Reading List #2
- Almost There and Almost Not by Linda Urban (added 9/30)
- Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B Alston
- The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo (added 9/30)
- Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera (to be discussed 12/9)
- Clues to the Universe by Christina Li (to be discussed 12/9)
- Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (added 9/30)
- Down to Earth by Betty Culley (to be discussed 12/9)
- Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden (added 9/30)
- Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen (added 9/30)
- Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins (added 9/30)
- The In-Between by Rebecca Ansari (to be discussed 12/9)
- Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt
- The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor (added 9/30)
- The Lion of Mars by Jennifer Holm
- Middletown by Sarah Moon (to be discussed 12/9)
- Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena (added 9/30)
- The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Leviathan (added 9/30)
- The One Thing You’d Save by Linda Sue Park (added 9/30)
- Pony by R.J. Palacio (added 9/30)
- Red White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (to be discussed 12/9)
- Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen
- Root Magic by Eden Royce
- The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga (added 9/30)
- Starfish by Lisa Fipps
- Strong Like the Sea by Wendy S. Swore (to be discussed 12/9)
- Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
- The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold (to be discussed 12/9)
Goodreads Group
We'll also be using the RI Mock Newbery Goodreads Group to discuss each of the titles on the first reading a list. A thread is being created for each title and we'll use the comments from the Goodreads discussions as a springboard for our virtual discussions. Start out by introducing yourself in the Introduction thread! Not a member of the group? Click the button below to join now!
The Newbery Turns 100
ALSC is celebrating a century of the Newbery Medal with free events. You can also check out the anniversary merch at https://alagraphics-gift-shop.myspreadshop.com/newbery100
Free Virtual Symposium: The Newbery Medal at 100
Friday, November 5th beginning at 9AM Central. Zoom Registration Available Here.
Registration is limited for this day-long virtual symposium hosted in collaboration with the Center for Children's Books at the University of Illinois! Recording will be available through the Center for Children's Books following the event.Free Webinar Recording: Problematic Award-Winning Texts: Daniel Boone, the Newbery Award, and Children’s Librarianship
(Recorded on September 28, 2021)
According to Melanie D. Koss and Kathleen A. Paciga, "Newbery Medal winners rarely go out of print... since its inception, only one book is currently out of print, Daniel Boone by James Daugherty (1939), due to extreme racism and perpetuation of stereotypes" (2020).* But after 100 years, are all the Newbery titles still relevant to today's young readers? Should librarians continue to keep Newbery award-winners as part of their collection, no matter how old they are? What do we do with Doctor Dolittle?
In a panel discussion, Dr. Rob Bittner (LGBTQ Youth Literature Specialist), Megan Schliesman (Cooperative Children's Book Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison), Dr. Junko Yokota (Center for Teaching through Children's Books at National Louis University) and moderator Edith Campbell (Indiana State University) discuss the myriad issues at play with the Newbery and its (sometimes not too bright) legacy: the lasting impact of the medal on the dissemination of a text and its continued place in cultural conversation and on a publisher's backlist; the role of the medal as a contemporary signifier in children's literature; and the impact of the medal on the day-to-day issues for those serving children and families in libraries, including collection development and audits. The panel discussion will be followed by a Q&A.
Newbery Criteria
Criteria:
1. In identifying "Distinguished Writing" in a book for children,
a. Committee members need to consider the following:
- Interpretation of the theme or concept
- Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization
- Development of a plot
- Delineation of characters
- Delineation of setting
- Appropriateness of style
Note: Because the literary qualities to be considered will vary depending on content, the committee need not expect to find excellence in each of the named elements. The book should, however, have distinguished qualities in all of the elements pertinent to it.
b. Committee members must consider excellence of presentation for a child audience.
2. Each book is to be considered as a contribution to American literature. The committee is to make its decision primarily on the text. Other components of a book, such as illustrations, overall design of the book, etc., may be considered when they make the book less effective.
3. The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media (i.e., sound or film equipment) for its enjoyment.
Note: The committee should keep in mind that the award is for literary quality and quality presentation for children. The award is not for didactic content or popularity.
Adopted by the ALSC Board, January 1978. Revised, Midwinter 1987. Revised, Annual 2008.
