Well, well, well, ELEANOR & PARK wins the mock BOB, and I don’t think anyone is surprised.  It’s already snagged the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and a Printz Honor–and it happens to be the most popular YA book of the year if you check out the bestseller lists and social media reviews.  Is it a foregone conclusion that it will win the Undead Poll?  And does it even need to be resurrected?  Perhaps it will beat all other contenders and make it to the Big Kahuna Round without any help.  We’ll just have to wait until the end of the month to be absolutely sure.

I’d like to take a minute to divulge that I have a slightly different BOB role this year.  Since our kid commentators did such a great job last year, we have decided to let them own the spotlight this year by themselves.  You won’t be reading my snarky comments (but I will be thinking them nevertheless).  I’ve moved behind the scenes to facilitate that end of things, and I have to say that I think our judges may have outdone themselves in terms of the candor, insight, and, yes, occasional snarkiness.  I think you’ll be quite pleased with them.