2017 Is Off & Rolling

[Kristen]

The new year has started off with some strong contenders. It's possible that the next Newbery award is already out there, being read by children in libraries across the country. With that in mind we shall start our quest to find the next award winning book. So... what are you reading?

[Kristen]

Our book of the month polls have started. You may vote here:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

[Kate]

Thanks for including a picture book in the poll for our first read. I hope we will have opportunities to discuss how to evaluate the text of a picture book by Newbery criteria. I was unprepared for the winner last year.

[Pamela]

I agree. I too was unprepared. This would be very helpful!

[Laura]

Pamela wrote: "I agree. I too was unprepared. This would be very helpful!"

I think we were all unprepared for this year's winner. I practically eat, sleep and breathe picture books. It stunned me.

[Beverly]

My Mock Newbery Club at school (4th and 5th graders) and even some of my students in my 3rd grade book club were very surprised and disappointed in the selection. But I might just toss in a couple of picture books for us to discuss this time around.

[Czechgirl]

For books published in 2016: I have read Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban

I am currently reading: Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Next I will read: Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart and The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

On my TBR shopping list is: Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo; Summerlost by Allie Condie; Hour of Bees by Lindsey Eagar; Booked by Kwame Alexander; Mayday by Karen Harrington; Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price by Jennifer Maschari; Red: True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesel Shurtliff

Looking for more great titles to put on my list!

[Kristen]

Waylon! One Awesome Thing was well written. I love it when books for younger children make the mock Newbery lists.

It was also written by Sara Pennypacker

[Beverly]

Kristen wrote: "Waylon! One Awesome Thing was well written. I love it when books for younger children make the mock Newbery lists.

It was also written by Sara Pennypacker"

I really liked Waylon! One Awesome Thing, too. I'm definitely ordering it for the library. I probably won't get to Pax until Spring Break, but one of my students has already read it. And she really likes. it.

[Laura]

Pennypacker is on quite the roll. Kudos for her!

[Ana]

I just finished Some Kind of Courage and loved it. Now I am starting The Key to Extraordinary.

[Patti]

Just finished Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. I haven't read a book this touching, thoughtful and masterfully written in a very long time. I highly recommend it for this list. It will be released on May 3rd. This beautifully written historical fiction is reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird.

[Bev]

I'm new here. I am wondering if other books are being reviewed besides Pax? That's the only book I'm getting notices about by email. Am on the wrong site?

[Annette]

Bev wrote: "I'm new here. I am wondering if other books are being reviewed besides Pax? That's the only book I'm getting notices about by email. Am on the wrong site?"

We have one book a month that we read and discuss - Pax is the book for March. However, on some of the other threads, people will bring up books they are reading and enjoying. It's early in the year, so it's quiet, but things will ramp up!

[Bev]

Thank you!

[Bev]

I just finished reading Pax and totally loved it.

[Angie]

Laura wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I agree. I too was unprepared. This would be very helpful!"

I think we were all unprepared for this year's winner. I practically eat, sleep and breathe picture books. It stunned me."

I was unprepared for the winner, and don't agree with the judges. I feel the pictures change the meaning of the story. Disappointed in their choice, but now let's start reading for another year!

[Franki]

I am trying to catch up on some reading over Spring Break. I did love Pax. I have also read Key to Extraordinary, Land of Forgotten Girls, Maybe a Fox and I have Wolf's Hollow on my stack. Seems like there are lots of good possibilities this year.

[Bev]

Franki wrote: "I am trying to catch up on some reading over Spring Break. I did love Pax. I have also read Key to Extraordinary, Land of Forgotten Girls, Maybe a Fox and I have Wolf's Hollow on my stack. Seems li..."

What did you think of Key to Extraordinary, Land of Forgotten Girls, and Maybe a Fox ? I'm looking for good books to read during Spring break.

[Sarah]

Bev- I just finished Key and LOVED IT! I highly recommend adding that to your spring break list.

[Bev]

Sarah wrote: "Bev- I just finished Key and LOVED IT! I highly recommend adding that to your spring break list."

Thanks Sarah! :)

[Denise]

I have just finished reading Hour of the Bees and highly recommend it. Have already decided that it is a definite choice for my 4th grade Mock Newbery Book Club next year. I think the theme/discussion potential is amazing!

[Martha]

I just finished reading Hour of the Bees last night! Not sure why our library put it in YA collection. I know it's just me, but I cried like a baby while reading it - really hit the 'realistic' button with me even through his stories, which are not.

[Denise]

Martha wrote: Not sure why our library put it in YA collection.
Hi Martha. Would love to hear your thinking about recommending this book for 4th graders (reading above grade level). Thanks! Denise

[Martha]

Denise wrote: "Martha wrote: Not sure why our library put it in YA collection.
Hi Martha. Would love to hear your thinking about recommending this book for 4th graders (reading above grade level). Thanks! Denise"
I would recommend for 4th graders. Those who have grandparents suffering from dementia could especially relate. In fact several themes would be appropriate for discussion.

[Carol]

Who has read Raymie Nightingale? What do you think? More importantly, who do you recommend it to?

[Debbie]

I finished Raymie Nightingale last night (they had it at my Costco for $10). I thought there were parts of it that were completely brilliant and I liked it but I didn't love it. I love Kate DiCamillo and I know there are kids who will like it. My guess would be 3rd,4th and 5th grade girls (all the main characters are girls) who like books that are sort of sad... it would fit in well with the social issues unit my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade kids do.

[Denise]

Just finished reading The Bitter Side of Sweet this past week. While reading it, I was a little worried that it would not be appropriate for 4th grade readers, but the ending resolved my issues. A tough read, emotionally, but it deals with a real world issue. Having read this book, I will no longer buy or eat chocolate that is not "fair trade."

[Jen]

Can someone post the link to Jen's starred booklist google doc thingamajig! I[always think i'm going to remember the name of it and I never do.
Thanks,

[Cindy III]

Denise wrote: "Just finished reading The Bitter Side of Sweet this past week. While reading it, I was a little worried that it would not be appropriate for 4th grade readers, but the ending resolv..."

I have my eye on this one, so it's good to hear your thoughts on it.

[Deborah]

Jen wrote: "Can someone post the link to Jen's starred booklist google doc thingamajig! I[always think i'm going to remember the name of it and I never do.
Thanks,"

Starred Titles

[Martha]

I just finished Raymie Nightingale. Wonderful writing, getting into the thoughts and feelings of these girls who don't have much dialogue. The loneliness and loss brings them together.

[Jill]

On the picture book front, I am very taken with Philip Stead's Ideas Are All Around. I think it might be a difficult book to discuss with the Newbery criteria in mind because it is very brief, and the illustrations are so charming and add so much to the story that it will be difficult NOT to take them into consideration. But the ideas in the story are actually pretty big ideas, and every page seems like it could really give a child something to think about. In addition, I think he uses some literary techniques that you don't see very often in books meant for children this age. On one page, the narrator goes from talking about how he sometimes whistles like a bird to call his dog back from chasing a squirrel, and on the next page, his dog runs off chasing a squirrel. You don't see many picture books making use of foreshadowing! I really liked it and I wonder if it might not be worth discussing.

[Ana]

I read Raymie Nightinglale and loved it. It is a classic DiCamillo story. Great writing and lots of ways to connect to the characters and the plot. I am almost done with Wild Robot. Oh my gosh - I LOVE it so far. It is fast becoming one of my favorite books since the announcement of the Newberry winner.

[Laura]

Jill wrote: "On the picture book front, I am very taken with Philip Stead's Ideas Are All Around. I think it might be a difficult book to discuss with the Newbery criteria in mind because it is very brief, and ..."

I love Ideas Are All Around. It is exceptional and definitely worth discussing. Another picture book I just finished is Don't Call Me Grandma by Vaunda Michaux Nelson. I think the writing is better than Last Stop on Market Street and the illustrations are phenomenal. Could win a Newbery and a Caldecott for 2017.

[Susan]

The Wild Robot and Paper Wishes are two of my early picks for the Newbery. I am looking forward to reading Raymie Nightingale next.

[Erin]

I just finished The Wild Robot, and while I really enjoyed the book and I can't wait to recommend it to kids, I'm not sure if I can call it distinguished. I will be eager to hear what others think.

I LOVED Booked, Maybe a Fox, and Raymie Nightingale - but none of them impressed me as much as Pax which was just outstanding in my opinion. I am reading Samurai Rising now, and so far it's fantastic.

[Kim]

I found myself thinking about the book long after I read it. That to me means that it is distinguished enough to be considered. I just finished Wolf Hollow and it left me feeling sad. The writing for middle grade is getting more heart wrenching which leaves me wanting to read a cute sappy story.

[Erin]

Maybe that's why I am not as enthused by The Wild Robot. I anticipated a funny, quirky story, and instead it was just as depressing as most of the middle grade books I've read this year.

[Jenni]

I loved the first two thirds of The Wild Robot, but was very disappointed by the turn it took in the last third. I actually got teary earlier on in the book and was just annoyed by the ending.

[Luke]

I am a 5th grade reading teacher. I read both Pax and Raymie Nightingale. I thought both were excellent books with Raymie being slightly better. As a teacher neither of these two books seem to strike the interest on my students to read independently. Now my high girl reading group who has read Stargirl, Love, Stargirl, From the Mixed Up Files. Pictures of Hollis Woods, and When You Reach Me would love it once they got into it and we discussed it. Also if I did Pax as a read aloud the kids would all love it. It is just they do not just out as books 5th would be excited about reading.

[Erin]

Just finished Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart, and it's my new favorite for gold! Brilliant!!

[Laura]

Erin wrote: "Just finished Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart, and it's my new favorite for gold! Brilliant!!"

Check out Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. Pretty darn fantastic.

[Lisa]

So I just finished one of the best books I have read in a long time. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. It has been getting a lot of buzz and I can see why. Debut children's book though she has an adult novel. This one is on my short list for sure and will be hard to top.
. Anyone else read it?

[Laura]

Lisa wrote: "So I just finished one of the best books I have read in a long time. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk. It has been getting a lot of buzz and I can see why. Debut children's book though she has an adult n..."

This title is slowly but surely building momentum and buzz. It would be awesome if it swoops in and wins a Newbery.

[Robin]

I completely agree, Lisa. It was excellent storytelling, start to finish. Wolf Hollow boasts colorful and memorable characters and with twists along the way, to keep readers and listeners fully engaged. Honestly, it is a stunning debut and should be receiving high praise. I believe it has garnered four stars, already. It is definitely a contender for the big prize!

[Kim]

I too loved WOLF HOLLOW. It tackles some very dramatic and serious subject matter in a thoughtful way. I like that it didn't have that perfect Disney ending. I would vote for this book today for the Newbery.

[Erin]

Is anyone else just blown away by the quality of kid's lit this year? I've read so many outstanding books this year, and I still have a massive stack of to-be-read titles. I hope we see more than three stickers this year.

[Barb]

So far in 2016, my favorite reads have been Pax and Some Kind of Courage. Love seeing young male protagonists with character and courage.

[Tina]

Wolf Hollow was an incredible story. So far this is my Newbery pick