It’s Never Too Early to Think About the Newbery Award

In recent years, I’ve begun following the Newbery Award more closely.  It’s extremely interesting because the Newbery Committee does not provide the public with a short list of books that they are looking at for receiving the award, but there are plenty of blogs circling the blogosphere that offer their own opinions on books that they believe could be considered for the Newbery Award.  It’s not even June yet, and Heavy Metal, a blog that is part of the School Library Journal website has already posted a number of books that they feel might be in the running for this year’s award.  To view the list, click here.

I often think the Newbery Award goes to a book that is most literary, than popular, but that doesn’t mean these books are not fun to read and interesting!  Most have great themes that you and your kids can discuss!  Check some out for yourself!

My first impressions, for what they are worth:
1.) There are some big names that are writing some great books this year, think Christopher Paul Curtis, Kevin Henkes, Lois Lowry, Katherine Applegate, and Gary Schmidt.

2.) There are a number of books on the list that focus on Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement, both fiction and non-fiction.  There are at least six on the list of 18 that follow this theme.

3.) I’m enjoying almost every book I read.  I try to keep up with the list, so that when a Newbery book is finally announced in January of 2013, I’ll have most likely already read it.

A few of my favorites so far this year include: The One and Only Ivan, The False Prince, Wonder, and The Mighty Miss Malone.  Even in none of these books win the Newbery, I’m glad to have read them.