjoyed the story very much.