MORE 'HEAVY-MEDAL' POSTS
When you're not sure if a book you've just read should be a Newbery contender, what do you do? You read it again. PONY, SUNSHINE, and THE MYSTEROUS DISAPPEARANCE OF AIDAN S. are examples of excellent books that my shine more (or less) brightly after a second read.
Over 50 books have been nominated by Heavy Medal readers as top contenders for the Newbery Medal. Check out the full list so far and see how your favorite books of 2021 match up.
Heavy Medal readers selected Newbery-worthy titles during the first round of nominations a few weeks ago. In our two months of book discussion, we've neglected to feature 5 of the top 20 nominated books. We remedy that today and consider how these overlooked titles stack up against the rest of our assumed contenders so far.
It’s time for round two of nominations. Select your next top two children’s books of the year by Saturday, November 6th and we'll add them to ournominations list.
Nonfiction titles in picture book format are often absent from Newbery lists...but not always. This year's contenders range from riveting tales of violence, war, and escape to a humorous look at flies as a food source. Will any of these rank with the top contenders for the Newbery Medal?
Every year on Heavy Medal we finish with a Mock Newbery Election. This year's process will include the formation of the Heavy Medal Award Committee in December, a booklist of 15 finalists, and a live discussion and ballot on Zoom. If you're thinking you might be interested in taking part, here are some details and a rough timeline.
Realistic historical fiction: novels that read like present day with relatable and lovable characters but are actually set in the past. And these characters are what push RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE and FINDING CLEM into the Newbery possible category.
As part of our monthly look at the Newbery's 100th Anniversary, we're asking readers to weigh in on the books and authors that have never been awarded the Newbery Medal. Cast your vote in three polls, then let us know why you believe your choices might have deserved Newbery recognition.
Three excellent authors revisit events from their own childhoods, which include the complications of 8th grade in the 1980s, a young artist's life in the USSR, and a combustible case of sibling rivalry. All three books could be worthy additions to this year's Mock Newbery discussion.
2021 may be the year of the ghost in children's literature. Several of the year's best books prominently feature supernatural elements that are employed in highly original ways that lead to fresh explorations of racism, gender identity, self esteem and other topics that we don't often play a part in ghost stories...though we might expect them in Newbery Medal contenders.
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