Newbery Possibilities on the National Book Award Longlist
Unlike the Newbery and most other ALA awards, the National Book Awards share their longlists of finalists. We’ll get the shortlist on October 3rd (usually 5 titles) and the winner is announced on November 15th this year. But for now, we’ve got the 10 books on the NBA Longlist for Young People’s Literature to consider. [UPDATE, 10-03-23] The five finalists have been announced:
- GATHER
- HUDA F CARES?
- BIG
- THE LOST YEAR
- A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
The NBA’s are different from the Newbery all kinds of ways. More details can be found in the Newbery Terms and Criteria, the Newbery Manual, and in the NBA’s Deadlines and Guidelines, but here are a few key areas of differences (and one shared element):
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| Category | Newbery Medal | National Book Award |
| Judges | 15 committee members, appointed by ALSC President | 5 judges, selected by the National Book Foundation |
| Contenders | Committee members identify and obtain eligible titles | Publishers submit titles for consideration; $135 cost per submission |
| Age Range | Ages 0 – 14 | Age range for Young People’s Literature award not specified in the Guidelines |
| Selection | Committee applies Newbery Terms and Criteria and uses weighted ballots as described in the Newbery Manual | Judges make decisions independently of National Book Foundation and Staff |
| Confidentiality | Deliberations are confidential | Deliberations are confidential |
Not surprisingly, the ten books chosen for the NBA Longlist may not all be a part of our Mock Newbery conversations here on Heavy Medal. Some we’ll save for later and some just might not fit with a Mock Newbery. Eight of those are listed below. But first, let’s take a closer look at two NBA Longlist titles that have the most support so far on Heavy Medal.
SIMON SORT OF SAYS by Erin Bow
This was published in January and has been at the top of our suggestion list all year. It shines in many elements highlighted in the Newbery Terms and Criteria. I’ll take a quick look at three of those:
Development of a Plot: The gradual revelation of the trauma that Simon survived is done just about perfectly. First we might be mildly curious why a town without information access would be something Simon wants. Then he drops a few hints (“You would know the name……” (35)). Eventually we learn that he survived a mass shooting. And finally we get the specific details of exactly what those hours were like for him. We learn all that gradually, while also following the current story of how Simon carries on a couple years later, trying to make friends, keep his secrets, and somehow get past the trauma that won’t disappear.
Appropriateness of Style: In our survey from earlier this month, Emily noted that “using humor to deal with serious/traumatic topics” was noted as a trend by multiple respondents, and SIMON shows how effective that can be. Simon’s narration is distinct, funny, and clever. Not what you might expect given what he’s been through, but we still sense he has a serious story to tell behind the lightheartedness.
Even the chapter titles are not what you expect in a book about a mass shooting: “In Which I Meet a Girl (not in a kissing-book way)” (16), for example, and “Release the Emus” (270). But you still get the feeling that tone is hiding something deeper, as evidenced by the more straightforward, and slightly ominous interludes: “A Note on Lockdowns” (122), or “A Note About News Vans” (233). When the tone does shift to the serious stuff, it’s a natural and powerful transition.
Delineation of Characters: SImon’s first person voice sets the tone, and we get to know him partly by the way he expresses himself. I thought the other characters were pretty strong too. The adults seemed about as imperfect as the kids, which you don’t often see.
It’s been a while since I read SIMON, and all my notes are positive. One thing I would look at on a re-read, though, is that scheme about the alien messages, which was maybe a little far-fetched and distracting? But overall, this does seem like a strong Newbery contender.
THE LOST YEAR by Erin Marsh
[UPDATE: 10-03-23: ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS]
Like last year’s Honor book, MAIZY CHEN’S LOST YEAR, this one starts with a modern character, then jumps into the past as he learns about his family history. Marsh uses that structure very effectively. The three points of view, Mathew during Covid, Helen in 1930’s Brooklyn, and Mila during the 1930’s famine in Ukraine, are all engaging. There are some really tense moments. Some of the chapter endings are especially strong, transitioning into the next point of view perfectly. I loved the one where Matthew discovers a letter that had come to Helen 90 years earlier:
…That’s when I noticed a yellowed copy in the “Letters” pile addressed to Miss Helen Lomachenko. At the bottom of the letter was the sender’s name.
I couldn’t help myself: I held it out to GG.
“They wrote her back!” (214)
It’s an exciting moment in the Ukraine story, when we discover that Helen and Mila are finally going to be in touch. At the same time, it shows Matthew’s total immersion in his family’s past and the excitement of a historian’s discovery .
In other examples, the abruptness of the transition build suspense. Here’s the ending of a particularly tense Mila chapter:
…As the headlights illuminated the way, I could only take in the familiar landmarks – Khreschatyk, the Golden Gate, the children’s home.
That’s what they called it when they pulled up. But I knew the hulking standstone and brick building by another name.
The Collector. (245)
Turn the page and we’re back with Matthew in New Jersey in 2020, dying to know what’s about to happen to Mila, but also jumping back into the more familiar world of early Covid.
I like the way the characters have some similar things to deal with, even though they’re all distinct and live in such different circumstances:
- All three have limited power to change things, but all, in their own way, keep trying to.
- They struggle with getting the truth from institutions: For Matthew it’s Covid. Mila gets lies about the famine. Helen can’t convince the Times to take her seriously.
- They all need to act like adults, and sometimes protect the adults they care about from knowing this. Matthew says “Good was my go to response…” as he tries to keep his mom from worrying. Two chapters later, Helen uses the same technique when her Pop asks her how things are going (89). And in between, Mila starts to wonder if she can truly trust her Papa (81).
But those similarities aren’t hammered home, and none of the individual plot threads seem contrived. And that climactic plot twist, when we learn the true fate of Nadiay (291) is very powerful.
This is first-rate historical fiction, written at a level that’s just right for that upper-elementary/middle school age range.
Here’s a bit about the other Longlist titles and how they might fit (or not fit) into our Mock Newbery conversations:
GATHER by Kenneth Cadow
[UPDATE: 10-03-23: ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS]
A debut novel coming out on October 3rd. Looks like it’s might skirt the top of that 0-14 Newbery range, but I hope to read it when I can.
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FORGET ME NOT by Alyson Derrick
Another book for older readers which looks like maybe even more of a Newbery age-range stretch. I haven’t read it, but reviews put the age range at 14 and up.
HUDA F CARES by Huda Fahmy
[UPDATE: 10-03-23: ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS]
A graphic novel memoir, sequel to HUDA F ARE YOU? This one’s not out until October 10th. Could be a good comparison to SCHOOL TRIP, A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, and some of the other middle school graphic novels from this year.
BIG by Vashti Harrison
[UPDATE: 10-03-23: ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS]
The lone picture book on the list, and it’s an interesting one. I could see it as a Caldecott, but I think it’s worth discussing for Newbery too. I’ll bring it up in our Picture Book Round-Up on October 18th, but that’s a few weeks away, so feel free to talk about this one in the comments below.
HIDDEN SYSTEMS by Dan Knott
I mentioned this in our Nonfiction Round-Up. I thought it was fascinating, but am not convinced it will grab young readers, especially compared to other nonfiction titles from this year.
A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING by Dan Santat
[UPDATE: 10-03-23: ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS]
We’ll save discussion of this for our Graphic Novel Round-Up on September 27th.
PARACHUTE KIDS by Betsy C. Tang
Another graphic novel that we’ll save for that Graphic Novel Round-Up.
MORE THAN A DREAM by Yohuru Williams & Michael G. Long
I still haven’t read this, but hope to soon. Looks like a first-rate history book for young readers.
Please share thoughts about SIMON and/or LOST YEAR below…or any of the other Longlist titles (even the ones we’ll be getting to later):
Filed under: Book Discussion
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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It did seem to me that the NBA Young People’s Literature nominees were very different than in past years. Fewer YA titles, multiple graphic novels, even a picture book.
Don’t know whether that is a reflection of publisher preferences (since they submit titles) or a differences in the types of judges selected.
It was satisfying to see books I had already read on the list this year.
I thought SIMON was excellent and distinguished. But I have questions about the setting. After finishing SIMON I read a few articles about the National Radio Quiet Zone and felt a little betrayed by Erin Bow’s depiction of it. It’s not really an internet-free zone. People can have wired internet access. And a lot of people who live there use wi-fi because the laws against it don’t have teeth. If I were on the committee, the question I’d ask is whether it matters that there probably is no real place in the US where you can escape being google-able.
Interesting point, Dest. I don’t have a copy of SIMON on hand. I wonder if that was mentioned at all in an author’s note? That’s one way authors sometimes work with that kind of stretching the facts.
I still remember being incredulous when Rita Williams-Garcia moved a Jackson 5 concert to 1968 instead of 1969 so that event would fit into the timeline of PS, BE ELEVEN. But then I got to the author’s note, where she acknowledged it and explained why she did it. And that made it okay for me mostly…”mostly” because obviously it’s still stuck in my head ten years later and even at this moment I can’t stop from going back over the reasons why that switch really would have made a difference to the time and place of the novel and….okay. I’m going to stop now. It’s fine. PS, BE ELEVEN is still a great book.
It was mentioned in the author’s note! The author acknowledged that nowhere in the US is actually like this but she needed it to work that way for the story.
Thanks for checking that, Sarah! I think that does make a difference in our evaluation of the setting.
Mr. Engelfried,
Thank you for your chart that compares the award. Thats really interesting!
I was stoked to see The Lost Year and A First Time for Everything on the National Book Awards longlist earlier this month. They are both at the top of my list for the year for very different reasons.
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
Publisher: Roaring Book Press, an imprint of Macmillan (January 2023)
Top 3 book of 2023 as of 9/25/23
This book I really liked for many reasons. My favorite book of 2022 was I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys and historical fiction is one of my favorite genres.
(This is taken from my youth review posted June 24,2023)
History Review: The current war in Ukraine that began Feb 2022 has its history. In the early 1930s, an artificial famine carried out by the Soviet Union claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. The crisis called the Holodomor, which means “death by hunger,” was carried out by aggressive policies of the Soviet Union, targeting Ukrainian peasants who opposed government regulations.
Summary: The Lost Year is a middle-grade historical fiction that takes the reader back to Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s. The story occurs in two periods: the early 2020 Covid-19 pandemic in the United States and the 1930s Holodomor in Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Inspired by the author’s family history, the story connects a shared experience of stress, isolation, and survival through the perspectives of a 13-year-old American boy, Matthew, and his Ukrainian Great- Grandmother.
Youth Review: The timing of this book is perfect. Today I read the front page global developing news story of the War in Ukraine. It isn’t very easy for kids and teens to understand.
The Lost Year is a timely and interesting novel that gives kids some backstory into the current global conflict. The global Covid-19 pandemic has marked our generation. Katherine Marsh wrote in a way that made past events relatable, drawing on our experience as kids during the health crisis and connecting the emotions of isolation and fear many people experienced.
The book was like a three-sided coin. The story was going one way, but unexpected twists surprised me.
While the opening was slow, with the inciting incident being the discovery of a family photo, planting a seed of mystery. The backstory becomes a critical part of the plot, inspiring me to research the Holodomor. Historical context helped me enjoy the story and better understand the current War in Ukraine. Recognizing history and connecting it to current events was a revelation.
This is an excellent story for middle-grade readers curious about how history and current events are tied together.
I hope it is considered for all National book awards.
Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
Publisher: Disney- Hyperion/Buena Vista Books (2023)
Top 10 book of 2023 as of 9/25/23
I understand why this book is popular with teachers and librarians. It is a 2023 Jr. Library Guild Selection and on the longlist for a reason. But will kids run to read it and love it? I have heard many times that the numbers of kids my age reading for fun looks like a negative slope. This felt like a book for MG curriculum, where I would do annotations, but it would not be something I passed to friends for fun. It was good, but it just did not rise to the top for me like a few others.
(This is taken from my youth review posted July 9,2023)
Youth Review: A school shooting is the haunting backstory for 7th grader Simon. He struggles through the trauma of the shooting and the viral media attention of being the only student survivor of his town tragedy. Simon’s family decides to move to a new town with limited technology to begin a new life.
Simon Also Says is a thought-provoking story. I recommend this for Middle Grade, (age 12+,) readers who are managing PTSD or are affected by communities that have suffered trauma of violence. It is a book that also addresses the daily distractions that can be caused by unhealthy use of technology.
The plot and setting are timely. the author has created dialogue between characters that is funny. This humor breaks the tension of serious topics that are relevant for middle school readers- Gun violence, cyber-bullying and school safety. This are awful things that we talk about in school now.
The setting of a phone-free, technology limited town, was set up by creating a scientific research project that required clear airspace. I liked the idea, and wanted to know more- but it really did not play into the plot much. So it felt a little fake or forced to me.
It explores themes of resilience, kindness, and the ability to find hope in sad moments. The character has to deal with shame, and being scared but discovers that by opening up to new experiences and making new friends, he can build a happy life. I think this is a book that will be popular with teachers and librarians. It was didactic (the word my librarian used,) and sometimes the lesson being taught overshadowed the kind of interesting story plot and ending that I enjoy.
While I did like the book and give it high ratings, the characterization of Simon’s friend Agate was frustrating. The decision to make her Autistic was great, but I think that it would have been more consistent with the theme of the book to push the limits of what that looks like. The “spectrum,” should imply a broad range of capabilities and physical appearance. Instead, I felt the authors characterization was stereotypical. That combined with the muted plot and rushed ending took this book off my forerunner list.
I predict that this is a consideration for the 2023-24 ALA Newberry Committee based on current events and unique voice.
I agree with Quade (and I guess thus disagree with Julie and Steven) about Agate’s characterization. My own notes describe her as a stereotypical Manic Pixie Dream Girl (though not pixie as-described) both in characterization and as a plot device.
Also, I don’t disagree with others about the writing style itself, which I admired for its wit. But I perhaps stuffed shirtedly question whether the style is “appropriate” given the subject matter. I am not saying a book with a weighty subject can’t effectively include humor and wit. And I think we all did read the same book, so this is more my personal reaction than anything. To me, it was too glib and combined with the manic-pixie-dream-girl being the primary means Simon overcomes unimaginable horror, it didn’t feel stylistically appropriate to me.
Actually, I think almost any arbitrary backstory could have given to Simon without changing much about the book – the setting, the desire for anonymity, the characters and their arcs and relationships, the caper, etc. So why did it have to be something so awful as being the sole school shooting survivor? And does that choice make the book better? Is it what makes it distinguished?
Now that I think of it, a comparison with THE LOST LIBRARY comes to mind. That book also ends up being about trauma (Al’s), which did actually surprise me (SIMON didn’t). And the humor and the charm turns out to be part and parcel with the coping. Hmmm.
I am so grateful for this conversation. I just finished Simon Sort of Says. I had started it once, but couldn’t really get into it. This time around I finished it, but only because I kept hearing such good things. The characters and plot are well-written for the most part but the author threw too much quirky stuff to offset the serious events. I could handle the squirrel and alpaca, but the whole message to aliens just really didn’t fit and kept being brought up randomly. The ending felt so rushed and it seems that Simon was suddenly okay with handling everything.
Something about this book just doesn’t sit well with me and I do think it’s because the school shooting did not have to be part of the story. If that was changed, I do not think people would be talking so much about it.
I agree with Quade and Leonard about Agate, though I think she bothered me a little less. But Simon’s lighthearted narration rang true to me. It’s two years after the event, and he’s telling the story, while also kind of trying to avoid telling it. Using humor, much of it self-deprecating, to dance around the serious topic seems like a reasonable approach.
I looked at SIMON and THE LOST YEARS here because they were both NBA books, but really the more interesting pair will be SIMON and HERCULES BEAL. That book also combines “quirky stuff to offset the serious events,” as Michelle points out with SIMON. And you could argue that not every traumatic event HERCULES needed to be included (how many car crashes were there again?). And a premise (match real life to Hercules) that’s appealing, but seems about as far fetched as the aliens and alpacas.
But also a highly engaging book with a memorable protagonist and strongly delivered themes.
For me, they both fit the category that I often struggle with in Newbery discussions: there are other books that might be closer to flawless, but that I don’t personally enjoy as much (and feel kids won’t either). That was THE LAST APPRENTICE / THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS for me last year.
All these points make sense, everyone! I am struck by Quade wondering if kids would actually like this book, Michelle mentioning if people would think about it if it wasn’t school shooting and Steven saying flawless but lack of appeal… and appeal is a consideration… but not criteria….. hmmmm…
That’s interesting. Comparing SIMON and LABORS had not occurred to me. The book that I thought to compare to LABORS, because they “felt similar” to me, was actually BUFFALO FLATS. I think it has to do with the episodic structure (some episodes more successful than others) that nonetheless all contribute to a character arc and theme involving family and community–both finding one’s place in and giving to, and being supported by. Maybe I would have liked SIMON more if it had done more of that (and I think the book’s cast and setting could’ve supported this) rather than feeling to me that it’s all about Simon? One could pose this as a direct Newbery Criterion question to SIMON supporters — what is its theme and how is it interpreted? To me, this may well be where one could articulate how the other two books are stronger.
I was just speaking to a coworker last night and I mentioned how reading Simon felt like reading one of Gary D. Schmidt’s books. Looking at the characters in both, I think we get to see more from Hercules on how he copes so we can really see his character growing from the beginning where he is holding his grief in and by the end is having actual conversations with his brother. We do not get that in Simon. Simon stays the same until he is forced to tell Agate what happened and it really seems like a switch is flicked and he suddenly wants to face the media and that is supposed to be a sign that he is ‘better.’ In Hercules, we see other characters grow as well like Achilles realizing it’s ok to ask for help. In Simon, the supporting characters are not as well-developed.
I have to add that I love these posts and comments because Hercules was not one of my favorites, but now I can see where it really is hitting some of the criteria.
It’s interesting to read that people might be talking more about SIMON because it’s about a school shooting, when that was the main reason I *didn’t* want to read it. Really pointed stories addressing current major talking points is not something I usually enjoy, because it’s hard to for the book to not get preachy about it (I thought THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS last year tipped way too much into this). But SIMON won me over because of the voice and the characters (I loved his parents especially–though I do agree Agate was a little bit /too/ perfect of a friend) and the really good depiction of dealing with trauma on a daily basis, regardless of where the trauma comes from.
I also have experienced regularly that humor is a major way humanity copes with horrible things (I’ve had to unpack childhood trauma in recent years, and so have several friends, and making light of things is a way of exerting some measure of control over something you had no agency in). I think Simon’s choices in how to relay the story are incredibly human, while the narrative framing of how various events effect him throughout the story still get across the gravity of what he went through.
I do think HERCULES was also good for a lot of the same reasons, I just personally didn’t enjoy it as much. But I think it definitely deserves to be up there in the same consideration and is a good counterpoint.
Per Steven’s statement about Simon Sort of Says: ” I thought the other characters [besides Simon] were pretty strong too. The adults seemed about as imperfect as the kids, which you don’t often see,” I totally agree. We don’t often see such strong secondary character development across the board in middle grade novels.
As far as the plot of Simon goes, the dust jacket does state “Simon is the only survivor of a school shooting.” While I realize that kids don’t always (or, perhaps, often) read dust jackets, I couldn’t help wondering how the reading experience might have been different if I hadn’t known from the get-go what had happened to Simon.
I agree, Julie, that dust jacket bit is unfortunate. I usually skip those, so I was surprised, and I really think that’s the best way to read it. In a Newbery discussion, I don’t think that would be a factor, right? That wasn’t an author’s decision, we can assume. Still, I’d like to compare that to see how the dust jackets of THE PROBABILITY OF EVERYTHING or WHEN SEA BECOMES SKY manage their plot twists, but I don’t have those books on hand. THE LOST YEARS refers to “a life-shattering family secret,” and that works. But we do learn about Simon’s secret a little earlier than those other books…
No, I don’t think it would be an issue for the actual committee. A bookseller I know posited that given the nature of the twist with Simon, the publisher may not have wanted it to be a total surprise. I have The Probability of Everything in front of me, and I don’t think it gives the plot twist away. And I’ve just looked at a physical copy of When Sea Becomes the Sky — and it really doesn’t do it!
You’re right Julie, I think somewhere in the manual it says not to consider outside stuff and a dust jacket Is “outside” the book haha. I do think that is a helpful “trigger warning” because some readers just might not be ready for that
I am in the middle of THE PROBABILITY OF EVERYTHING audiobook! Now I need to figure out this plot twist!! Is the world not ending??? This is like a non spoiler spoiler!
We would have had some good discussions about “Development of a Plot” with PROBABILITY…if only it were Newbery-eligible.
Thanks for that chart Steven. I guess I’m too much in my Newbery bubble but I’m in SHOCK you have to pay more than a 100 dollars to be considered! I don’t approve! (Because my opinion matters)
Just finished MORE THAN A DREAM, another impressive NBA Longlist title. It’s a fascinating look at the March on Washington in 1963. Which included Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but this book shows that there was so much more to it. And the authors cover it all. From the strategies of organizers like Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph and conflicts involving Malcolm X, Bobby Kennedy, and others, to the volunteers making signs and buttons and strangers on a bus conversing as they head to the event. The viewpoint comes from those times, so you don’t feel like you’re looking back at history, but experiencing it alongside the people who were making it. They make stuff like meetings and transportation logistics interesting by making it clear how important and tenuous they were leading up to the march. Some history books focus on what happens, but this one does a great job of exploring how and why this event took place the way it did. Another strong nonfiction contender in a year that has several of them.
The five finalists for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature were just announced:
– GATHER
– HUDA F CARES?
– BIG
– THE LOST YEAR
– A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
An interesting group, which includes two graphic novels and a picture book. And I think all five could be considered for the Newbery Medal, though I haven’t read GATHER or HUDA F CARES yet.
The winner will be announced on November 15th.
I read an arc of Gather, and I do think it would be appropriate for the very top of the Newbery age range of 13 and 14 year olds. I think it’s appropriate for that age, but I wouldn’t hand it to anyone younger due to the depiction of opioid addiction, which, while not overly graphic, does not shy away from the harsh realities of the disease. There is also a good amount of swearing, as the main character is a 16 year old boy and definitely speaks like one haha. That said, it’s an incredible story and it is very well written. I think it has a better shot at winning the Printz than the Newbery, but it’s absolutely a contender for both.
Thanks for the recommendation, Emily! We’ll add GATHER to the list of possible titles when we do our “Almost YA Round-Up” on November 1st.
I’ve read Gather, too, and I’m in complete agreement. Great book, incredible protagonist voice, and so glad to have a book that features a dog (or any animal for that matter) directed at a teen audience. My thoughts are that this is not really a Newbery contender at all. Both the writing style and to a lesser degree the content feels 15+ or high school to me, rather than trying to shoehorn it into Newbery contention.
I’m only halfway through GATHER and liking it a lot, but agree with Jamalia. The style alone, which is distinctive, and a true strength of the book, is aimed at older, more sophisticated readers. We might still take a closer look at it when we do our “Almost YA” Round-Up on November 1st…