The 2024 Newbery Medal Goes to…THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE
The 2024 Youth Media Award announcements took place at 8 a.m. CST Monday morning in Baltimore during LibLearnX. Here’s the list of winners. And here’s the full awards press release from ALA. Many Heavy Medal favorites were mentioned but as usual we missed a few. Emily and Steven watched the live webcast and live blogged their reactions, take a look here:
EMILY: Good Morning Steven and everyone! Steven, are you awake yet? Ready for the most exciting powerpoint of the year? Petitioning for afternoon announcements yet?
STEVEN: Afternoon announcements…what a great idea! I’d get that petition going right now if I weren’t so sleepy.
EMILY: It has begun with the announcements from the ALA Pres EMILY! (Not me)
STEVEN: American Indian Youth Literature Award is first.
EMILY: We struggled predicting this one, but you reminded me it’s every two years.
STEVEN: Honor Book BERRY SONG was from last year; that had some support on HM as I recall.
EMILY: I was the BERRY SONG campaigner! Yayy BERRY SONG!!
STEVEN: 7 Honor books in the Middle Grade category! A good sign, I think, that there are more books being published
EMILY: So, we just need to up our reading in this category. #onit
STEVEN: We both liked TWO TRIBES as a possible winner. THe first of many incorrect predictions this morning, for sure…
EMILY: WE STILL BELONG, that did get some early Heavy Medal support this year.
EMILY: Now Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Here’s the love for PARACHUTE KIDS. Ooo and I did enjoy RUBY LOST AND FOUND!
STEVEN: I missed reading RUBY. Great to see PARACHUTE KIDS with an Honor! I bet we’ll see several gn’s getting named this morning in the various awards.
EMILY: OK, Sydney Taylor Time.. Another category we struggled predicting.. HIDDEN HOPE got HM suggestions, but n,o I did not read TWO NEW YEARS
STEVEN: We miss reading a lot of the books that get named in the picture book and young adult categories when the award is divided up that way. Newbery-eligible often, but we lean toward school age stuff…
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EMILY: Umm I’m 0 for 5 on reading the middle grade this year… #ouch STEVEN STEVEN IT’S IMPOSSIBLE ESCAPE!
STEVEN: Yes! For the Steve Shenkin. Hope to see IMPOSSIBLE ESCAPE named later this morning too… Sibert? Newbery?
Emily: Printz?
STEVEN: Yes, maybe the Printz too. Why not? All my favorites should win all the awards.
STEVEN: Schneider Awards are up now. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU was excellent. And HENRY LIKE ALWAYS wins the Young Children award. That was also very good and got some HM suggestions.
EMILY: SIMON is the winner, I didn’t even think of that for this category.
STEVEN: Me neither. And MAUDIE MCGINN, the winner: same thing, I didn’t think of Schneider when I read it. If I’m remembering right, both books had kids who were on the spectrum, but that wasn’t their defining quality. Nice to see them recognized in this way.
STEVEN: Stonewall: Another award where we have so many more published titles to choose from than we once did. So many, in fact, that I’m not familiar with most of the children’s picks.
EMILY: Yep, I think I just need to up my reading in all categories. Should probably start reading 2024 titles yesterday.
STEVEN: I really did think we’d see SONG OF US named as a Stonewall. But obviously the real committees read so much more in their categories than we do
STEVEN: We get a Lifetime Achievement award in the CSK’s this year.
EMILY: CPC wins the CPK! Well deserved Christopher Paul Curtis!
STEVEN: Awesome! I still remember reading THE WATSONS when it first came out…still love that book!
EMILY: Yeah I was in second grade! You?
STEVEN: I knew I shouldn’t have brought that up. In my 30’s…my kids were even too young for it to be a read-aloud for them.
STEVEN: BIG with a CSK Honor for illustrator! Caldecott to come….? And it also won an author Honor in CSK
STEVEN: KIN is a CSK author honor. Very impressive book.
EMILY: Agreed. But where’s my love for FOR LAMB?
STEVEN: There’s still Printz hope for FOR LAMB.
STEVEN: The Alex awards don’t really crossover with Heavy Medal stuff, since they’re for Adult Books for teens. But I do like to see the list and sometimes read a book or two just for fun…
EMILY: Yeah I’ll put a bunch of holds on those sometimes… but then never actually read them…
STEVEN: Me too. In fact I had THE TALK on my shelf for a while last month, but didn’t get to it. In some weird way, I always want to count “I checked it out” as being “I almost read it”…but really either you read it or you didn’t…I didn’t.
STEVEN: Neal Shusterman wins the Margaret Edwards! I’ll show my age again by remembering the time I booktalked THE SHADOW CLUB to some fifth graders and how several of them crossed the street to the library as soon as school let out that day. That must have been year 3 of my librarian career.
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EMILY: SCYTHE is one of my favorite of all-time YA trilogies. I took off work so I could read the final one right when it came out. Those were the days…
STEVEN: I’d love to see ONCE THERE WAS get the Morris. They announce the finalists first, then the winner.
STEVEN: It’s REZ BALL instead, which won the AIYL earlier this morning.
STEVEN: The YA Nonfiction award works the same: finalists first, then which one won. I really liked ACCOUNTABLE. Oh, and NEARER MY FREEDOM was fascinating too.
EMILY: When are you gonna be on a nonfiction committee?
STEVEN: I’ve been lucky enough to be on a few book award committees…can’t get too greedy.
EMILY: Printz time! One of the biggies! Let’s do this!!
STEVEN: I’m all about GATHER for this one, but not hopeful…Wait! They just announced it as an Honor! Okay, my morning is officially a good one.
EMILY: A collection of stories as the winner: THE COLLECTORS. I need to read that one STAT. And look at the Printz criteria!!
STEVEN: Yes…we discussed the Newbery and story collections in relation to YOU ARE HERE this year on Heavy Medal (And still can’t say for sure if it’s eligible)
EMILY: ALSC awards time! #kidskidskids AND MEXIKID WINS THE PURA BELPRE! YESS
STEVEN: The Belpre for illustration. But I want more for MEXIKID
STEVEN: ALEBRIJES is a Belpre author Honor. Nice. SOMETHING LIKE HOME was also excellent (another Belpre Honor)
STEVEN: Wow! Author and Illustrator Belpre Medals for MEXIKID. That’s never happened before! What if it wins Newbery too?
EMILY: I’d be so happy.
EMILY: JONDA is here to announce the rest of the ALSC awards. And she’s asking a trick question… dun dun dun
EMILY: I want to go to Kyle Lukoff’s lecture [Children’s Literature Lecture Award winner].
EMILY: I love looking at all the names and seeing my friends. Batchelder committee is a “one day” goal for me. These books are not Newbery eligible in the slightest. Well HOUSES sounds like a great coffee table/ conversation book. I don’t even own a coffee table though…
STEVEN: I’m going to be truly surprised if we don’s see MONA LISA VANISHES on the Sibert list.
EMILY: Picture book heavy so far… But none of my top picks..
STEVEN: JUMPER was a great picture book nonfiction.
STEVEN: MONA LISA wins it! All’s right with the world. For now…
EMILY: I really enjoyed listening to CHINESE MENU as an audio. AND MEXIKID as audio! Love when a graphic novel gets an Odyssey. Ooo STATELESS. Leonard will be happy!
STEVEN: I’ve never listened to a graphic novel. It just doesn’t seem right to not see the pictures…But that’s just me.
STEVEN: EL DEAFO wins the Odyssey. A reminder that the book doesn’t have to be from this year, just the recording.
EMILY: AND a graphic novel winner! Woooooo.
EMILY: Digital media always seems like an interesting around. Cheers to Pam Munoz Ryan for winning the Legacy away.
EMILY: If THE SKULL doesn’t win Geisel, I’m going home.
STEVEN: HENRY LIKE ALWAYS is a Geisel Honor. 2nd honor of the day (it also got a Schneider Honor)
STEVEN: I wonder if tTHE SKULL’s vocabulary was just outside the Geisel range?
EMILy: Ughh, fine. OK time for the biggies. I’m not nervous.
STEVEN: I still think the Caldecott will be BIG…????
EMILY: All good Caldecott titles, and you were RIGHT!
STEVEN: Talk about using illustrations to convey powerful themes….BIG was just great.
EMILY: OH EM GEE FIVE HONORS. EAGLE DRUMS? I’m 0 for 1. I did read ELF DOG!
STEVEN: I also did not read EAGLE DRUMS. I read ELF DOG too. And liked but didn’t love it. Worth a re-read probably.
STEVEN: I’m loving these Honors….
EMILY: SIMON AND SAMIR they got lots of buzz! OH my gosh EYES WON IT ALL. I’M IN SHOCK!!!
STEVEN: Did not expect that…but I love it! A truly uniquely written book. Congratulations Johannes!!! (oh, and the author who created him too.)
EMILY: WELL OK I need some time to sit with these Newbery winners. Like did none of the HMAC’s top five make the list? So many excellent books this year, wow!
STEVEN: We did have 4 books that were discussed pretty heavily on HM. But now I’m realizing: THE LOST YEAR….THE SKULL…HERCULES…not a mention. No nonfiction…
EMILY: Kinda sad actually, n love at all!! But that’s the NEWBERY MADNESS!
STEVEN: True. It’s always strange to see books you’ve rooted for all year wind up with no awards. But they’re still great books. We’d love to here from Heavy Medal readers. Please share your reactions to the Newbery news and any of the other awards…
Filed under: Heavy Medal Mock
About Steven Engelfried
Steven Engelfried retired from full-time library work a couple years ago and now works as a part-time Youth Librarian at the West Linn Public Library in Oregon. 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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THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE is the first animal story to win the Medal since 2013’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN (I was on that Committee). More recently, we had SCARY STORIES FOR YOUNG FOXES as an Honor in 2023.
Dave Eggers started as an author for adults, but is pretty well-established as a kids’ author too. HER RIGHT FOOT (2017) was a very interesting look at the statue of liberty. Here’s our Heavy Medal Award Committee discussion of THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE.
I think my biggest disappointment of the day is for THE SKULL. I really think it just didn’t land solidly within the criteria of the awards it might have won (Newbery, Caldecott, Geisel…).
My 2nd graders were absolutely devastated that The Skull got nothing! But it was the winner in our hearts, and we’re equally happy for BIG to have gotten the big prize. 🙂
I’m with you, Steven! My absolute fave of the year!
I’m so excited! The Eyes and the Impossible has been one of my favorites all year! Although, I’m almost halfway through “The Lost Year”. I finally got my copy yesterday! And I’m really shocked it didn’t at least get an honor.
I have to read a few of the honor books but I feel Simon Sort of Says was a lackluster choice and I’m disappointed The Puppets of Spelhorst and The Lost Year were overlooked.
I’m listening to Ethan Hawke’s reading of The Eyes and the Impossible. Wow. Excellent.
The Lost Year was my far-and-away favorite this year. I was so sad it didn’t get recognized. I will definitely look forward to hearing Ethan Hawke read The Eyes and the Impossible, though!!
One’s favorites always get a second chance with the Notables list. At least that’s the way I see it. How are those decided, anyway??
The ALSC Notables list is decided by a committee of 11 people [I originally wrote 15, but Katy corrected me]. One of the cool things about Notables is that many of the discussion sessions are open to the public. Finished for this year, but worth checking out next time.
I believe the Notables Committee chooses the final list, but are required to include the winners and honor books for all ALSC awards, even if they weren’t selected by the committee. Someone with more knowledge may correct me if I got that wrong.
The ALSC Notables committee is made up of 11 people. A draft of the final list posted today- https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb
Thanks for the correction, Katy!
The Skull </3
Very happy to see SIMON get an honor. SAMIR and THE EYES I think are also both excellent choices quality-wise, even though they didn't connect or resonate with me as much. I never quite got the hype around MEXIKID but it also doesn't seem like a bad choice!
Pretty sure I looked at a synopsis of ELF DOG at one point, but never put a hold on it. So curious about EAGLE DRUMS! I've heard nothing.
I'm sick and going to take a nap so it'll take me awhile to absorb some of the other awards (which I always also really enjoy looking up every book from), but Jenn Bailey has spoken at a teen writers' conference I help run, and is a lovely person, so it was extremely cool to see HENRY, LIKE ALWAYS get a Schneider award and a Geisel honor!
My biggest disappointments are SKULL and THE LOST YEAR. But I freaking love BIG…..and so thrilled for MONA LISA.
Mac Barnett called it! His blurb for EYES made me laugh out loud. MB has a very sweet post about the book on Instagram today.
I have been a Dave Eggers fan since A HEARTBREAKING WORK OF STAGGERING GENIUS. Is he maybe the first Newbery winner who crossed over from literary fiction to kidlit?
Don’t forget about Neil Gaiman!
THRILLED about these awards and honor books! Especially happy for SIMON SORT OF SAYS, MEXIKID, THE MONA LISA VANISHES, and BIG. My to-read list grew, and my to-order-for-the-library list grew too, as always. I’m a bit sad that MOLLY’S TUXEDO didn’t get a Stonewall or something, and a little surprised that THE SKULL got shut out. Would have liked to see THE TREE AND THE RIVER get some Caldecott love, and of course THE LOST YEAR….but it’s hard to be upset when so many deserving books got recognition, and the ones that didn’t are still deserving! We can read, buy, and booktalk them as much as we want.
Wow, time to start placing a bunch of holds!
So happy to see EYES win it all!!!! Such a deserving book!! And BIG was another favorite!
I had predicted SIMON would be recognized for the Schneider because of the portrayal of C-PTSD, not necessarily because of the portrayal of autism? But maybe I guessed right for the wrong reason?
I have spent months telling anyone who would listen that either GATHER or THE BLOOD YEARS would win the Printz, and at least I was close on one of them! Nice to see BLOOD YEARS win Sydney Taylor at least!
Good point about C-PGTSD in SIMON. I bet both were considered.
Congrats to the winners! I was not wild about EYES, but I’m glad MEXIKID got an honor. Like Steven mentioned at the end, though, no SKULL and especially no HERCULES – bummer!
I am thrilled that THE EYES AND THE IMPOSSIBLE won! It was top on my list next to THE LOST YEAR and EB & FLOW! I was glad THE MONA LISA VANISHES won the Sibert and that IMPOSSIBLE ESCAPE: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL AND HEROISM IN NAZI EUROPE was a Silver Medalists for a Sydney Taylor Book Award.
Thank you to Steven, Emily and the Heavy Medal committee for all your hard work! Great job!
I was really happy when they announced Eyes of the Impossible as the winner. This was one of my top favorite books from last year. This was the first time I’d read the entire book before it wone. When it comes to 2023 graphic novels I would say I prefer A First Time for Everything over Mexikid though I did also enjoy Mexikid and was glad to see it pick up several awards. I didn’t really care for The Many Assassinations of Samir Seller of Dreams. Thought Simon Sort of Says was alright but not awards worthy for me. I have not read the other two books but I just checked out Elf Dog and Owl Head from the library and look forward to reading it. It’s nice to see books I’ve read and enjoyed win as it validates others see value in the book not just me. It’s also fun to see unfamiliar titles as it can introduce you to some new exciting books. Was also very excited to see Mona Lisa Vanishes get Sibert I felt it was the best choice and would have ben very disappointed if it lost. I wasn’t as pleased with the Caldecott choices there not bad books I’ve read all but two. There were just other books I preferred. I agree with Jenny wish The Tree and River had gotten somthing. Was surprised American Story was left out of Caldecott still haven’t read it cause library in my city hasn’t got it but I’d heard enough hype about it to think it was a top contender.
I extend my sincere congratulations to all the recent winners of the Newbery Award and other esteemed honors bestowed by the American Library Association.
In contemplating these accolades, I find myself pondering the broader landscape of children’s literature. In an era where digital platforms empower creativity, there is a notable rise in young authors who may not always find representation in traditional award categories. This prompts me to question whether it might be timely to reconsider and broaden our recognition to encompass children authors and self-published works. The challenges faced by new authors, along with the potential for undiscovered young talents, invite us to reflect on the evolving nature of literary achievement.
I appreciate the ALA’s steadfast commitment to literary excellence, and I believe that fostering inclusivity for all voices, especially emerging ones, would contribute to the vibrancy of literature. I encourage open dialogue and reflection on how we can adapt to the changing dynamics of the literary landscape.
Still processing the biggest book day of the year. I am excited for all of the winners, and for all of the readers that will have the opportunity to experience their books.