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October 3, 2022 by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

The Stakes Have Risen: It’s Nomination Season

October 3, 2022 by Emily Mroczek-Bayci   37 comments

In the spirit of attempting to follow the procedures of the real Newbery Committee when we can, Heavy Medal uses the “nomination” process. On the real Committee, each of the 15 members will nominate 7 titles over the next few months: three in October, two in November, and two more in December. Members include “written justifications” with each nominated title, and this is typically the first chance they have to share their thoughts with the rest of the Committee, beyond a “practice discussion” that takes place in the summer. The nominated titles are the ones that will be on the table when the Committee meets at LibLearnX in January.

The Newbery Manual notes that the nominations “ serve as a focus for all suggestions made during the year” “make each committee member aware of which books require their closest scrutiny and which they need to re-read.” and “The written justifications serve as preparation for oral discussion at Midwinter and provide practice in stating clearly and succinctly your ideas about books that seem distinguished.”

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Here’s how nominations work on Heavy Medal:

Nominate three titles in the comments below. Like the real Committee, we’ll require three exactly. Your grand total is seven, so choose wisely.

All we need is the three titles and authors, but if you would like to share a bit about why any of them made your list, or any strategic rationale, that would be great!

The first nomination period runs through the end of Saturday, October 8th. We’ll post the totals on the 10th.The nominations list helps Steven and I decide which books to feature in future posts. It also helpus us create the Heavy Medal Book List, which we announce in early December.

Add your titles to the list below. If you have any questions about our nomination process or about how it works on the real Committee feel free to ask those in the comments.

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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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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amanda Bishop says

    October 3, 2022 at 10:43 am

    Star Child by Ibi Zoboi
    The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
    Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

  2. Leonard Kim says

    October 3, 2022 at 10:59 am

    HEALER AND WITCH
    AND WE RISE
    VIOLET AND JOBIE IN THE WILD – remember To Night Owl from Dogfish? The first section of that book was perfectly pleasant and well-written and you thought you had it figured out. Then the further you went, the more you realized it was blooming into something almost profound. VIOLET AND JOBIE is somewhat similar. It seems to be a perfectly pleasant, well-written cute animal book for young middle grade. Those of you who don’t like cute animal books may at some point assume you have the book pegged and not feel the urge to finish. I say to you, this book also blooms.

  3. Colleen C says

    October 3, 2022 at 12:16 pm

    I would nominate:

    Wave by Diana Farid
    New from Here by Kelly Yang
    Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzales

  4. Laura says

    October 3, 2022 at 1:19 pm

    My three:
    Love in the Library, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall — a gorgeously told story that I think works even without the images.
    Different Kinds of Fruit, by Kyle Lukoff — a very readable yet complex examination of identity, gender, and generational divides and connection in the queer community.
    The Last Mapmaker, by Christina Soontornvat — a lush fantasy world and adventure story that has fantastic messages about colonialism & explanation without being didactic.

    • Laura says

      October 3, 2022 at 1:20 pm

      Oops, that should be *exploration, not explanation.

  5. Jessica May says

    October 3, 2022 at 1:26 pm

    My nominations are:

    I Must Betray You
    The Last Mapmaker
    Love in the Library

  6. Matt B says

    October 3, 2022 at 5:22 pm

    My nominations are:
    Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire
    Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
    Berry Song by Michaela Goade

  7. Ellen Peterson says

    October 3, 2022 at 6:20 pm

    My nominations
    I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
    The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvant
    A Duet for Home by Karina Yen Glaser just finished recently and loved it was a nice look at homlessness with good characters. I’m a musician and play the violen so I enjoyed that aspect of the book. Already discussed why I like the other books in the top two contenders post.

  8. Steven Engelfried says

    October 3, 2022 at 6:22 pm

    Here are my three, plus a bit about what I would try to accomplish when I wrote the written justification which the other committee members would read:

    HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN
    My top non-fiction, and possibly my strongest book of the year so far. In my justification, I would highlight the creative presentation of information and try to show how the use of humor is not just fun, but also helps to build the reader’s knowledge.

    I MUST BETRAY YOU
    I’m not sure that this is my top fiction title, but I think my other contenders would get support from others. I might have some concern that others might see this as outside the Newbery range, so I would try to address that in my justification (violence is necessarily included, but not sensationalized). I would also want to point out the areas where the book would connects strongly with readers in the 12-14 year old range, including plot (complex, but easy to follow), presentation of information (historical background presented smoothly), and characterization (engaging, believable main character).

    MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS
    Poetry can be overlooked, so I’d want this in the first nominations round to make sure everyone has a chance to read and consider its strengths (although this one is on Fuse #8’s predictions, so I would hope everyone paying attention would be alerted to it). I would work hard in my written justification to point out specific examples of distinguished writing in individual poems and also how the collection as a whole fits together.

  9. Katrina says

    October 3, 2022 at 10:54 pm

    Ack, I feel so behind!

    Air by Monica Roe, for excellent and much-needed wheelchair representation.

    The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden for excellent YA wheelchair representation. (2 wheelchair books in one year! There’s actually another MG too!). It’s probably a little too old, but the character is a sophomore, so not upper YA.

    Healer and Witch by Nancy Werlin for being absolutely fantastic. (Thank you for the recommendation, Leonard!)

  10. Sue Pochop says

    October 4, 2022 at 9:07 am

    I Must Betray You
    Love in the Library
    The Ogress and the Orphans

  11. Kate Todd says

    October 4, 2022 at 9:46 am

    1. Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor. Descriptions of the Maine countryside and individualism of the residents give the book a strong sense of place.
    2. Star Child by Ibi Zoboi. Combines poems, prose and journal entries to create a unique biography of one of the first Black women to write science fiction.
    3. Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly. When a newcomer joins a small town class of students who know only each other for years, they discover additional aspects of themselves.

    • Laura says

      October 6, 2022 at 10:34 am

      I totally agree about the Maine descriptions and the delightful residents in Anybody Here Seen Frenchie, and I thought Aurora was a really unique and well-drawn character. I also found parts of it really moving, and the mystery/suspense made it super engaging.

      That said, I did think that the depiction of Frenchie was pretty stereotypical and that there wasn’t enough of his POV. I know (or I think?) that the Newbery doesn’t take into account author’s notes/acknowledgements and other back matter, but I was turned off by the fact that Leslie Connor said that her research involved talking to parents of autistic children, but not talking to or reading accounts of (young or older) autistic people directly, and I felt like this was reflected in the book. Did anyone else feel this way? I’m not sure if I’m being overly sensitive/critical here.

  12. Brandi says

    October 4, 2022 at 12:25 pm

    Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
    The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvant
    New From Here by Kelly Yang

  13. Mary Lou White says

    October 4, 2022 at 1:11 pm

    I still have a lot of reading to do, but here are my 3 for now:

    Ain’t Burned All the Bright
    In the Key of Us
    Northwind

  14. Wanda L. says

    October 4, 2022 at 1:36 pm

    Aviva and the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe
    Jennifer Chan is Not Alone by Tae Keller
    A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

  15. Kelli Miller says

    October 4, 2022 at 3:41 pm

    The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
    The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill
    How to Build a Human by Pamela S. Turner

  16. Michelle Lettus says

    October 4, 2022 at 5:27 pm

    My nominations are
    The Ogress and the Orphans Kelly Barnhill
    How to Build a Human Pamela S. Turner
    Invisible Christina Diaz Gonzalez

  17. Helen says

    October 5, 2022 at 1:04 am

    The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
    Those Kids from Fawn Creek by Erin Entrada Kelly
    Swim Team by Johnie Christmas

  18. Marz says

    October 5, 2022 at 8:49 am

    Mighty Inside by Sundee Frazier
    Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott
    Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

  19. Cherylynn says

    October 5, 2022 at 3:18 pm

    Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee
    Alias Anna by Susan Hood
    Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

  20. Dana says

    October 5, 2022 at 4:49 pm

    Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
    Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor
    Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

  21. Meredith Burton says

    October 5, 2022 at 6:05 pm

    1. Windswept, by Margi Preus. Fast-paced, fun but also thought-provoking, this novel explores the roles of children and how storytelling and other seemingly insignificant talents can make a difference. The suspense will grab kids from the start, and the characters are fully realized. Exploration of themes are well-done also.
    2. The Patron Thief of Bread, by Lindsay Eagar. An immersive, medieval setting, rich characterization and a protagonist who discovers agency make this book stand out. The relationships are real and meaningful in the story.
    3. I Must Betray You, by Ruta Sepetys. Strong characterization and a thought-provoking theme make this book stand out. Also, the plot is fast-paced and attention-grabbing.

    • Leonard Kim says

      October 5, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      Hmm, Meredith, I am reading WINDSWEPT right now and feel like I am reading a different book than you described. It’s not bad, but I hoped for more, and pacing and characterizations are specific areas where I am responding differently from you.

  22. Alys says

    October 6, 2022 at 12:29 pm

    How to Build a Human by Pamela S. Turner for being distinguished in its presentation of information – finding just the right balance of lightness of tone to convey a ton of information without feeling dense or impenetrable.

    Jennifer Chan is Not Alone – The delineation of character was spot-on, the structure of the book was effective, and the themes of the ways in which the past shapes you without defining your were strong and evidenced in multiple places.

    I don’t have a third nomination yet, I’m way behind in my reading and several books others have loved I wasn’t impressed by.

  23. JA says

    October 6, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    1. The Last Mapmaker
    2. Jennifer Chan is Not Alone
    3. A Comb of Wishes

  24. Rox Anne Close says

    October 6, 2022 at 8:31 pm

    AFRICAN TOWN by Irene Lathan & Charles Waters
    AND WE RISE by Erica Martin
    I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruth Sepetys

  25. Lynne Johnson says

    October 7, 2022 at 11:50 am

    In no particular order:
    Aviva vs. the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe
    Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott
    And We Rise by Erica Martin

  26. Melissa Stewart says

    October 8, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    Seen and Unseen by Elizabeth Partridge
    The Woman Who Split the Atom by Marissa Moss
    Secrets of the Lost City by Sandra Markle

  27. Courtney Hague says

    October 8, 2022 at 12:37 pm

    I almost miss this!

    My three nominations:
    CRESS WATERCRESS by Gregory Maguire
    AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT by Jason Reynolds
    LOVE IN THE LIBRARY by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

  28. Brittin Clark says

    October 8, 2022 at 1:40 pm

    The Ogress and the Orphans
    The Last Mapmaker
    Ain’t Burned All the Bright

  29. Beth says

    October 8, 2022 at 4:23 pm

    * My Own Lightning / Wolk – I still stand by this sequel for its gorgeous writing and characterization, despite the fact that it is a sequel (particularly since there have been other wonderful sequels awarded the medal in the past, including The High King, The Grey King, A Year Down Yonder, and Dicey’s Song).

    *To Build a Human in 7 Evolutionary Steps / Turner – I love the idea of a non-fiction title winning the medal, and the author makes the reading experience so effortless and educational because she presents the information in a humorous and accessible manner.

    *Attack of the Black Rectangles / King – This title came out in the past month, and I put it at the top of my to-read list because I have enjoyed King’s quirky YA writings in the past. She presents some compelling issues to consider concerning censorship and mental health while also displaying children finding a voice in the community discourse by standing up for their beliefs. I found it very empowering and inspiring.

  30. Emily Mroczek says

    October 8, 2022 at 4:31 pm

    I must betray you for delineation of characters, and plot development, africantown for excellent presentation of a lesser known event, and how to build a human for presentation of information, interpretation of theme and appropriateness of style

  31. Laurie Wallmark says

    October 8, 2022 at 5:56 pm

    Footprints Across the Planet by Jennifer Swanson
    Absurd Words by Tara Lazar
    Me and White Supremacy (Young Readers’ Edition) by Layla F. Saad

    • Steven Engelfried says

      October 8, 2022 at 6:23 pm

      Thanks for the nominations Laurie…3 nonfictions! It looks like ME AND WHITE SUPREMACY may not be eligible. The Newbery Manual states that “Children’s books derived from previously published adult books can’t be considered eligible.” You can replace it with another if you want…

      ABSURD WORDS brings up another tricky bit of eligibility. As far as I can tell, its copyright date is 2021. But according to amazon.com and Ingram, its actual publication date was 01-02-22. From the Manual: “A book might have a copyright date prior to the year under consideration but, for various reasons, was not published until the year under consideration.” So it should be eligible. (And looks fun…just placed my hold).

  32. Lisa C says

    October 8, 2022 at 7:04 pm

    Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
    How to Build a Human by Pamela Turner
    I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

  33. Steven Engelfried says

    October 9, 2022 at 8:19 pm

    October Nominations are now closed. We’ll post results on Oct 10th and open up November Nominations on October 31st.

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