From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026

The Trouble with Heroes
by
Start date
July 1, 2025
Finish date
July 31, 2025
Discussion
Newbery 2026

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Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 8 topics — 169 comments total
+ Newbery 2026
* September 2026 - A Day at the Beach
By Kristen · 9 posts · 83 views
last updated Oct 30, 2025 11:22AM
* 2026 Contenders!
By Kristen · 56 posts · 330 views
last updated Oct 21, 2025 04:25PM

What Members Thought

Dan
Jun 23, 2025 rated it it was amazing
The trouble with a good book
is that you don't always know
when you will find one.

And then the trouble is,
that when you do find one,
like summiting a high peak,
you have to,
eventually,
come back down,
away from the world expanding,
capacious view that has just filled
you with awe and hope.

Maybe
that's why
the journey
to find
good stories
is always
worth the trouble
...more
Dest
Sep 23, 2025 rated it it was amazing
The vibe of this book is Gary D. Schmidt meets Love That Dog. I listened to the audiobook, but I have the print copy on hold so I can see how the poetry looks on the page. I will hold off on a longer review until I have it in front of me. ...more
Beth Given
Aug 17, 2025 rated it really liked it
Thanks to an angry outburst in the cemetery resulting in a broken headstone, Finn is going to be spending his summer making reparations: if he can climb all 46 Adirondack Peaks, Edna's family will forgive him for the vandalism. Finn will be busy this summer, because he's also got PE and English credit to make up. He's definitely struggling, and it mostly stems back to his father's death during the COVID-19 pandemic; his dad, a first responder in New York City, was trying to save everyone but him ...more
Tamsyn
Probably Kate Messner's best book to date (and I've been a fan), and I hope it will get some Newbery recognition. I loved the way different threads -- anger, grief, loss, penance, support -- were woven together with Finn's experiences climbing the 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks, while coping with the death of his firefighter father. (Not to mention poetry, literary terms, and baking!) Throw in a dog, some humor, and a lot of nature and you have a winning story. Finally, the last part of the bo ...more
Jessica
Jul 24, 2025 rated it it was amazing
A little Hank Hooperman. A little Hercules Beal.
Susan  Dunn
Jul 21, 2025 rated it really liked it
Loved this one! And it will be great for Colorado kids who might want to get into hiking. Finn is in trouble, and rather than being sentenced to community service, the victim's family decides that he should summit all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks. If he can successfully accomplish that over the summer, they'll drop all charges. They've lined up volunteers to hike with him since his mom has to work. Finn is furious - and intimidated. And very soon, sore, blistered and exhausted. But as he summ ...more
Mary Lee
May 22, 2025 rated it it was amazing
So so good, even as a listen. Great reader. Five stars and five hankies.
Janice
Jun 22, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: children-s
Newbery contender! I’ve recommended this to 46ers I know and love. It made me consider climbing a high peak. Just kidding, but it’s fabulous. Funny, sad, poetic.
Chrissy
Finn is trying to fix the damage a very bad school year has caused. He needs to make up some schoolwork, and make reparations for an act of vandalism. This means climbing 46 mountains in the Adirondacks with a drooling happy dog, and writing poems about heroes. Writing this review I'm realizing how many disparate storylines exist in this novel, something I didn't recognize in the reading. I think this is a mark of a talented author. Finn's quest to make peace with his absent father's death is wo ...more
Beverly
Jul 08, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Debbie Jo
Feb 01, 2025 marked it as to-read
Sarah
Feb 18, 2025 marked it as to-read
Margo Jantzi
May 04, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Mrs. Chatel
Feb 21, 2025 marked it as to-read
Shelves: 2025-pub-date
J.j.
Apr 08, 2025 marked it as to-read
Jenna
Jun 08, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Sara
May 24, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Dana Jones
Jun 01, 2025 rated it it was amazing
Alison
May 29, 2025 marked it as to-read
Meagan
Jun 06, 2025 marked it as to-read
Annette
Jul 13, 2025 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Karen
Jul 22, 2025 rated it really liked it
Julie
Jul 24, 2025 marked it as to-read
Darcy
Jul 25, 2025 rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition
Leslie
Aug 18, 2025 marked it as to-read
Cheryl Meibos
Sep 02, 2025 marked it as to-read
Cathy
Sep 04, 2025 rated it it was amazing
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