Heavy Medal 2023 Mock Newbery: FINAL FIVE CONTENDERS
It took more than one vote, but the Heavy Medal Award Committee made it to a final five list. They are all middle grade, which is definitely a common Newbery occurrence (although less in years past). We will discuss the final five titles in our live Zoom session this Friday January 27th at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Without further ado, here they are: in alphabetical order:





There’s still time to sign up for our live Zoom session. You’re welcome to attend, and don’t need to have read any of the books!
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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What is a freelance librarian?
Basically I am not committed to one library, but I am a working librarian that does contract work and substitutes and does programming at many different libraries!
I don’t know that I would call these “all middle grade.” Amazon puts Ain’t Burned All the Bright as ages 12 and up and Mackin puts the interest level at grades 7-12. At all 21 independent libraries in my regional library system, it is shelved in YA, not juvenile/middle grade.
I, personally, would also hesitate to call Door of No Return middle grade, but I don’t have any stats to back that one up. I haven’t purchased it for my elementary school library yet, though. I do have all three of the others on my shelves.
Yep, I might have been broad with my middle grade term, probably should of just said fiction!