2010 Newbery Medal: which book will it be?

[ConnieAnnKirk]

What are your favorite "nominations" for this year's Newbery?

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I would really like the Newbery to go to a book kids really love and love to read.  I think Rick Riordan is due and since

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series #5) 

  came out this year it's totally eligible (and since Lloyd Alexander won the Medal for his series finale The High King (Chronicles of Prydain Series #5) it's completely doable).  Other books I see kids really reading are

The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Prisoner's Dilemma (Mysterious Benedict Society Series #3) 

Sent (Missing Series #2)  

I don't see very many kids reading the last two winners,

The Higher Power of Lucky 

The Graveyard Book, and I think it's because those books really do push the evelope as far as subject matter.  They are very good books but I don't see kids really digging into those compared to   

Tale of Despereaux 

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler  

The Westing Game  

Caddie Woodlawn  

[ConnieAnnKirk]

Many of the books you list, Melissa, won the Newbery previously.  The Graveyard Book, for example, won last year; Lucky, I think, the year before or so, Despereaux, and several others.

[ConnieAnnKirk]

Here are a few books that are getting some Newbery "buzz" this year.  One of these might win--or not!  Maybe something else entirely.  What books would you "nominate"?

When You Reach Me 

Claudette Colvin 

(The Claudette Colvin book won the Nat'l Book Award).

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon 

Wild Things 

Tropical Secrets 

Love, Aubrey 

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis 

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate 

A Season of Gifts 

[JL_Garner]

I'm never really in the loop on this stuff until after the fact, so I actually use the Newbery and Caldecott winners and runners-up to guide my own reading.

I can't remember, does the ALA announce the leading nominees before Midwinter (kind of like the Oscars), or do they just announce everything at the conference?

edit: Apparently they don't. Well, all will be answered in less than 24 hours.

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I know that. I was using them as examples of Newbery winners that kids really love to read. Or don't feel like reading at all in some cases.

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ConnieK wrote:

Many of the books you list, Melissa, won the Newbery previously.  The Graveyard Book, for example, won last year; Lucky, I think, the year before or so, Despereaux, and several others.

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[ConnieAnnKirk]

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Melissa_W wrote:
I know that. I was using them as examples of Newbery winners that kids really love to read. Or don't feel like reading at all in some cases.

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Oh, ok.  Gotcha.  Thanks!