What’s Coming in 2023, A Feedback Poll, and Goodbye for Now…

With Monday’s announcement of the 2023 Newbery Medal and Honor books, our Mock Newbery season is at end. Thanks so much to everyone who read, commented, and voted during this fascinating year of children’s book. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start thinking about the next one…

Emily and I would love to get feedback from Heavy Medal readers about how the blog works for you. You can let us know how the blog works for you (or doesn’t work) and give us suggestions for how it might be even better. Please share your thoughts on our Heavy Medal Readers’ Feedback Poll. We’ll keep this open through February 10th and will take all suggestions into account as we plan the coming year.

Though we won’t jump into full Mock-Newbery mode until September, 2023, we will be reading, and we know many of you will too. As in past years, we will ask for monthly “suggestions” beginning in early March. We’ll update those each month and build a working reading list of potential Newbery contenders.

The suggestion process hasn’t started yet, but we would love to get any early buzz from readers about any books that you think could be contenders. Here’s a handful that we’ll be looking out for in the first half of the year:

AN AMERICAN STORY by Kwame Alexander (January): This one’s out already. Powerful historical picture book about how to talk about slavery by a multiple award winner.

FINALLY SEEN by Kelly Yang (February): New fiction by the author of the “Front Desk” series.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING by Dan Santat (February): A graphic novel memoir by the Caldecott Medalist.

ONCE UPON A BOOK by Grace Lin (February): Picture book about imagination and the magic of stories by a Newbery Honor winner.

THE WINDEBY PUZZLE by Lois Lowry (February): A combination of history and storytelling build around a body found in a bog by the two-time Newbery Medalist.

THE MANY ASSASSINATIONS OF SAMIR, THE SELLER OF DREAMS by Daniel Nayeri (March): A historical adventure set on the Silk Road, by the Printz-winning author of EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE (it also won our Heavy Medal Award Committee mock).

BIG TREE by Brian Selznick (April): The newest 500+ page picture book by the author of Caldecott Medal book THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. This one is told from the point of view of two seeds.

SCHOOL TRIP by Jerry Craft (April): The third graphic novel from the author/illustrator of NEW KID, which won the 2020 Newbery Medal.

FOUR EYES by Rex Ogle (May): The author of FREE LUNCH with a new memoir, but this one is in graphic novel form.

THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY by Katherine Applegate (May): The third book in the series that started with the 2013 Newbery winner, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN (that was my year!). Featuring Ivan’s baby elephant friend.

MY HEAD HAS A BELLYACHE by Chris Harris (July): Another collection of humorous verse by the author of I’M NOT SO GOOD AT RHYMING, which was the Mock Newbery choice of our 2018 Heavy Medal Award Committee.

Please let us know of any other books that should be on our radar for the 2024 Newbery Medal in the comments below.

Filed under: Process, Suggestions