Mock Newbery 2026 discussion

Some buzz is already being generated for 2016. Here are a couple titles that I am excited about.

Echo
The Penderwicks in Spring

How about you?

I can't wait for The Penderwicks in Spring! I love that series!

I'm so excited for The Penderwicks in Spring! Seems like we've been waiting so long for this book.

Can't wait to read The Penderwicks in Spring!

I think they both sound great! The harmonica twist in Echo sounds both strange and wonderful. I, also, love those adorable Penderwicks!

MARK OF THE THIEF by Jennifer Nielsen, book one of her new series Praetor War, about a young slave in ancient Rome ( I loved!! her Ascendance trilogy; the first in that series won a Cybil)

THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

THE CHOSEN PRINCE by Diane Stanley

STELLA BY STARLIGHT by Sharon Draper

I think that Mark of the Thief was even better in many ways than False Prince - which I loved! Love Jennifer Nielsen!

Kristen wrote: "Some buzz is already being generated for 2016. Here are a couple titles that I am excited about.

Echo
The Penderwicks in Spring

How about you?"


I loved Mark of the Thief by Jennifer Nielsen and The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black and I want to read Chris Grabenstein's new book Dr. Libris' Island

I am seeing hype about Draper's Stella by Starlight. I am patiently awaiting the other titles to begin the reading joy.

I also am looking forward to Echo. However, I am also really looking forward to reading Jack by Liesl Shurtliff. I loved her book, Rump. I thought it was the best that came out of the fractured fairy tales in 2013.

The new book by Thanhha Lai!

I did read Echo and absolutely loved it. Beautifully and uniquely crafted.

I'm excited about the new Jennifer Nielsen book as well. I loved the Ascendance trilogy. My copy of Mark of the Thiefshould be arriving this week! Like Czechgirl, I'm also intrigued by Jack Rump was a great book, and I'm hoping Jack will be as well. Echo and Stella by Starlight are the other two I'm hearing a good deal about.

OH-- and also excited for Fish In A Tree!

I just loved Lynda Mullaly Hunt's One for the Murphys so I can hardly wait for Fish in a Tree
!!

When do we start reading? I'm super excited to get started!

Keep your eyes out for the final book in Rita Williams Garcia's Gaither sisters trilogy, Gone Crazy in Alabama. And Rebecca Stead's forthcoming, Goodbye, Stranger. Both are outstanding.

Kristen wrote: "Some buzz is already being generated for 2016. Here are a couple titles that I am excited about.

Echo
The Penderwicks in Spring

How about you?"


I have Echo in my stack to start today!

I totally forgot about Jennifer Nielson's new book - "Mark of the Thief" It is wonderful!

Kate Messner has a new book that just came out called All The Answers. It's my favorite of her books so far. Also, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - although, it may be a bit old for this group - maybe for the Printz.

1

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate is coming out in July.

Kristen wrote: "The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate is coming out in July."

Yay! That one hadn't crossed my radar yet - I can't wait. I'm also looking forward to The Penderwicks in Spring, Goodbye Stranger, and Gone Crazy in Alabama.

Calpurnia, yay!

Oh yay! I loved Calpurnia. Looking forward to reading about her further adventures.

One thing I do to know what books are looking good as they come out is to check Jen J.'s spreadsheet from time to time. It can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c...
This is an older link and will take you to the stars for 2013. Go to the bottom and click on the 2015 stars for the current year. She does a wonderful job!

This spreadsheet is great. Thanks for sharing it!

Thank you! This is very helpful

I've read Stella by Starlight- loved it!
Also, Darkest Part of the Forest left me with that really "satisfied" feeling when I was done! I'm looking forward to several books mentioned in earlier posts- and I had NO idea that Chris Grabenstein had a new book out! I'm going to go read up on that one right now!

I read Fish in a Tree and thought it was great -- interesting, sympathetic characters and good messages without being too preachy. I enjoyed the friendships and the art.

I have these titles for my vacation week:
Stella by Starlight
The War that Saved My Life
Shadow Scale (this is more likely Printz)

Looking forward to Crazy in Alabama (this series seems to get better with each book), Calpurnia, Echo, and the new Rebecca Stead.

I loved Fish in a Tree ( https://thenerdypanda.wordpress.com/2...) and The War That Saved My Life ( https://thenerdypanda.wordpress.com/2...)!

Great reads to promote discussion around empathy and overcoming challenges!

Here are some I look forward to this year:

Gone Crazy in Alabama
Echo
Blackbird Fly
Stella By Starlight
Listen, Slowly
Circus Mirandus
A Fish in a Tree (read that one today)
Fried Wonton
Mark of the Thief
The Kidney Hypothetical
Goodbye Stranger
All the Answers

I'm trying to find Fried Wonton on good reads . Is it by Frances Lee Hall? I can't get it to come up, by author nor title.

Jo wrote: "I'm trying to find Fried Wonton on good reads . Is it by Frances Lee Hall? I can't get it to come up, by author nor title."

I can't find it on Goodreads yet either. It's mentioned on the 2015 Debut Middle Grade Authors page https://fearlessfifteeners.wordpress....

Thank you

I just finished 'Dear Hank Williams' by Kimberly Willis Holt and loved it! It does remind me of another book or movie or something I just can't put my finger on but it was great! I've never read her other books.

I loved A Fish in a Tree!

I scored an ARC of the third in the Mr. Terupt series from NetGalley - Saving Mr. Terupt. My 5th and 6th graders LOVE this series. Also got the Curious World of Calpurnian Tate and a new one by Louis Sachar called Fuzzy Mud. Got a lot of reading to do!

I just finished listening to Fish in a Tree on audiobook. I wasn't that wowed. It seemed to me that a lot of the characters were stereotypes of kids or adults, rather than real people. It could just be the narrator, but it almost felt didactic rather than true-to-life.

I have just finished reading Listen, Slowly. Fabulous read (IMHO), great character development of the protagonist in particular. I'm thinking it's suited to the 11- to-12-year-old age range (versus 9- to 10-year-olds).

Okay, I just finished Goodbye Stranger and I'm head over heels for this book. I feel like I'm just going to call it right now and vote it in for gold. I've liked her other books, but wasn't really enthusiastic. So I'd say I like it as much as both of her last 2 combined. Wow. Age range is solid mature 6th grader - 9th grade (junior high).

I jumped on over to netgalley and requested Calpurnia #2and Chasing Secrets by Choldenko (of al capone fame). I also have an ARC of Shannon Hale's Princess Academy 3.

I read The War That Saved My Life last week and loved it--read it in two days Loved it. Then I gave it to my mom and she loved it too.

Has anyone read All the Answers by Kate Messner? I'm currently reading it now and almost done. Why isn't it on the Watch list?

Just finished The Honest Truth by Gemeinhart. Debut for him. Quite good! Cried ...

Have a stack that came yesterday from Amazon ... Echo, All the Answers and Fish in a Tree. What next? What next? What next?!!?

Carol wrote: "I read The War That Saved My Life last week and loved it--read it in two days Loved it. Then I gave it to my mom and she loved it too."

Loved it, too!

I just finished re-reading Esperanza Rising which makes me all the more excited to read Echo. Got to get my hands on a copy soon.

@Czechgirl, I've read All the Answers and really enjoyed it! (http://wp.me/p5F7Ll-Z)

I just finished reading "The Imaginary" by A.F. Harrold and gave it five stars, easily.

Thanks Jenny! I love your blog! I bookmarked it and then went a wandering around it. Loved it!

Becky wrote: "One thing I do to know what books are looking good as they come out is to check Jen J.'s spreadsheet from time to time. It can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c......"

The above link is awesome! Do you know what the different colors denote?