Looking Ahead: Early Thoughts about 2026 Newbery Contenders
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
STEVEN: Now that THE FIRST STATE OF BEING has been named as the 2025 Newbery Medal book…it’s on to the 2026 Medal. Well, maybe not just yet. On Heavy Medal, we’ll start soliciting reader suggestions in early March and won’t start discussing them until September. But we can’t help taking a look ahead to potential Newbery titles. Anything coming up that you’re thinking of, Emily?
EMILY: I’ve been so focused on 2024 books, I can’t believe there’s already 2025 books to read! And of course there are more coming. The cycle never stops! I am pumped to read MAX IN THE LAND OF LIES [february], but only because I’m terribly nervous about our boy Max…
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
STEVEN: And we already have one enthusiastic yes! for MAX #2 (thanks Quade!). Also thinking of our just-finished year, I’m curious about ONCE FOR YES [march] by Allie Millington. I never had OLIVETTI at the top of my list last year, but it was a pretty strong debut, so I wonder what this next book by her will be like.
EMILY: For some reason I thought REBELLION 1776 [april] by Laurie Halse Anderson was coming out in 2024 and was waiting patiently for it. It does seem pretty reminiscent of FEVER 1773 which was a favorite of mine growing up, so I’m curious to see what this one is like.
STEVEN: From what I can tell, Grace Lin’s THE GATE, THE GIRL, AND THE DRAGON [may] looks like a return to that mix of fantasy and mythology that she explored so successfully in WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON (2010 Newbery Honor) and a couple others.
EMILY: I have a few 2025 ARC’s that made their way onto my desk, any thoughts on what I should prioritize? SAFE HARBOR [january], CANDLE ISLAND [april], REBELLION 1776 (ooo speaking of!), A WORLD WORTH SAVING [february], THE FORGOTTEN MAGIC OF ZOEY TURNER [january], and ALL THE NOISE AT ONCE [april]. I guess I can try to knock some of these out…
STEVEN: Of the ones you list, I’m most curious about A WORLD WORTH SAVING by Kyle Lukoff, who already has Newbery Honor and also writes really good picture books. We usually pay attention to new books by previous Newbery authors, so J VS. K [may] is a must-read. It’s co-created by two writers with Newbery Medals on their resumes, Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft.
EMILY: Last year was busy for me, and I just tried to keep up with suggestions. This year I am going to find us some amazing titles out of the woodwork, you just wait! Any reading goals for you Steven?
STEVEN: After 2024, I would like to be able to take a “No Bad Mom Books” pledge, but I guess we’re not allowed to do that. (And, to be fair, there really were some excellent books in the category). So I’ll just see what comes along, and what others recommend. And would love to hear about other 2025 Newbery-eligible titles to be on the lookout for, so if you have suggestions, please share in the comments…
Filed under: Uncategorized

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.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SLJ Blog Network
How to Do Just About Everything in 2025
Good Golden Sun: A Conversation with Brendan Wenzel
MegaGhost Vol. 1 | Review
When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?
The Necessity for Marginalized Stories Today and Always, a guest post by Wahab Algarmi
ADVERTISEMENT
I want to thank Heavy Medal participants for the virtual companionship you provided me regarding our shared love for Hank and Boo. The official committee is composed of 15 individuals. Heavy Medal commenters overwhelmingly found THE TENTH MISTAKE exceptional. I’m looking forward to your recommendations as we read through 2025. No one has time to read all that is published. I am grateful for your suggestions that guide my choices each year. 2024 was a fabulous year for middle grade realistic fiction . . . the favorite genre of this 79 year old reader!
Books from previous Newbery authors:
All the Blues in the Sky (Renee Watson)
Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams (Katherine Paterson)
It’s All or Nothing, Vale (Andrea Beatriz Arango)
At Home in a Faraway Place (Lynne Rae Perkins)
Home (Matt de la Pena)
When Sally O’Malley Discovered the Sea (Karen Cushman)
Candle Island (Lauren Wolk)
At Last She Stood (Erin Entrada Kelly)
El Nino (Pam Munoz Ryan)
I Got You! (Derrick Barnes)
Mirror Town (Daniel Nayeri)
Graciela in the Abyss (Meg Medina)
Pocket Bear (Katherine Applegate)
The Experiment (Rebecca Stead)
The Sweetest of Lemons (Daniel Nayeri)
Lost Evangeline (Kate DiCamillo)
A Knot is Not a Tangle (Daniel Nayeri)
The Teacher of Nomad Land (Daniel Nayeri)
The Winter of the Dollhouse (Laura Amy Schlitz)
We Carry the Sun (Tae Keller)
I know no one asked, but I’ve been spending so much time looking at books coming out this year that I thought I’d share some more interesting-looking titles lol.
Radiant (CSK winner Vaunda Micheaux Nelson)
Will’s Race for Home (Jewell Parker Rhodes)
Old School (Gordon Korman)
No Purchase Necessary (Maria Mariayangam)
Scattergood (H. M. Bouwman)
The Song of Orphan’s Garden (Nicole Hewitt)
Danilo Was Here (Tamika Burgess)
Right Back At You (Printz honoree Carolyn Mackler)
Please Pay Attention (Jamie Sumner)
A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation (Belpre honoree Pablo Cartaya)
Return to Sender (Vera Brosgol)
Beinoni (2-time Sydney Taylor winner Mari Lowe)
The Blossoming Summer (Anna Rose Johnson)
Blood in the Water (Edwards award winner Tiffany D. Jackson)
Seven Skies All at Once (Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Ted Kooser)
The Library of Unruly Treasures (National Book Award winner Jeanne Birdsall)
The Sky Was My Blanket (Memoir from 1969(!) Caldecott medalist Uri Shulevitz)
Busted (Dan Geimenhart)
Three Blue Hearts (Schnieder winner Lynne Kelly)
The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli (Karina Yan Glaser)
I’ve read Old School, Radiant, Will’s Race for Home, and It’s All or Nothing, Vale
I would say Will’s Race for Home is the standout of those.
Old School felt like a rehash of Korman’s own Schooled (though still very good)
Another great list, Owen. Thanks! I’m especially looking forward to the new Vera Brosgol (due in May) and a non-Penderwicks book from Jeanne Birdsall in August (not that I don’t like THE PENDERWICKS, just curious to read something different from her).
but we did ask!!! Thanks for these lists, it’s much appreciated owen!!
Thanks so much for that list, Owen. So many great authors! Okay, I’m officially excited about the 2026 Medal now….
SO MANY GOOD BOOKS!
I read Safe Harbor and greatly enjoyed it. I have Candle Island on my bedside (and I adore everything by Lauren Wolk) .