Jonathan Hunt
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The Inquisitor’s Tale
I like this book very much, and I can easily see the committee discussing it very seriously. It’s strong in virtually every single element that pertains to it–plot, character, setting, style, theme, and accuracy–and yet I’m feeling slightly underwhelmed on a personal level when it comes to plot and theme. The characters in this book are […]
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Yes. There is a witch in the woods. There has always been a witch. Will you stop fidgeting for once? My stars! I have never seen such a fidgety child. No, sweetheart. I have not seen her. No one has. Not for ages. We’ve taken steps so that we will never see her. Terrible steps. […]
Verse Novel Roundup
We’ve already said it’s been an exceptionally strong year for poetry, and if you include novels in verse (not to mention FREE VERSE, a novel that celebrates and incorporates poetry, but is not a verse novel), then it is a phenomenally strong year. We’ve already discussed BOOKED, a fairly strong contender on its own merits, but […]
Tim Wadham: The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones
Tim Wadham has served on numerous award committees, including The Boston Globe Horn Book award, the Pura Belpré award committee twice, and the 1998 Newbery committee. He is a contributor to School Library Journal and the Horn Book Guide. His picture book, The Queen of France was published by Candlewick Press. He lives in Puyallup, […]
Too Old?
ANNA AND THE SWALLOW MAN by Gavriel Savit . . . When I first read descriptions of this book with comparisons to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS and LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, I didn’t think I would like it very much. THE BOOK THIEF is another apt, if imperfect, comparison. The language here is beautiful, […]
Biography
“Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of the man. The biography of the man himself cannot be written.” Mark Twain “When you write biographies, whether it’s about Ben Franklin or Einstein, you discover something amazing: They are human.” Walter Isaacson “I seldom read anything that is not of a factual nature because I want […]
Discussing Diversity
As our discussion of GHOSTS slowly unfolds, I’m reminded of how very unNewberylike it is. Part of that is because it’s virtually impossible to simulate a face-to-face discussion in an online setting, but I also think that another part has to do with process. The committee trades suggestions anonymously through the chair throughout the year. […]
Frank and Lucky Get Schooled
One day when Frank could not win for losing, he got Lucky. And one day when Lucky was lost and found, he got Frank. Sometimes you read a book, and you have a gut reaction to why it belongs in the discussion of the most distinguished contribution of American literature for children, and you can […]
Kirkus Prize Shortlist
The third Kirkus Prize shortlist has been announced and like its predecessors its chock full of Newbery possibilities. Yes, the shortlist always includes two picture books, two middle grade titles, and two young adult titles, but you know how we feel about the Newbery committee embracing the full breadth of its charge. The winner gets […]
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