Mock Newbery 2024: Last Minute Pleas
Next week marks our final nomination period for Heavy Medal, where readers can nominate two final books for a total of seven. Steven and I then look at that list to see what goes on our final booklist of approximately fifteen. Readers have until Saturday Dec. 7th to frantically read books and nominate, so now is the time to make those last minute pleas.
What books are on other Mock Newbery lists but haven’t been talked about a lot here? (I’M SORRY YOU GOT MAD, A TREE IS A COMMUNITY, THE SELKIE’S DAUGHTER, WEIRDO, THE LUMBERING GIANTS OF WINDY PINES, ON A WING AND A TEAR, WE ARE BIG TIME)
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What books haven’t received a lot of love on Heavy Medal but you think are “the one?” (I’M FROM HERE, TOO, FORCE OF NATURE).
What late publication books do people really need to prioritize? (THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE, A STRANGE THING HAPPENED IN CHERRY HALL, HOTEL BALZAAR).
I’m making a list of what I need to prioritize finishing before I place my final nominations… And I should also think about re-reading some I’m borderline on. Help me determine what to put on there!
Filed under: Book Discussion, 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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It’s a battle for the last two here. I have balanced nominations of the books that are my favorites with top picks of the year that will hopefully rise in the final standings for discussion. ( For example, THE TENTH MISTAKE OF HANK HOOPERMAN is one of my top selections of the year, but I nominated OLIVETTI because the debut MG novel is quirky and worth consideration.)
If you are frantically reading (or re-reading) try one of these
MID AIR
NOT NOTHING
TREE.TABLE.BOOK.
KAREEM BETWEEN
THE SECRET LIBRARY
I’m glad someone else said the secret library! That one is very much up there for me. That and not nothing are up there for me.
Quade has a list of mighty fine suggestions here.. OLIVETTI somehow has stayed in my heart ever since reading it months ago. I have been running in to several articles talking about a surge of interest in typewriters, of all things. I’m curious if our OLIVETTI”s creator knew about this when writing this story.
Still hoping for HANK and BOO to somehow come out on top, but the 2024 field has a huge group I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this year, So thankful for the middle grade realistic fiction. 23 read since September 6th placed in boxes and mailed this morning from Tucson to a small rural library in Bucksport, Maine. AND still a few 2024 recently published TBR!
Good luck Heavy Medal and real committee members. I’m glad I’m not wearing your shoes!
I might be the only one, but I’m intrigued by CHRONICLES OF A LIZARD NOBODY by Patrick Ness. On the surface it seems like just a fun, irreverent humor book. Monitor lizards assigned to be hall monitors; a pelican bully with a supervillain mother; a wombat principal with an armored butt; and a protagonist with a country (France) on his knee (I know, that one’s really out there…but it works in the story). At the same time, though, it explores themes like bullying and racism and self-esteem and friendship. Very common things in middle grade fiction, but the use of them in a book like this is surprisingly effective. Maybe it’s because we’re used to seeing them come up in more straightforward realistic fiction. I’m wondering if I should nominate if only to get others to read and consider in Newbery terms and learn what they think…
I love when people bring up books that I know about but weren’t on my Newbery radar. I started THE SECRET LIBRARY because of the comments above, and I love it! I just checked out CHRONICLES OF A LIZARD NOBODY, Steven, and it’s nice that it’s short. Has anyone read WHEN WISHES WERE HORSES by Cynthia Voigt, past medalist?
And then two others I’m looking at, if eligible, are BASIL & DAHLIA by Joy McCullough (Lemony Snicket feel), but it has an Irish illustrator. Also, STEALING LITTLE MOON by Dan Sasuweh Jones (nonfiction about putting American Indians in boarding schools).
I also am really trying to get into THE COLOR OF SOUND. The kindle copy was $1.99, so I bought it, but so far it’s just not my thing, which of course doesn’t mean it’s not Newbery-worthy.
I’m glad you brought up WHEN WISHES WERE HORSE, Kelly. Another of those books that doesn’t have the big Newbery “feel,” because it’s kind of a light-hearted fantasy, less weighty themes than much of this year’s realistic fiction and not as intense as some of the historical fiction. The four stories are loosely connected, and each kid with a wish kind of learns a lesson from the process, but it’s not exactly the lesson you expect, and each story develops in its own distinct way. I like the way we don’t really know if real magic was involved in the first three stories…maybe, maybe not. And the you get to the fourth one and yes: that’s a unicorn all right. The writing is playful and perceptive without getting in the way of the excellent storytelling. I don’t think I’m ready to nominate it, but it wouldn’t look out of place on the list to me.
(Longtime lurker, hello!) Utterly adored CHRONICLES OF A LIZARD NOBODY & so happy to see it mentioned!! I agree that the more serious elements are integrated really seamlessly without sacrificing the book’s buoyancy. There’s quite a bit of tonal tightrope-walking in there, and I don’t think every writer could have pulled it off nearly as well as Ness does here. Added bonus: it’s also a total hoot!
For anyone looking to lift a picture book into the discussion:
THE HOUSE FALLING INTO THE SEA (Hannah Cha) is my favorite of 2024.
This book stands alone in its language choices that chronicles the experience of a family that shares their home with people that are escaping the North Korea’s People’s Army invasion that took place 1950-1953.
This is the first children’s book I have read about about the Korean War. The main character experiences the confusion and fear of participating in a adult conflict that disrupts her community, but the author imbues the text with hope. While the illustrations aren’t part of Newbery rubrics, they are really well-paired with the text that stands alone, checking the award rubrics in :
Interpretation of the theme or concept (Korean War/ Refugee)
Presentation of information (accuracy)
Development of a plot (rising conflict and emotional resolution)
Delineation of characters (Kyung is distinct but also universal )
Delineation of a setting (South Korea home near the sea)
Appropriateness of style (Children’ s Grade 1-3)
I like INVISIBLE ISABEL by Sally J. Pla. It joins MAGNOLIA WU and STELLA AND MARIGOLD in the illustrated early chapter book category. It’s a satisfying exploration of undiagnosed autism, exclusive friend groups, and growing up in a big, noisy family. It’s also in verse, which is unique in the early chapter book field. The author won the Schneider Award last year for THE FIRE, THE WATER, AND MAUDIE MCGINN, which was mentioned on Heavy Medal…but I haven’t seen any buzz around ISABEL. It’s a quick read if anyone wants to check it out!
I finally read Jupiter Rising and ouch, it hurts beautifully. This absent mom story is one, if not THE best, this year.
Already nominated, but I agree with the Olivetti fans. Blurbed by Tom Hanks, typewriter enthusiast, this absent mom story is a joy to read. My 4-6 grade students like it so much, I pursued getting typewriters for the library. Donated by a local typewriter restoration shop, two 1960s Royals sit nearby, and the waiting list is looooong.
My sleeper pick is The World Divided by Piper (C Carter)
Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell shouldn’t be overlooked.