Mock Awards

Once again the children's librarians in my system gathered together to discuss the best books of 2014 and try and predict which books would win the prestigious Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz awards. Here are the books that we loved:

Mock Caldecott:

Medal:  
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassan
Sam and Dave are sure they will discover something exciting if they just keep digging their hole.  Little do they realize that as they dig, they are constantly just missing the treasures that they search for.  As with so many book illustrated by Jon Klassan, the pictures in this book tell a whole other side of the story that is never mentioned in the book's text.

Honors:   
Where's Mommy by Beverly Donofrio, illustrated by Barbara McKlintock
Draw! by Raúl Colón

Mock Newbery:

Medal:   
The Night Gardener by John Auxilier
Irish orphans Molly, fourteen, and Kip, ten, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house.  This book is not only creepy, but is also characterized by superb storytelling.  All subplots are woven together seamlessly, and it's fascinating how the horror elements Besides, don't you think that a shiny Newbery Medal would just look lovely on this cover?

Honors:   
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Mock Printz:


Medal:   
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Born with bird wings, Ava Lavender is well aware that love has long made fools of her family. When pious Nathaniel Sorrows mistakes her bird wings for angel wings, 16-year-old Ava faces the man's growing obsession, which comes to a head with the rain and feathers that fly through the air during a nighttime summer solstice celebration.  Lyrical prose makes this work of magical realism come to life.

Honors:   
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart 

Sandy's Picks 2013 - Teen Reads

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the second in a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at books written for Teens.  Because this is the collection that I order for at the library, I have read more of this type of book than anything else this year, and there have been lots of great books to choose from!

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
Jasper Fforde has made a name for himself writing fantasy novels for adults, and he branched out to writing for teens late last year.  Set in a world much like ours but where wizards are contracted to use their magical abilities for mundane tasks, the story follows a girl named Jennifer Strange, who has no magical ability herself but is the acting manager of Kazam, an employment agency of wizards.  Unfortunately, magic is drying up and there is concern that it will disappear altogether.  In The Last Dragonslayer Jennifer Strange finds herself helping Big Magic return after a series of visions predict that a dragon will be slain.  In the sequel, Song of the Quarkbeast, Kazam's rival company challenges the wizards to a contest that will determine who will take on the role of Court Mystician, but first Jennifer must put a stop to the rival manager's shady dealings.  Both books are plenty quirky and will appeal to fans of authors like Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

Kiki Strike:  The Darkness Dwellers
Kiki Strike and her companions have finally returned in this third installment to the series, and her latest adventure does not disappoint.  Kiki travels to Paris to confront her parents' killers and finds herself caught up with the titular underground organization who tries to protect the city's underground catacombs.  Meanwhile in New York, Ananka and the other girls find themselves tangled up in their own messes, most notably with an upscale girls' finishing school.  When they realize that the two mysteries might not be so unrelated and that Kiki might be in some real trouble, it's up to master of disguise Betty Bent to travel to Paris and save the day.  Strong girls and much better-than-average writing make this latest book in the series well worth the wait.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
In 1986, Eleanor and Park find themselves sitting together on the bus.  They become friends as they share a love of comic books, and then they become something more.  The two teens know that high school romance never lasts, but are they brave enough to try anyway?  But as their relationship grows, we are reminded that Eleanor's life isn't anything close to sunshine and roses, and her complicated home life provides just the right amount of tragedy to keep this book interesting.  This novel will be appealing to a wide range of readers, and it's my top pick for this year's Printz Award.

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
Ezra was once his school's golden boy - captain of the tennis team, pretty girlfriend, likely to be elected Homecoming King.  But when a car accident messes up his knee and Ezra finds himself unable to play tennis during his senior year, his world is suddenly turned upside down.  He finds himself reconnecting with his less-popular childhood friend, joining the debate team, and drawn to Cassidy, a girl with a mysterious past who just transferred to their school.  I love the smart characters in this debut novel and the clever way in which they all deal with their own tragedies.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
Josie is the daughter of a prostitute in New Orleans, but she wants more for herself than this underworld life.  She wants to go to college and really make something of herself.  Unfortunately, a mysterious death leaves Josie wrapped up in an investigation that she wants no part of but cannot seem to escape.  This piece of historical fiction is great for older teens.  It packs in lots of atmospheric details, plenty of mystery, and characters that really draw readers in.

Poison by Bridget Zinn
Kyra is a sixteen-year-old potions master, and unfortunately she is also the only one who knows that the kingdom is in some serious trouble.  Her solution?  Poison the princess, who is unfortunately also her former best friend.  When that doesn't work out, Kyra finds herself on the run from the palace guards with a tiny piglet and a very handsome boy for company.  The novel is light, fluffy, and funny.  In a genre that sometimes seems to be filled with nothing but depressing reads, a books like this is a welcome change of pace.

Tell me about your favorite teen reads of 2013 in the comments.

Also, it should be noted that this is my little blog's 300th post.  Wow!  Big thanks to my small following of regular readers, and also to the thousands of people who have stumbled upon it while looking for images, program ideas, etc.  I'd probably still enjoy keeping a record of all of the cool stuff that I get to do at my job even if I didn't have any readers, but knowing that there are a few of you out there really means a lot to me.  Sometimes it's the only thing forcing me to use the spellcheck, so thank you.

Sandy's Picks 2013 - Chapter Books

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the second in a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at Chapter Books, generally written for school-age independent readers.

Doll Bones by Holly Black
Zach's two best friends are girls, and together the three of them create fantastic adventures for their dolls and action figures.  But is Zach getting too old for this kind of play?  His dad seems to think so, anyway.  Embarrassed, Zach decides to stop playing and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice.  But when Poppy insists that she is being haunted by a china doll supposedly made of the bones of a murdered girl, the three friends team up one last time to set the girl's spirit to rest.  Their adventure involves midnight bus rides, sailing down the Ohio River, and sneaking into a library after hours.  Part creep-tastic and part coming-of-age, this book really stands out from the crowd.  It's my top pick for this year's Newbery Medal.

Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman
Two kids are left at home with their father, but unfortunately there is no milk in the house to put on their breakfast cereal.  Dad obligingly runs to the store to pick up some milk, but it takes him awhile to return home.  When he finally comes back, he tells his children a fantastic story involving aliens, dinosaurs, pirates, vampires, and - of course - the ever-present bottle of milk.  This book is kind of like a ramped-up version of Dr. Seuss' book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.  It's tons of fun, and a quick read that will make you laugh out loud.

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Billy worries a bit about starting the second grade.  Will he be smart enough?  Will he get along with his teacher?  Told in four parts, this story recounts a few events from Billy's eventful second-grade year, with each section focusing on Billy's relationship with a specific person.  The book is quite long in terms of its page count, but would still make a charming read-aloud story for younger kids.

Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill
Bo is five years old.  Her family is a bit unusual:  She has two fathers who work in an Alaskan mining camp, and she is friends with everyone in the town.  This episodic story tells of Bo's everyday adventures, giving lots of fresh details that really transport readers into this particular time and place.  If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" books, then you'll love this story too.

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban
Ruby is supposed to give a speech at her town's annual Bunning Day parade.  As she waits for her cue she thinks about all of the things that have gone wrong in her life recently.  Things aren't going well with her friends, and she especially regrets what happened with her grandmother, Gigi.  Ruby's hope is that if she does well with her speech she can fix everything.  Linda Urban does a fantastic job of writing introspective characters, and I especially loved this book.  The pacing is unique in that everything takes place over the course of only a couple of hours, using flashbacks to fill in the details that a reader needs.  Fantastic writing is the only way that a structure like this can work, and Urban really nails this one.

What were your favorite kids' reads of 2013?  Tell me about them in the comments.

Sandy's Picks 2013 - Picture Books

Now that the year is drawing to a close, it's time for me to look back on the books that I have read this year and pick my favorites.  According to my Goodreads account, I read a total of 74 books in 2013.  This number is down quite a bit from years past, but does not truly reflect every books that I read this year.  These 74 books do no include very many picture books (which I do not always remember to take the time to review), several volumes of a manga series or two (where I generally review the series as a whole, not each individual volume), or some self-help or reference non-fiction (which I feel a tad self-conscious about reviewing).

This is the first of a series of three posts, each covering a different type of children's book.  Today we will be looking at books that are generally written for our youngest readers:  Picture Books.

Journey by Aaron Becker

A girl draws a door on her bedrooms wall and travels to a fantastical world.  With her red marker she is able to travel by balloon, boat, and flying carpet until she is captured and imprisoned.  It will take a little daring and some help from a friend to escape.  The book reminds me a bit of Harold and the Purple Crayon in its theme, though the style is much more vibrant and complex.  I've had a hard time pinning down my top pick for this year's Caldecott Medal, but I think that I'll place my bets with this book.

Locomotive by Brian Floca

This train story takes readers back to the time of great steam engines, roaring down the track through the West.  I love this story for its beautiful sepia-toned illustrations.

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Goat was doing just fine until Unicorn showed up.  Unicorn can fly, turn things into gold, and make it rain cupcakes.  Ugh.  But what if the two teamed up?  I don't want to spoil what happens, but the phrase, "Taste my cloven justice" is part of the equation.  This book cracks me up.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen

Laszlo is afraid of the dark.  The dark lives (naturally) in Laszlo's basement, but is not afriad of Laszlo.  One evening the dark comes upstairs to visit Laszlo, and poor Laszlo has to learn to not be afraid anymore.  It was only a matter of time before this author and illustrator teamed up, and the result is subversively brilliant.  Snicket's wordy, stylized text matches perfectly with Klassen's simple, moody, stylized artwork.  Perfect.

Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein

A baby T-Rex is good at lots of things.  She can stomp and chomp with the best of them.  But one day the dinosaur observes two other animals doing something different - kissing!  She decides to try that next, but unfortunately our baby T-Rex is too good at stomping and chomping and kissing does not come easily.  The illustrations really make this story work, rendering the poor dino's failed kissing attempts hilarious.  Great toddler story.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

Mr. Wuffles is a cat.  His owner brings him a toy, but (in the way that cats are) Mr. Wuffles shows no interest.  Why should he care when there is a spaceship full of tiny aliens in his house?  The aliens are in some real trouble.  Can they escape to safety in the walls of the house?  And are the insects who live there friendly?  This wordless picture book is done in Wiesner's signature style, showing a side of our fantastic world that we humans might never think to look for.

What were your favorite picture books of 2013?  Tell me about them in the comments.

Mock Awards 2013

Every year my new library system does a Mock Awards day, where children's librarians from throughout the system gather to discuss the best books of the year.  Using a weighted scale, we then vote for our favorite three books in each category in an attempt to predict the upcoming winners of the Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz Medals.

Here's how our Mock Awards program worked:

Any children's librarian in the system could nominate any books she/he felt was worthy in any category.  In November a small committee of librarians, myself included, looked at the nominations and selected the 37 books that we would consider on the day of the Mock Awards program.  The 37 books broke down as follows:

20 Picture Books
11 Chapter Books
6 Young Adult Books

The books and participating librarians were then divided into five groups, with each group assigned four picture books, two chapter books, and one YA novel.  A third chapter book and a second YA novel were each assigned, one each to two different groups, due to their brevity.  It was most important that each librarian be sure to read the books assigned to his/her group, but we were encouraged to take a look at all books if we could. 

On the day of the Mock Awards program our groups met and, one category at a time, spent 15-20 minutes discussing the books assigned to our group.  We started with the picture books nominated for the Mock Caldecott category.  After discussion we then went around the room.  Each group, generally assigning a spokesperson to do so, would then share what they loved about the books they were assigned.  After hearing about each book, everyone then voted via written ballot for their first, second, and third place picks for the Caldecott award.  We then all moved on to the next award and repeated the process.

When the votes were counted, each first place vote was weighted with four points.  Second place votes received three points, and third place votes received two points.  At the end of the day the votes were tallied and the winners announced.  We named the first place vote-getter the "Mock Medal" winner, and the second and third place finishers as "Mock Honor" winners.  Since the third and fourth place finishers in this year's Caldecott group were separated by only a single point we named a third "Mock Honor" in this category.

All in all, we finished this program in a little under four hours, which included a short break period for lunch.

Here are the winners we selected in each category:

Mock Caldecott:

More by I.C. Springman, illustrated by Brian Lies
A magpie hordes away more and more little objects in his nest.  But when does it become too much?  This book has very little in the way of text - only 44 words in total - and the story is really carried by Brian Lies' lovely illustrations.  There are so many little details to look at that readers can spend a long time getting lost in the pictures.  How could I possibly forget to include this book in my list of Picture Book Picks from 2012?  It's a real winner.

Honor Books:
Oh, No! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohman
Sleep Like a Tiger by Mary Logue, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Extra Yarn by Marc Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen


Mock Newbery:

Wonder by R. A. Palacio
This book tells the story of a boy born with a facial deformity.  When he decides to go to school for the first time when he begins the fifth grade, Augie finds that the transition is full of ups and downs.  Despite Augie's struggles, he does make friends and touches the lives of those around him.  Not only is this a great story about a boy with a serious medical condition, but it is also wonderful school story dealing with some of the pitfalls of middle school - bullying, friendship, and fitting in.  This book seems to be everybody's favorite this year, and it easily took the first place spot in our Mock Newbery voting as well.  But will it come home with the big prize in a few weeks?  Only time will tell.

Honor Books:
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristen Levine



Mock Printz:

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
When her plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France, Julie is captured by the Gestapo.  Desperate to end her torture, she tells the enemy what they want to know so that she will survive.  But also contained in Julie's tale is the story of Maddie, the pilot who got her into France and who became her friend under these extraordinary circumstances.  This book is a powerful tale of friendship and courage that will appeal to both adults and teens.  Personally, I will be sorely disappointed if Code Name Verity doesn't walk away with the Printz Award this year as we predicted.  Awesome writing, fascinating historical setting, and strong female characters make this an easy book to love. 

Honor Books:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Sandy's Picks 2012 - Teen

It's that time of year again! Time to look back on what I read in 2012 and pick out the titles that I think were the best of the best. I'm not simply looking for literary quality or books that are award-worthy as I make this list (though such qualities certainly don't hurt a book's chances as making the cut). I'm just looking back at the books that made me happiest when I read them, and the books that have stuck with me as the year progressed.

According to Goodreads.com, I have read a total of 109 books this year. Of course, this number is not entirely accurate. This count does not include a wide range of picture books and non-fiction that I paged through and didn't record, nor does it include each volume of several manga series that I plowed through this year, where I reviewed the series as a whole instead of each individual volume.

Today we'll start out by taking a look at Young Adult (Teen) novels.


Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
Tripp, who plays guitar only for himself, and Lyla, a cellist whose talent has already made her famous but not happy, form an unlikely friendship when they are forced to share a practice room at their high school. A plot where friendship, rather than romance, becomes the driving force for a plot involving characters of the opposite sex? We don't see it very often in teen lit, which makes this book all the more refreshing.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few more years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal.  But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at the Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Anytime John Green has a new book out you know you are in for a real treat. This latest work is no exception, and is probably his best effort since An Abundance of Katherines. The erudite characters will make you laugh, cry, and think deep thoughts all at once.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Last year Roth stormed onto the scene with Divergent, an action-packed page-turner where everyone must choose a trait-driven faction to join, which quickly took its place as the successor to The Hunger Games. While I enjoyed Divergent well enough, I don't think the series truly grabbed me until I read this second book in the trilogy. The plot thickens and the setting is further developed and an interesting twist at the end has left me eagerly awaiting the final installment.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
In 1943, a British fighter plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France and the survivor tells a tale of friendship, war, espionage, and great courage as she relates what she must to survive while keeping secret all that she can.  If you haven't read this book yet, please do.  It's simply amazing, powerful and completely absorbing, and it's arguably the best book that I have read in quite some time.  Code Name Verity is also my top pick to win this year's Printz Medal.

Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
Running a small Kansas hotel at the side of her single mom, Callie LeRoux struggles with health problems from regional dust storms.  Then when her mother disappears, Callie meets a mysterious stranger who indicates that her estranged father might be something other than human.  It seems that an interesting historical setting was the trump card this year for creating a great book, and Dust Girl is no exception.  Coupling the Dust Bowl era with faerie/fantasy elements makes this book, first in what will be a trilogy, stand out from the crowd. 

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin
I discovered Zevin's "Birthright" trilogy a little late to the game earlier this year, and I just think that this series is a real winner.  The second book, Because It Is My Blood, was published this fall, and I am eagerly awaiting next year's final installment.  In a future where seemingly harmless things like chocolate and caffeine are illegal and other items like paper, water, and phone time are rationed, Anya Balanchine is the heir apparent to a New York mafia that deals in illegal chocolate.  She tries to protect her siblings by keeping out of the family business, but in the end it seems that Anya will not be able to escape the world of crime. 



 What were your favorite teen reads of 2012?  Share your favorites in the comments. 

Sandy's Picks 2012 - Chapter Books

It's that time of year again! Time to look back on what I read in 2012 and pick out the titles that I think were the best of the best. I'm not simply looking for literary quality or books that are award-worthy as I make this list (though such qualities certainly don't hurt a book's chances as making the cut). I'm just looking back at the books that made me happiest when I read them, and the books that have stuck with me as the year progressed.

According to Goodreads.com, I have read a total of 109 books this year. Of course, this number is not entirely accurate. This count does not include a wide range of picture books and non-fiction that I paged through and didn't record, nor does it include each volume of several manga series that I plowed through this year, where I reviewed the series as a whole instead of each individual volume.

Today we'll start out by taking a look at novels written for children, AKA Chapter Books.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall's exhibit, he decides that he must find her a better life. This book just melted my heart with lovely poetic writing and a powerful story based on real events.

One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale, who was an officer and spy for the American rebels during the Revolutionary War, shares his story, from his unlucky days at Yale to his later unlucky days as an officer, with a hangman and British officer. This graphic novel takes American history and makes it fascinating. There's lots of humor for sure, but also lots of great historical fact, lots of military history, and lots of great detail that tends to be eliminated or glossed over in typical study.  One Dead Spy is the first in what will be a series of books as Nathan Hale, the hangman, and the British soldier return to discuss different periods of American history.  It was published simultaneously with the second title, Big Bad Ironclad, which discusses naval warfare during the Civil War.

The Unfortunate Son by Constance Leeds
Luc, a boy born with one ear and raised by a drunken father in fifteenth-century France, finds a better home with fisherman Pons, his sister Mattie, and their ward Beatrice, the daughter of a disgraced knight. Even after being kidnapped and sold into slavery in Africa, he remains remarkably fortunate. This books stands out to me thanks to solid writing and a fascinating historical setting. While I've had trouble pinning down my top choice for this year's Newbery Medal, I think that my final vote has to go to The Unfortunate Son.

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

In 1958 Little Rock, Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided over school integration. But her friendship with Liz, a black girl who tries to pass for white at Marlee's school, helps her find her voice and fight against racism. Kristin Levine told a great story a few years ago dealing with racism and friendship with her first book The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had, and her latest effort just just as powerful.

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

Discovering that the moon has disappeared from the sky above a Chinese village where he works, runaway Rendi wonders about strange local behaviors until a mysterious storyteller arrives at the town's inn and astonishing transformations begin to happen.  Just as she did with her Newbery Honor-winning book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, author Grace Lin has masterfully reworked Chinese fairy tales to tell a moving story.  You do not have to have read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to understand Starry River of the Sky as the two books stand completely on their own, but a few overlapping elements will be greatly appreciated by those who have read both.  Both books are well worth the effort. 

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Born with a facial deformity that initially prevented his attendance at public school, Auggie Pullman enters the fifth grade at Beecher Prep and struggles with the dynamics of being both new and different. I will admit: I kept putting this one off because of all of its early hype. But I'm so glad that I finally read it! The story is both heartwarming and heartwrenching. Not only is it a great story centering around a medical condition, but it's also simply a great school story that explores interpersonal relationship in an upper elementary setting.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
A foster child named Angel and twelve-year-old Stella, who are living with Stella's great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod, secretly assume responsibility for the summer vacation rentals when Louise unexpectedly dies and the girls are afraid of being returned to the foster care system.  I loved this book so much.  It's got humor and heart and two girls who hide a dead body.  What else do you need?



What were your favorite children's novels of 2012?  Share your favorites in the comments.

Sandy's Picks 2012 - Picture Books

It's that time of year again!  Time to look back on what I read in 2012 and pick out the titles that I think were the best of the best.  I'm not simply looking for literary quality or books that are award-worthy as I make this list (though such qualities certainly don't hurt a book's chances as making the cut).  I'm just looking back at the books that made me happiest when I read them, and the books that have stuck with me as the year progressed. 

According to Goodreads.com, I have read a total of 109 books this year.  Of course, this number does is not entirely accurate.  This count does not include a wide range of picture books and non-fiction that I paged through and didn't record, nor does it include each volume of several manga series that I plowed through this year, where I reviewed the series as a whole instead of each individual volume. 

Today we'll start out by taking a look at picture books, plus one early reader.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, illustrated by John Klassen
Annabelle finds a box with yarn inside and decides to dress up her cold, colorless town by knitting herself a sweater. Then she knits one for her dog. Since the yarn seems to be never-ending, soon the entire town is covered with Annabelle's colorful creations. Then a wicket Archduke offers to buy the box of yarn, but when Annabelle refuses he tries to take matters into his own hands. I love the illustrations in this story. The way that the knitting pops off the page with its texture and color really makes this one stand out visually. Extra Yarn is my top hopeful for this year's Caldecott Medal.

Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
A boy and a robot meet and begin to play together.  But when Bot is accidentally switched off, Boy think that he is sick!  Boy takes Bot home and tries to care for his friend with applesauce and a story, but none of the usual remedies work.  After Boy tucks his friend in and goes to sleep his parents accidentally switch Bot back on.  When Bot sees that Boy is asleep he thinks that he is malfunctioning, he takes Boy back to his home and tries all of the usual robot remedies...  This is a super sweet friendship story and a fun robot story all rolled up into one, and I just love Yaccarino's appealing illustrations.

Oh, No! by Candace Flemming, illustrated by Eric Rohman
One by one several animals fall down a deep hole. Oh no! Will Tiger find himself an easy lunch, or will the trapped animals escape? This book would be a great read-aloud for storytime, and the illustrations are just lovely.

Penny and Her Song by Kevin Henkes
I love Kevin Henkes to bits, and I was thrilled when I learned that he was going to be making another mouse book.  Then I learned that this book was an early reader, and I was even more intrigued.  Then I learned that Penny was going to be featured in a whole series of books.  Even better!  In her first book, Penny has a song that she wants to share, but the babies are sleeping and her parents do not want Penny's song to wake them up.  But after dinner when she finally does share her song, it is wonderful and the whole family joins in. 

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Saliemeri
Dragons love tacos of all kinds, but they do not love spicy salsa. If a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa at your taco party, you will find yourself in BIG trouble. This book came to my attention thanks to my lovely friend and it combines my favorite food with my favorite mythical creature. Add in some solid writing and fun illustrations and you can't loose!

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Once upon a time there were three hungry dinosaurs.  One day for no particular reason they decided to tidy up their house, make their beds, and prepare pudding of varying temperatures.  Then they decided, for no particular reason, to go someplace else.  They were definitely NOT setting a trap for an unsupervised little girl.  This version of the classic story is laugh out loud funny.  It's also a blast looking for details illustrations.  Willems' Pigeon makes a few appearances, and even the endpapers are a favorite at my library.

Baby Bear Sees Blue by Ashley Wolff
A baby bear spends the day exploring the world with his mother and discovers a number of wonderful things:  Green leaves, brown trout, red strawberries.  Love the linoleum block illustrations and their clean lines and bold colors.  Love the sweetness of the storytelling. 



What were your favorite picture books of 2012?  Tell me your favorites in the comments. 

Books with Buzz

We're just over the halfway point in the year, which means that I've started looking at various book blogs and on Goodreads for books that are generating lots of conversation - and maybe even some award buzz. Here are a few books that people have been talking about that I'm looking forward to reading soon:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Augie was born with a facial deformity that prevents him from attending regular school...until now. As he enters the 5th grade, Augie must prove to his class that he's a normal kid despite appearances.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker
Stella loves routine and Angel is tough and spunky. Needless to say, the two girls do not get along at first. But then tradedy strikes and the two unexpectedly bond. I'm a big fan of Sara Pennypacker, and I'm excited to give this novel a try.

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead
Georges is new to his Brooklyn apartment building and is quickly recruited as a spy by another kid. Author Rebecca Stead already has one Newbery Medal under her belt, and if the reviews are to be believed her latest book is just as good.

Three Times Lucky by Shiela Turnage
This book promises Southern charm by setting the book in a small town full of interesting characters. Add in a mystery and we have ourselves the making of what promises to be an interesting book.

Newbery Predictions

In just a few weeks, a committee for the American Library Association (ALA) will announce their selections for the 2010 Newbery Award. This award is granted every year to the most distinguished works of literature for children. In honor of the upcoming award as well as of the conclusion of a great 2009 in children's literature, I'm going to try something crazy this year and make my own predictions for the award. Based on what I've read this year (and I've read a lot!) here are my picks:

Newbery Medal

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

The writing in this book is so incredibly clean and efficient. Every single word packs a lot of punch, and nothing is wasted or fluffed up. The story is deceptively simple, yet plenty complex enough to get readers to really think. The nod to Madeline L'Engel's A Wrinkle In Time with probably appeal to committee members as well, since the books is a much-beloved classic which won the Newbery Medal itself in 1963. Historical works have also been popular with the committee in recent years, only increasing this book's chances. In short: When You Reach Me is a nearly flawless book with interesting characters, great setting, and amazing writing that (even more amazingly) should appeal to most children.

Newbery Honors

Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

This is a stunning, thought-provoking story of a boy with autism. The narration was absolutely perfect and really reflects Jason's (the main character) unique mindset. I loved getting inside this great character's head and seeing what makes him tick. The subject matter is serious enough to grab the attention of the committee but can be broken down into matters that concern children of all backgrounds: Friendship and finding a place to fit in. Here's hoping that the Newbery committe enjoyed this read as much as I did.

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

This story is told much in the style of Richard Peck, an author who has been loved by the Newbery committee in the past. Another story of friendship (a popular theme this year among my Newbery picks), The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had is one that might not jump out immediately to kids, but will appeal with some pushing for its very tasteful yet honest look at racism and race relations in the deep south. I loved the story's short chapters which will make readers feel a great sense of accomplishment as they tear through them quickly, while at the same time giving proper treatment to the book's meaty themes.

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino

You may recall that several months ago I blogged about the wonders of this book and its similarities to Newbery Medal favorite When You Reach Me. In truth, the books are incredibly similar, with their historical settings and perfectly efficient writing. Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle was actually my personal favorite of the two. I loved its stunning look at the complex world of childhood friendships and petty hatreds, and the main character was perfectly drawn as an antagonistic protagonist. However, there's something about When You Reach Me that I can't quite put my finger on that make me think that it's the more likely candidate for the big medal and that Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle will get recognition with the silver Honors award.



Finally, here are a few other titles that didn't quite make my own cut, but have a decent shot at recognition. They help to round out my best-of-the-best list from 2009:

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
Positively by Courtney Sheinmel

Amazingly enough, I actually think that almost all of my Newbery picks for the year have a decent amount of kid appeal to them! Then again, that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I read an enjoyed them all. Does anyone else have other picks to add to the list?