Thoughts on Newbery: Subjectivity

"Reading is subjective" is how Julius Lester begins his SLJ's Battle of the Kids' Books decision. It is, it is.  And this is why we have different books receiving different awards the same year.  It is why I might love this year's Newbery winner yet you might not.  It is why the chances are good that two different groups of people might chose two different winners the same year (as happened with Heavy Medal here and here).

People have been surprised by some of the judges' decisions at the...