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

    Steven Engelfried, January 14, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Mari Lowe explores themes of family, friendship, and grief in her debut novel, AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK. Could she be one of the rare first-time authors to win a Newbery Medal?

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 13, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Previous Newbery winner Lynne Rae Perkins is back with an animal adventure story about VIOLET AND JOBIE IN THE WILD.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 12, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Kwame Alexander won the 2015 Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in 2020. Today we discuss the Newbery potential of his powerful new book, THE DOOR OF NO RETURN,

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 11, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    A poetical duo looks at figures of speech in Marshmallow Clouds in this years poetry potential Newbery winner.

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 10, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Kelly Barnhill's THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS is a "delightful and thought-provoking read," says Heavy Medal Award Committee member Kerrie Lattari in her introduction. Barnhill won the 2017 Newbery Medal; will her latest book match that accomplishment?

    Read Post »

    Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: FARMHOUSE by Sophie Blackall

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 9, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Caldecott powerhouse Sophie Blackall made another show stopper, one that might even be Newbery worthy? Let us know your take on this intergenerational read about an abandoned farmhouse.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 7, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Will the 2023 Newbery winner be a science book? Pamela S. Turner's HOW TO BUILD A HUMAN is "an outstanding work of narrative nonfiction," according to Heavy Medal Award Committee member Amanda Bishop. How will it measure up to the rest of our Mock Newbery titles?

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 6, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    In this years science/ realistic fiction read, Peter Blenski introduced A ROVER'S STORY by Jasmine Warga as a "not only a crowd favorite but a mock favorite."

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    Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 5, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Today our Mock Newbery discussion shifts to the graphic novel getting the most love this year: SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas.

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 4, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Ruta Sepetys' I MUST BETRAY YOU has been on our Mock Newbery radar since it came out last February. Heavy Medal Award Committee member Courtney Hague highlights the author's "masterful use of both setting and theme and her thorough descriptions and details" in her introduction. Will this historical fiction novel be a strong contender for the Newbery Medal?

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 30, 2023 | Uncategorized

    The 2023 Youth Media Award announcements took place at 8 a.m. CST Monday morning in New Orleans during LibLearnX. Emily and Steven watched the live webcast and live blogged their reactions, take a look here:

    Read Post »

    Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

    Steven Engelfried, January 28, 2023 | Heavy Medal Mock

    Nearly 150 participants weighed in on our annual Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers' Poll. In a very close race, Kelly Barnhill's THE OGRESS AND THE ORPHAN is our winner. See the full list of results here.

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    Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Webcast Results

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 27, 2023 | Uncategorized

    About 300 people attended the webcast where the 16 Heavy Medal Award Committee members discussed the final five titles and voted on a Mock Newbery winner.

    Read Post »

    Who Will Win? 2023 Newbery Predictions

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 25, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    s we narrow down our Heavy Medal Mock list and prepare for our Zoom conversation, the 2023 Newbery committee is also rereading titles before their big discussions. Steven and Emily touched base to determine their predictions and would love to hear yours.

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    Cast Your Vote in the Heavy Medal Reader’s Poll

    Steven Engelfried, January 23, 2023 | Heavy Medal Mock, Process

    The Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Reader's Poll is now open! Choose your top 3 titles from the 16 books on our Heavy Medal Book List. Submit your picks by January 27th at noon EST; results will be annouced on January 28th.

    Read Post »

    Heavy Medal 2023 Mock Newbery: FINAL FIVE CONTENDERS

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 21, 2023 | Heavy Medal Mock

    It took more than one vote, but the Heavy Medal Award Committee made it to a final five list. They are all middle grade, which is definitely a common Newbery occurrence (although less in years past). We will discuss the final five titles in our live Zoom session this Friday January 27th at 1:00 p.m. […]

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 19, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    In 2021 Chirstina Soontornvat won Newbery Honor for two different books. Her latest novel, THE LAST MAPMAKER, could be a contender for the 2023 award. Join our discussion of the last of the 16 titles on our Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book List.

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    Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: BERRY SONG by Michaela Goade

    Steven Engelfried, January 18, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    BERRY SONG, the newest picture book from Michaela Goade, is "a symphony of words," according to Heavy Medal Award Committee member Gabrielle Stoller. Does the winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal have a chance to win the 2023 Newbery?

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

    Steven Engelfried, January 17, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Young adult author A. S. King won the 2020 Printz Medal. Could ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES make her a Newbery Medalist as well? Join the discussion on our Heavy Medal Mock Newbery blog.

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 16, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Not only is there a one-sentence Newbery potential for 2023, but a three-sentence one two. A double Jason heavily illustrated tag-team effort, AIN'T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT, is definitely a unique Newbery contender.

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    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

    Steven Engelfried, January 3, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Nana Ekua Brew Hammond's BLUE is a "valuable history of a beautiful color with a 'complicated history'" according to Heavy Medal Award Committee member Jenny Arch. How will this unique informational picture book fare in our Mock Newbery discussion?

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, January 2, 2023 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    A September publication that made the Early Six, Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack features Jewish lore, angels, demons and sibling love. Heavy Medal committee member Aryssa Damron kicks off our official discussions.

    Read Post »

    The Final Month: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

    Steven Engelfried, December 30, 2022 | Newbery Experience

    With the Newbery Medal announcement just a month away, bloggers Emily and Steven share some of their memories of what the last month of a Newbery year is like for the 15 committee members.

    Read Post »

    Maizy Chen’s Last Chance: A Practice Discussion

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 26, 2022 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    The official Heavy Medal book discussions start next week. Today we feature a practice discussion about Maizy Chen's Last Chance, a 2023 Newbery contender that received five Heavy Medal nominations but did not make our final list.

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    A Question of Style: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

    Steven Engelfried, December 23, 2022 | Book Discussion, Process

    Of all of the literary elements named in the Newbery Criteria, "style" may be the most difficult to evaluate. Emily and Steven share thoughts on how important an author's style can be when trying to determine the winner of the Newbery Medal.

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    Meet the 2023 Mock Newbery Heavy Medal Award Committee

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 21, 2022 | Heavy Medal Mock, Process

    We are happy to introduce this year’s Heavy Medal Award Committee (HMAC). Our 17 members will introduce and discuss the 16 titles on our Heavy Medal Book List (HMBL) here on Heavy Medal, beginning January 2nd (with a practice discussion on Monday December 26th).

    Read Post »

    The Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book Discussion Schedule

    Steven Engelfried, December 19, 2022 | Heavy Medal Mock, Process

    Our official Heavy Medal Mock Newbery discussions begin in January, with an intense 2+ weeks of in-depth book evaluation and debate. The Heavy Medal Award Committee members will lead the process, but all readers are welcome to join in. Here's our full schedule of book titles and discussion dates.

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 16, 2022 | Book Discussion

    85 titles were suggested on Heavy Medal this year, then 68 titles were nominated. We narrowed it down to 6 for an “Early 6 Booklist” and then 16 for our final Heavy Booklist. Getting it down to 16 was not easy and we wanted to share some of the titles that sadly “didn’t make the […]

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    2023 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Book List

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 14, 2022 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    It was a long phone call, there was a lot of debate and changes and negogiations, Steven may have cried (just kidding he didn’t cry), but we made a 2023 Heavy Medal Book List! A few points: AIN’T BURNED ALL THE BRIGHT- Jason Reynolds ATTACK OF THE BLACK RECTANGLES- A.S. King AVIVIA VS. THE DYBBUK– […]

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, December 12, 2022 | Nominations

    It's the season for Best Books of the Year lists! How does our Heavy Medal nominations list compare to the children's books selected by journals, libraries, newspapers, and bloggers as their top titles of the year?

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 9, 2022 | Uncategorized

    Do you love children’s literature? Is Heavy Medal bookmarked on your computer Do you dream of being on the Newbery Committee one day? If you answered yes to any of those questions, consider joining the 2023 Heavy Medal Award Committee! After nearly a year of reading, months of discussion, and 68 strong nominations, it’s time to […]

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 7, 2022 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    With 68 titles on our Heavy Medal nominations list, we need to narrow it down to 12-15 for our final book list. Please fill out our poll by Monday December 12 at 5:00 pm to help us determine which titles we should discuss.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, December 5, 2022 | Nominations

    Check out the final list of nominations from Heavy Medal readers. Nearly 70 books were identified as possible contenders for the 2023 Newbery Medal. Will one of these wind up the winner?

    Read Post »

    Sensing the Setting: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, December 2, 2022 | Book Discussion

    In the fifth of a six part series where we look at Newbery 2023 potentials and the Newbery criteria, today we focus on delineation of setting. This includes time period, location, any world building and beyond.

    Read Post »

    What About All That Buzz?: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

    Steven Engelfried, November 30, 2022 | Newbery Experience

    "What will the Newbery winner be?" is the subject of conversation all year in the children's book world: in articles, blogs, and countless conversations. How much does this award book "buzz" impact the members of the actual Newbery Committee? Our bloggers share thoughts from their own committee experiences.

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 28, 2022 | Nominations

    It's your final opportunity to nominate titles for the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Award. After selecting a total of five books previously, readers may now select two more, for a total of seven. Share your titles and the reason why you chose them, and we'll reveal the final totals soon.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, November 25, 2022 | Book Discussion, Nominations

    As the year nears its end, Heavy Medal readers (and real Newbery Committee members) select two final books to add to the official list of nominated titles. Do you pick your personal favorite? The most likely winners? Take a chance with a long shot? We offer some possible strategies for this final choice and invite readers to share their own.

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    Battle of the Books: Compare/ Contrast Two Newbery Contenders

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 21, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Readers are invited to take part in our “Compare/ Contrast” exercise. Select two titles from this year’s Newbery Medal contenders, and compare them using the Newbery criteria. We'll see which title stands up against the other.

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    OGRESS vs. MAPMAKER: Battle of the Fantasies

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 18, 2022 | Book Discussion, Heavy Medal Mock

    Its a fantasy face-off; who would win: OGRESS AND THE ORPHANS by Kelly Barnhill or THE LAST MAPMAKER by Christina Soontornvat. Read the arguments and cast your ballot and opinions in the comments.

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 16, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Easy Readers are a tough sell for the Newbery Medal, but you never know maybe one can break through.

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

    Steven Engelfried, November 14, 2022 | Book Discussion

    It's been 33 years since a collection of poems for children has won the Newbery Medal. Could 2023 be the year that poetry breaks through again?

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

    Steven Engelfried, November 11, 2022 | Heavy Medal Mock, Process

    The final list of 15 (or so) titles for our Heavy Medal Book List isn't ready yet, but today we reveal the "Early Six." Find out what we chose and get an early start on your Mock Newbery reading...

    Read Post »

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 9, 2022 | Book Discussion

    It’s not often that a beginning chapter book wins the Newbery (or even the Geisel award for that matter), but they deserve the spotlight too! Today we take a look at four books that have been receiving a mild amount of buzz this year and see if they can stand up against the Newbery criteria. […]

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

    Steven Engelfried, November 7, 2022 | Nominations, Process

    The results are in! Our Heavy Medal Mock Newbery list now includes 58 books, and at least one reader feels that each one of them could wind up winning the 2023 Newbery Medal as the most distinguished children's book of the year.

    Read Post »

    Talking About Theme: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, November 4, 2022 | Book Discussion

    In the fourth segment of our Newbery Criteria Deep Dive we look at interpretation of theme in 2023 Newbery potentials.

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    Graphic Novels + Middle School: A Newbery Medal Combination?

    Steven Engelfried, November 2, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Graphic novels have earned Newbery recognition three times in the past eight years. Will they break through again in 2023? We take a look at five possible Newbery contenders in the graphic novel format, all of which take place during the middle school years.

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    Two More Titles: November Nomination Time

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 31, 2022 | Uncategorized

    It's time for the second round of nominations. Pick two titles you think are deserving of the Newbery.

    Read Post »

    That’s Classified: Newbery Committee Inside Insights

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 28, 2022 | Newbery Experience

    Today is the second post in our series of Inside Insights from our experiences on the Newbery Committee. The idea is to give an inside view of some of the nuts and bolts of being on the Newbery Committee. We’re glad to answer questions and would also love to hear from others about their own […]

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, October 26, 2022 | Process

    The Newbery Medal announcement is just three months away. Here's a preview of Heavy Medal activities between now and then, which will include more reader nominations, a mock award committee, a final booklist, high-level book discussion, and two separate Mock Newbery elections.

    Read Post »

    Picture Book Palooza: 32 page Newbery 2023 Contenders

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 24, 2022 | Book Discussion

    With only one picture book nominated for the Heavy Medal mock Newbery, let's see what options are out there for 32 page titles to win the Newbery medal.

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    Newbery Criteria Deep Dive:  Presentation of Information

    Steven Engelfried, October 21, 2022 | Book Discussion

    What does excellence in the area of "Presentation of Information" look like in a children's book? Today we take a deep dive at how "accuracy, clarity, and organization" can play a role in the selection of the Newbery Medal.

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    Looking Backwards: Mock Newbery Historical Fiction Contenders

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 19, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Today we look at the best historical fiction of the year including AFRICA TOWN and I MUST BETRAY YOU.

    Read Post »

    Mock Newbery Fantasy Contenders: Mapmaker, Ogress and Windswept

    Steven Engelfried, October 17, 2022 | Book Discussion

    In what looks like a strong year for children's fantasy fiction, we look at three excellent titles, each written by an author that has had Newbery recognition in prior years.

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    The Plot Thickens: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 14, 2022 | Book Discussion

    In a continuation of our Newbery Criteria deep dive, today Steven and I take a look at plot in 2023 Newbery Contenders. Last time was characterization and we'll make it to the rest of the Criteria throughout the year. For today, let's talk plot!

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, October 12, 2022 | Book Discussion

    A graphic novel and a historical picture book were among the surprise leaders from our first round of Mock Newbery nominations. Here's a closer look at SWIM TEAM by Johnnie Christmas and LOVE IN THE LIBRARY by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura.

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

    Steven Engelfried, October 10, 2022 | Book Discussion, Nominations, Process

    Our first round of nominations is over. 32 people submitted three titles for October. The early leaders are THE LAST MAPMAKER and I MUST BETRAY YOU...but we've got two more rounds to go in November and December.

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    Don’t forget the little titles! One Suggestion Contenders

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 7, 2022 | Book Discussion

    As we move into nomination season, it is easy to get excited about the big titles. As always, I’m worried about missing something and even that a suggested title may slip through the cracks. Today we’ll look at one suggestion contenders- of the 85 suggested titles, 42 only have one suggestion. I’ll start with three […]

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

    Steven Engelfried, October 5, 2022 | Book Discussion

    From a solo canoe journey to the 1989 Romanian Revolution, this year's best children's historical fiction titles represent a wide range of styles, settings, and time periods. Will one or more wind up with a Newbery Medal?

    Read Post »

    The Stakes Have Risen: It’s Nomination Season

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, October 3, 2022 | Nominations

    It's time to nominate! Select your top three children's books of the year and add them to our October nominations list. The nominations list will reveal which books Heavy Medal readers support most strongly as Newbery Medal contenders. We'll add to the list in November and December, but for now, submit your October three by October 8th.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, September 30, 2022 | Newbery Experience, Process

    Newbery Committee members receive several hundred books every year. How do they keep track of them all as they try to find the single most distinguished title of the year?

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, September 28, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Now that the suggestion period is closed, let's take a look if there are any gaps or areas that are missing in our 2023 Newbery contenders.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, September 26, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Readers are invited to take part in our “One Plus / One Minus” exercise. Select a title from this year’s Newbery Medal contenders, highlight the book’s biggest strength, then identify a single flaw or concern you see in the book. We’ll see how the year’s most highly rated books so far hold up to these quick critiques from Heavy Medal readers.

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    Newbery Criteria Deep Dive: Delineation of Characters

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, September 23, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Today we look deeper at one of the six Newbery criteria pieces: delineation of characters and which 2023 contenders stand out most in this category.

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

    Steven Engelfried, September 21, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Arriving at a new place can be challenging for kids, whether it's moving from Oman to Michigan or leaving Hong Kong for California just ahead of a virus. Several of the best books of 2022 show how that "new kid" element can lead to insightful explorations of culture, language, racism, inclusion, and other powerful topics. Will any of them be contenders for the Newbery Medal?

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

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, September 19, 2022 | Book Discussion

    The National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2022 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (YPL) last week. The Award works a bit differently than the Newbery. Publishers pay to submit titles, and a longlist, shortlist and winner is announced. There are separate panel committees for the different age groups. In 2021, 1,892 […]

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    Early Year Favorites: Ogresses, Betrayal and Love

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, September 16, 2022 | Book Discussion

    Take a look at the results of our Heavy Medal beginning of the year check-in to see readers top titles for the 2023 Newbery so far this year.

    Read Post »

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

    Steven Engelfried, September 14, 2022 | Book Discussion

    It looks like a strong year for fiction, but Steven's top 2 children's books of the year so far are a picture book and a science book. Heavy Medal readers are invited to share their own top 2 and let us know why they might fare well in a Newbery Medal discussion.

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

    Steven Engelfried, September 12, 2022 | Book Discussion, Suggestions

    Bloggers Emily and Steven share their early Mock Newbery favorites and look ahead to intriguing titles that will be released soon. Readers are invited to join the discussion and vote for their own current front runners in our online survey.

    Read Post »

    Meet Steven & Emily: Your Heavy Medal Hosts

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, September 9, 2022 | Intro

    Learn a little about Emily and Steven, this year's Heavy Medal Bloggers, and tell them about yourself!

    Read Post »

    Heavy Medal’s 2023 Mock Newbery: A Look Ahead

    Steven Engelfried, September 7, 2022 | Intro, Process

    For the next five months, Heavy Medal will be taking an in-depth look at the best children's books of the year as part of our 2023 Mock Newbery process. Here's a preview of what's in store....

    Read Post »

    85 Books to Consider: Mock Newbery Suggestions Updated

    Steven Engelfried, September 5, 2022 | Uncategorized

    Here's our updated list of possible contenders for the 2023 Newbery Medal, compiled from monthly suggestions from Heavy Medal readers. In the coming weeks and months we'll look closer at many of these titles, along with the best fall releases, during out Heavy Medal Mock Newbery process.

    Read Post »

    It’s the Final Suggestions

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, August 29, 2022 | Suggestions

    It's the final round of Heavy Medal suggestions. Submit up to five titles already published in 2022 to add to our list.

    Read Post »

    And now there are 70 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Suggestions

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, August 8, 2022 | Suggestions

    Seven new titles were suggested in August. The top three titles are very different genres (dual voices/verse, fantasy, historical) which doesn't happen very often.

    Read Post »

    Adding to the Mock Newbery List: Submit your August suggestions

    Steven Engelfried, August 1, 2022 | Suggestions

    Read any great children's book lately? If so, and if they're eligible for the 2023 Newbery Medal, now is the time to add them to our Heavy Medal Mock Newbery list. August suggestions are open through Saturday, Augusts 6th, and we'll share the updated list right after that.

    Read Post »

    Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

    Steven Engelfried, July 4, 2022 | Suggestions

    We're still a couple months away from starting our Heavy Medal Mock Newbery book discussions, and our list of possible contending titles continues to grow. Share your favorite Newbery-eligible titles as we gather another round of suggestions through July 9th.

    Read Post »

    Mock Newbery Update – Our List of First Half Suggestions

    Steven Engelfried, June 13, 2022 | Uncategorized

    Here’s our newly updated list of suggestions. These are the children’s books that Heavy Medal readers have put forward as potential contenders for the 2023 Newbery Medal. Since we only include books that have been officially published, there’s still six months worth of forthcoming titles that we haven’t seen, but the list already looks very […]

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    Time for June Suggestions

    Steven Engelfried, June 6, 2022 | Process, Suggestions

    2022 is almost halfway through, and Heavy Medal's list of suggested contenders for the 2023 Newbery Medal continues to grow. Add your June recommendations this week!

    Read Post »

    Many May Suggestions: First Quarter Mock Newbery Possibilities

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, May 9, 2022 | Suggestions

    In a month of 47 titles suggested for the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery- Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? and The Last Mapmaker have made their way up the list.

    Read Post »

    Let’s Make Some May Suggestions!

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, May 2, 2022 | Suggestions

    We’re already in the month of MAY (don’t ask me how that happens!) And it is time for a new month of Heavy Medal suggestions. Details about how suggestions work are in Steven’s March post; but remember: No more than five suggestions, please save the rest for next month! (Less is fine too) Stick to […]

    Read Post »

    Doubling the titles: April Heavy Medal Suggestions

    Emily Mroczek-Bayci, April 11, 2022 | Heavy Medal Mock, Suggestions

    Eighteen new titles were suggested this month, bringing us to a list of 32 total suggestions for the 2023 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery. I’m excited to have quite the expansive reading list. Imagine where the committee is now, with 15 members having no limit of suggested titles. (I may have gone overboard on suggestions some […]

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