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Guest Blogger

November 30, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

Three Voices, One Story…and a Newbery Medal?: Character, narrative, and style in THE SUMMER WE FOUND THE BABY

The use of three child narrators shines in Amy Hest's newest novel. Guest Blogger Emily Schneider introduces THE SUMMER WE FOUND THE BABY into our Mock Newbery discussion, noting that "a perfect match of style and character make this deceptively simple novel a success."

November 25, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

The Funniest, Saddest, and Most Unusual Book of the Year? EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE and its prospects for the Newbery Medal

EVERYTHING SAD IS UNTRUE is "a beautiful testament to the power of memory and the stories we choose to tell," writes Guest Blogger Amanda Bishop. Daniel Nayeri tells this (mostly) true story of his life as a refugee with a unique and highly effective style that could earn serious Newbery Medal consideration.

November 20, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

Is Ryan Hart a Ramona Quimby for the 2020’s? WAYS TO MAKE SUNSHINE enters the Mock Newbery discussion

In WAYS TO MAKE SUNSHINE, Renee Watson "has created a world for young readers that feels both fresh and familiar," according to Guest Blogger Abbie Digel. Ms. Watson won a Newbery Honor three years ago with a book about a high school student; will she match that achievement with this novel about 4th grader Ryan Clark?

Popular Posts

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Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: THE LAST MAPMAKER by Christina Soontornvat

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BERRY SONG by Michaela Goade

Mock Newbery Finalist: ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES by Amy Sarig King

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT By Jason Reynolds

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK by Mari Lowe

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: VIOLET AND JOBIE IN THE WILD by Lynn Rae Perkins

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Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN by Pamela S. Turner

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: A ROVER’S STORY by Jasmine Warga

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruta Sepetys

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BLUE: A HISTORY OF THE COLOR AS DEEP AS THE SEA AND AS WIDE AS THE SKY by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

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The Tough Goodbyes: Books Left off the Heavy Medal Book List

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Sensing the Setting: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

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Final Call for Mock Newbery Nominations: Select two final books for December

How to Pick the Last Two:  Ideas and Strategies for the Final Mock Newbery Nomination

Battle of the Books: Compare/ Contrast Two Newbery Contenders

OGRESS vs. MAPMAKER: Battle of the Fantasies

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Picture Book Palooza: 32 page Newbery 2023 Contenders

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Looking Backwards: Mock Newbery Historical Fiction Contenders

Mock Newbery Fantasy Contenders: Mapmaker, Ogress and Windswept

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October Nomination Results: a mapmaker’s apprentice, the Romanian revolution, and human evolution lead the way

Don’t forget the little titles! One Suggestion Contenders

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#Readmore #Readsmarter How are we doing? What are we missing?

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NBA Longlist vs. HM Longlist… Battle of the Awards?!

Early Year Favorites: Ogresses, Betrayal and Love

If You Had to Pick a Pair: Share your top 2 Newbery contenders so far

Mock Newbery Favorites So Far: Take our “Beginning of the Year Check-In” Survey and join the discussion of current front-runners

Meet Steven & Emily: Your Heavy Medal Hosts

It’s the Final Suggestions

And now there are 70 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Suggestions

Adding to the Mock Newbery List: Submit your August suggestions

Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

Time for June Suggestions

Many May Suggestions: First Quarter Mock Newbery Possibilities

Let’s Make Some May Suggestions!

Doubling the titles: April Heavy Medal Suggestions

Looking Ahead to the 2023 Newbery Medal

Mid-Summer Update: 63 titles on our Mock Newbery list

Who Will Win? 2023 Newbery Predictions

Cast Your Vote in the Heavy Medal Reader’s Poll

Heavy Medal 2023 Mock Newbery: FINAL FIVE CONTENDERS

FREEWATER wins the Newbery Medal, live reactions from Heavy Medal bloggers

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Webcast Results

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: THE LAST MAPMAKER by Christina Soontornvat

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BERRY SONG by Michaela Goade

Mock Newbery Finalist: ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES by Amy Sarig King

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT By Jason Reynolds

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK by Mari Lowe

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: VIOLET AND JOBIE IN THE WILD by Lynn Rae Perkins

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: THE DOOR OF NO RETURN by Kwame Alexander

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS by Kelly Barnhill

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: FARMHOUSE by Sophie Blackall

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN by Pamela S. Turner

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: A ROVER’S STORY by Jasmine Warga

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: I MUST BETRAY YOU by Ruta Sepetys

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BLUE: A HISTORY OF THE COLOR AS DEEP AS THE SEA AND AS WIDE AS THE SKY by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BLACK BIRD, BLUE ROAD by Sofiya Pasternack

The Final Month: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance: A Practice Discussion

A Question of Style: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

Meet the 2023 Mock Newbery Heavy Medal Award Committee

The Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book Discussion Schedule

The Tough Goodbyes: Books Left off the Heavy Medal Book List

2023 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book List

Looking at the Lists:  A round-up of the “Best Children’s Books of the Year” lists

Calling all Mock Newbery Enthusiasts: Join the 2023 Heavy Medal Award Committee

What books should be on our 2023 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book List?

Final Nomination List: 68 possible contenders for the 2023 Newbery Medal

Sensing the Setting: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

What About All That Buzz?: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

Final Call for Mock Newbery Nominations: Select two final books for December

How to Pick the Last Two:  Ideas and Strategies for the Final Mock Newbery Nomination

Battle of the Books: Compare/ Contrast Two Newbery Contenders

OGRESS vs. MAPMAKER: Battle of the Fantasies

Friendship isn’t easy but readers are: an Easy Reader for Newbery 2023?

Marshmallows, Wordplay, and a School Garden: Poetry Collections for Newbery Medal Consideration

The Early Six: The half-dozen books that will definitely be part of our Heavy Medal Book List

Early Chapter Books: Short, Sweet, but Enough for Newbery 2023?

The Results Are In! Here’s our updated list of Heavy Medal Mock Newbery nominations

Talking About Theme: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

Graphic Novels + Middle School: A Newbery Medal Combination?

Two More Titles: November Nomination Time

That’s Classified: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

A Look Ahead:  The Heavy Medal Award Committee, the Final Book List, and the Selection of the Mock Newbery Winner

Picture Book Palooza: 32 page Newbery 2023 Contenders

Newbery Criteria Deep Dive:  Presentation of Information

Looking Backwards: Mock Newbery Historical Fiction Contenders

Mock Newbery Fantasy Contenders: Mapmaker, Ogress and Windswept

The Plot Thickens: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

Mock Newbery Nomination Surprises: SWIM TEAM and LOVE IN THE LIBRARY

October Nomination Results: a mapmaker’s apprentice, the Romanian revolution, and human evolution lead the way

Don’t forget the little titles! One Suggestion Contenders

Riots, Revolts, Racism: Historical Fiction and 2023 Mock Newbery Candidates

The Stakes Have Risen: It’s Nomination Season

Newbery Committee Inside Insights: How members organize, store, track, and evaluate hundreds of books in a year

#Readmore #Readsmarter How are we doing? What are we missing?

One Plus / One Minus: Name the strengths and weaknesses of Newbery contenders

Newbery Criteria Deep Dive: Delineation of Characters

New Kids in Town:  Mock Newbery books about leaving one place for another

NBA Longlist vs. HM Longlist… Battle of the Awards?!

Early Year Favorites: Ogresses, Betrayal and Love

If You Had to Pick a Pair: Share your top 2 Newbery contenders so far

Mock Newbery Favorites So Far: Take our “Beginning of the Year Check-In” Survey and join the discussion of current front-runners

Meet Steven & Emily: Your Heavy Medal Hosts

Heavy Medal’s 2023 Mock Newbery: A Look Ahead

85 Books to Consider: Mock Newbery Suggestions Updated

It’s the Final Suggestions

And now there are 70 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Suggestions

Adding to the Mock Newbery List: Submit your August suggestions

Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

Mock Newbery Update – Our List of First Half Suggestions

Time for June Suggestions

Many May Suggestions: First Quarter Mock Newbery Possibilities

Let’s Make Some May Suggestions!

Doubling the titles: April Heavy Medal Suggestions

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More Recent Posts

Hero, Celebrity, and Nazi Supporter: The Newbery Medal Prospects of a Lindbergh Biography

November 13, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

Guest Blogger Olivia Tompkins describes Candace Fleming's latest biography as "a slow descent into the darkness of Lindbergh’s legacy." The skilled writing and the insightful perspectives about a fascinating historical figure could lift THE RISE AND FALL OF CHARLES LINDBERGH into Newbery Medal contention.

A Heroine’s Journey Home: Squirrels, a fox, and a broken family enter the Newbery Medal conversation

November 9, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

"A GAME OF FOX & SQUIRRELS explores the journey of a heroine, one who must learn the true meaning of the word home." Guest Blogger Meredith Leigh Burton introduces Jenn Reese's unique novel into our Mock Newbery discussion of the year's most distinguished children's books.

Show Me a…Newbery Medal? A unique #ownvoices historical novel might have a chance to win

November 6, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

SHOW ME A SIGN "offers offers a beautiful #ownvoice examination of the Deaf community, discussion over the controversy of Native American land disputes, and a touching picture of a young girl finding her place in the world," writes Guest Blogger Alissa. Will this historical novel set in 1805 emerge as a possible choice for the 2021 Newbery Medal?

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A Different Kind of Pioneer Story: Racism and Empathy in PRAIRIE LOTUS

October 30, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

In Linda Sue Park's latest novel, set in the 1880s Dakota Territory, "characters exhibit empathy instead of contempt for the American Indians who were the original pioneers." Guest Blogger Michelle introduces the Newbery-worthy merits of PRAIRIE LOTUS, an "excellently crafted" children's book.

First Time a Charm?: A debut novel that could be a Newbery contender

October 23, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

A MANY FEATHERED THING "is a spot-on depiction of the utter middle-ness of adolescence." Guest Blogger Sara Beth explains why even though Lisa Gerlits' book is a "debut novel from an unknown author," it just might have a chance at a Newbery Award.

A Graphic Novel Repeat? Could SNAPDRAGON become the second consecutive Newbery winner in this popular format?

October 16, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

The title character in Kate Leyh's SNAPDRAGON is "smart, strong, brash, independent, and aware of her outsider status: it gets to her, but she refuses to be someone she's not, and that takes guts." Guest blogger Aud explores the distinguished qualities of this engaging graphic novel, which could be a contender for the 2021 Newbery Medal.

Guest Blogger Post: KENT STATE

October 12, 2020 by Steven Engelfried

In his introduction to KENT STATE, Guest Blogger Leonard writes: "the book is beautiful. It is powerful. It directly and continually involves the reader from the very first line." Join the Mock-Newbery discussion of Deborah Wiles' innovative book.

Read More Posts »

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