Mock Newbery 2026 discussion

Our book this month is Candle Island by Lauren Wolk.

Is it distinguished?

I think Lauren Wolk has a gift for writing stories with deep emotional meaning. Lucy and her mother move to an island off the coast of Mane, to start afresh after the tragic death of their father/husband. The islands residents seem hostile to newcomers, and secrets are uncovered that bring about change for all involved. I found it to be well written; not a gripping mystery... rather one that slowly evolves and is revealed over time. Not a page turner; one that adults may find more intriguing than young readers.

I am not receiving notifications from this group any longer and read that others are not as well. Any ideas how to get those going again? I enjoy this group but do not visit the group unless I'm prompted to!

I really enjoyed this one. I found the story, setting and mystery very engaging. I'd rank it in my top 3 reads of the year so far, so it feels distinguished to me.

I like this story, from the setting to the conflicts to the characters. I'm struggling with it because I just didn't seem to connect with it, not sure why. It will be a difficult sell in my library.

I just started this and I already love it. I was rooting for Undead Fox to win it this year, but I’ll be shook if the medal doesn’t go to Candle Island.

Just finished it! This. Was. So. Good. It just unseated Undead Fox for the medal this year in my opinion. The mystery, the way I could actually see the story, hear the music, taste the salty sea air, the donuts- Candle Island grew more delightful with every page. Thanks to this group for the suggestion!

Lauren Wolk has done it again. I love all her books. I believe this one has a good chance to come away with a medal. And now I want to go back to Maine. I loved the special nod to Holy Cow donuts.

I love this author’s writing style. It is a slow burn, so I think it will appeal more to patient readers. It is worth the journey- loved how it all came together. Only thing I would have liked to see is more backstory on the bullies. Has anyone listened to an interview with this author? She has such authentic bullying themes- I wonder if there was something in her life that she draws from?

Pam wrote: "I am not receiving notifications from this group any longer and read that others are not as well. Any ideas how to get those going again? I enjoy this group but do not visit the group unless I'm pr..."

I don't know if you ever found out how to get notifications back, but if you are on a desktop and click on your profile picture, you can access your Account Settings. Then click Account & Notifications and there is a link at the top that says "Choose which notifications you want to receive from Goodreads." About halfway down there is a checkbox to give you notifications on the groups from whom you would like to receive notifications.

I loved this one, and I think my upper elementary students will, too! It has just the right amount of character development to introduce us to immediate friends, those we are suspicious of, and outright villains. The story flows beautifully, with moments of anxiety, relaxation, adventure, anger, and more. I loved the imagery, the empowerment of kids, and the consideration of what art is. The shocking moments helped even out the island pace in the book, and I found myself wanting more. This one would definitely be a consideration for me.

Christie wrote: "Pam wrote: "I am not receiving notifications from this group any longer and read that others are not as well. Any ideas how to get those going again? I enjoy this group but do not visit the group u..."
Thanks Christie. There are two areas where I a signed up for notifications for this group and for the mock Caldecott but I still do not receive notifications of any type!

I enjoyed the writing and the story and the setting, but kept wondering about when it was set. It seemed like present day but there were no cell phones, they had a land line, and the library didn't have a computer. I may have missed it, but I couldn't find anything indicating it was set in the past. If it is present day, it seemed implausible, with kids roaming around getting into good and bad trouble and also pursuing passions like painting, writing, and singing. They'd all be glued to screens instead.

Dana wrote: "I enjoyed the writing and the story and the setting, but kept wondering about when it was set. It seemed like present day but there were no cell phones, they had a land line, and the library didn't..."

Good point, I didn't even think about that! The characters had me so engaged and swept up in the story, I missed the lack of cell phones etc. I don't think it is mentioned specifically, but the Boston Globe suggests it's set in the 60s. I pictured the 80s when I read it because I wanted it to feel like my childhood. My kiddo is reading it now, I am going to ask what time period they think it was set in. That should be a fun discussion!

It took me longer than usual to get into, but once I made it to that 50% mark I couldn’t put it down and reading more was all I could think about. I loved Lucretia’s experience moving to Candle Island and making her place among the residents there. Her descriptions of the world around her are so beautiful and I appreciated how her perception affected her artwork. The secondary characters felt like real people and I was glad that they each had their own talents they were improving on! I ended up really enjoying the audiobook and the descriptions of island life will stay with me.