YMA 2021 version

Mrs. Warland was featured prominently in my dream last night. I'm sure it was because I was missing her being by my side this week. Monday wasn't the same without her keeping me sane cutting cake, leaping, screaming, crying and just sharing in the pure joy and excitement of Youth Media Awards.

But alas this was, and continues to be, a different year. There was a little applause, some shrieks but nothing like the past and no cake. The only Newbery book Mrs. Warland read was Rita Williams-Garcia's One Crazy Summer and that was this summer when she had to call me to tell me that it is SO good and deserves the Newbery. "Ummm...Doe? Do you see the stickers on the cover?" It did win! IN 2011! But honestly if it wasn’t for her reminding me how great that book was I wouldn’t have reached out to Rita to appear on Author Fan Face-off, so really nothing is lost. (Her filming is in a couple of weeks. I should probably reach out to Doe for some questions...)

I’m exhausted from my week long YMA parties and celebrations. I watched the Caldecott awards 10x; Sibert 14x (we had Honeybee on our Caldecott list), CSK 10x (hooray for Magnificent Homespun Brown).  And unbelievably Newbery only twice: once live in the 5th grade class I had while it was going on and then later that afternoon with the Newbery Navigators. Coincidentally, though, a 5th grader in that class was reading The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and pulled it out of his backpack just after the Pura Belpre announcement. Woohoo!

I also read the Geisel winner (thank you JLG) multiple times to K and 1, when I had time. It is perfect and well deserving of the award says kinder Lilly. 

These kids didn’t miss the cake they never knew existed but I did. Instead they enjoyed a little treat of a gold medal (aka gelt in my world) or a gold kiss (yes, they actually make them gold without almonds). Cupcake love in the form of cupcake holder medals (which surprisingly went over very well!) and a gold photo booth! One group of second graders loved the photo booth so much they came back again and again for silly shots.

 

So happy for all the winners but especially two time Newbery and Sibert honor Christina Soontornvat, (ICYMI we posted a special AFF on Tuesday in her honor), HONEYBEE, Mr. Cc’s We Dream of Space, my second graders Outside In (which we celebrated a book birthday for) and the gorgeous We are Water Protectors (which we also celebrated a book birthday). Oh and Sunday night I downloaded Welcome to the Pity Party after attending a Jewish Libraries midwinter event (I kind of want to join as a librarian who is Jewish but doesn't work in a Jewish library. Is that kosher?) and was literally late for work this week because I had to finish it. Speaking of Sydney Taylor, A Place at the Table got a notable. Woohoo! Check out their AFF, too.

Yay, Christina!

Yay, Saadia!  Yay, Laura!

All in all a good week. The kids seemed genuinely sad when I said it was the last meeting of our Caldecott Committee. Hmmm...maybe it doesn’t have to be? We’re already a month into book releases eligible for 2022...

A slide from our Sibert voting day last week. Both of these won stickers!

Definitely going to be a future blog post if I can get my act together! 💓

'Twas the Night Before YMA 2021 version

I still have all the feels of the night before the Youth Media Awards and so many other ones, too.  

Newbery

The closest I came to my typical quarter long Newbery project was my after school Newbery Navigators club.  A handful of dedicated readers read a bunch of books.  One loves Echo Mountain.  Another Mananaland. Every single one of them When Stars Are Scattered.  We read Clean Getaway aloud so of course we'd be thrilled to see Scoob and G'ma get some love. Over the summer, 4th grade teacher Mr. C swore that he didn't have to read another 2021 book because he already read the winner, We Dream of Space. Maybe this is the year for nonfiction and we'll be placing a sticker on All Thirteen or The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh (too old?). 

Caldecott

My 2nd and 3rd graders were on the "Caldecott Committee." What a year for picture books!  We read and scored as many as we could but I'm afraid that I still missed a bunch.  The third graders LOVED A New Green Day and the second graders couldn't get enough of Lift.

I force the kids to make one choice, but not me. This is a good thing. There's no way I could pick my favorite. I love We are Water Protectors, Outside In, Hike, In a Jar, The Old Truck....honestly, I love them all.

  

And because this year I have a fixed schedule, I'll be celebrating all week long.  I bought gelt (gold coins) and gold Hershey's kisses (without almonds) as my treat and hope that is festive enough for our "party day." I also found a gold backdrop for photo ops and some gold balloons.  Happy Youth Media Day.

Sibert

I was fortunate enough to run into 4th grade ELA teacher, Mrs. Roe, in the stairwell in November.  We chatted for about five minutes and came up with a Sibert Smackdown plan.  She would read books aloud and I would read others over Flipgrid.  4th graders read over a dozen Sibert Smackdown contenders. Considering that I didn't think they would read any, this is amazing!

With all but one class voting, the top two winners are Crossings and Your Place in the Universe.

If you can't sleep tonight or woke up early and want to watch a little preview before the announcements, feel free to check out their flipgrids: https://flipgrid.com/ff7c379e

Geisel

Ugh. I love Geisel.  I've met some amazing people through the Geisel project including Stephen Savage, Anna Kang and Chris Weyant, Jonathan Fenske (who always makes me lol).  Even though I have only read a few of the Geisel contenders, Egg or Eyeball is my favorite with Baloney and Friends and Mo and his squished jelly doughnut as close seconds.

And that's my wrap.  Tomorrow will be nothing like any other year but I'm hopeful it will still be exciting. I'll be celebrating all week and really putting my acting skills to test.  Find me on Friday afternoon to see if I'm as surprised at the announcements as I am tomorrow.  But now it's time for me to hit my pillow.  See you on the other side.

Cupcakes Under My Mask

I am going to be sneaking a lot of cupcakes under my mask today. It is a BIG book birthday day.  

In any other year, planning a party for the 4th day of school would not have phased me.  I don't want my new fixed schedule to dictate what I can and cannot do.  It just may take me a little while to figure out what I can do.

Until then, you and I can raise our glasses and savor the frosting for the following books (my cupcakes are in my lunch box):

I am One: A Book of Action by Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds

I am totally just going to download this book today and share with everyone.  Two years ago Susan Verde was our gala visitor and our theme for the whole school year was "I am Me."  I can't wait to read this book. Period. Happy book birthday, Susan and Peter. (And Happy International Dot Day, too!)  Susan--I hope you will be celebrating your birthday mark with roasted cauliflower and broccoli!

PS: If you are remote or get home early, here's an event for you (personally, I will be teaching a second grade class at this time still)

 

TODAY at 2:30pm: Join @GirlScouts and author Susan Verde for a read-along of “I Am One: A Book of Action.” Sometimes taking action starts by simply raising your hand! 🙋‍♀‍ #kindergarten #GSatHome https://t.co/uv7etpBLyi pic.twitter.com/spNE0unQYz

— Girl Scouts of NE OH (@GSNEO) September 14, 2020

No Place for Monsters by Kory Merritt

I admit, I don't know much about this book except that it was blurbed by Jeff Kinney, Brian Selznick and Max Brailler.  It must have triggered interest during some Fall books webinar this summer as I put its birthday on my calendar.   It's a highly illustrated middle grade novel that I'm sure we will all find fans for quickly and easily.

Nothing in Common by Kate Hoefler and Corinna Luyken

This book was mentioned at at least two fall book previews.  I have loved Corinna's illustrations since her debut, The Book of Mistakes came out in 2017.  This one looks beautiful as well with a great message.  If I was having an in person book birthday party, I would print out these pages for the "goodie bags" and maybe eat doughnuts (any excuse for doughnuts). You know--doughnut binoculars of course!

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Three Keys by Kelly Yang

Is there anyone who didn't love Front Desk a couple of years ago? Kids and adults.  We all did.  The sequel comes out today! I can pretty much guarantee that it will be on my Newbery 21 list and I haven't even read it yet!  Check out this offer from Kelly:

I’m giving this video for FREE to all Title I school. If you’re not a Title I school, you can get this video for FREE with a minimum purchase of THREE KEYS through your local indie bookstore—email me at kellyyangauthor@gmail.com! #ThreeKeys #FrontDesk #OutTomorrow #ShopIndie pic.twitter.com/gnotKESQsX

— Kelly Yang (@kellyyanghk) September 14, 2020

The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found #4 by Karina Yan Glaser

It seems like just yesterday that we were reading Karina's debut Vanderbeeker novel and now there are four! Happiest of book birthdays to the newest addition to this fun loving family series.  Are you new to the Vanderbeeker world or just need a refresher? This one's for you:

 I'm sure there are many more birthdays today but my stomach can only handle five cupcakes and two doughnuts (with a side of a Samoa during the I am One event). Happiest of book birthdays to all! 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

Letters from Cuba

Happiest of book birthdays today to Ruth Behar's Letters from Cuba.

My Fountains of Silence trip to Madrid was still on the forefront of my mind when I read this book back in early, pre-Covid March. I was all set to plan my next international trip. Little did I know how much the world would change in a matter of days.

And here we are 5 1/2 months later celebrating the book birthday of the story of Esther, a Polish immigrant in Cuba.  It's 1938 and Esther joins her Papa in Cuba, leaving behind her sister, Malka, three brothers, her mother and Bubbe.  Together Esther and Papa work hard to save money to bring them all to Cuba. This is their story as Esther's letters to Malka.

I loved this book.  Thought it was even better than Ruth's Pura Belpre winner Lucky Broken Girl, which says a ton coming from another Briarwood PS 117 girl. It teachers us so much about hope, perseverance, acceptance, diversity, coping with prejudice. Read it with Emma Otheguy and Beatriz Vidal's Marti's Song for Freedom, Margarita Engle and Mike Curato's All the Way to Havana and another new middle grade novel about immigrants and food, A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan. Yes, I love when food shows up prominently in my books and this one is no exception. To begin with you will be yearning for challah, sour cherry tea, latkes and bananas.

Need to take a trip without getting on a plane or even in a car? This book is perfect then. Find Letters from Cuba today, cozy up in your favorite reading spot and bon voyage.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

My son has been a baking fiend throughout quarantine.  We are overly stocked with all purpose ("AP" as we affectionately call it), bread flour, yeast and butter. When there is still a container full of flour and one unopened bag in the pantry, it goes on the grocery list. So it would behoove me not to have him bake my birthday cake next week.  "Do you want the seven layer rainbow cake?" he asked. Perhaps.  I consider the cleanup.  Although, I really can't complain. He has become quite responsible on that front. Then I finished From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks and am now craving Zoe's Froot Loop Cupcakes. Hey! I call June, JunACEY so who says I can't have both?

I love 12 year old Zoe. She is strong willed and curious.  She's a future baker AND criminal justice lawyer. I honestly wonder what she will eventually become.

Zoe lives outside of Boston with her parents and next door to her best friend, Trevor.  She's been mad at Trevor for months but can she really not be on speaking terms with him all summer? Finally, she opens up as to why and he becomes her partner, not in crime, but in getting a crime undone, so to speak. 

On her birthday, Zoe opens up a letter from her biological father, Marcus, who has been in prison since before she was born.  This intrigues her and she writes him back. Turns out, Marcus has been writing every year on her birthday but her mom has always intercepted the mail before Zoe. With help from her grandmother, Zoe begins a relationship with Marcus unbeknownst to her parents. After Marcus tells her that he's innocent, Zoe puts on her investigative hat and there is no stopping her till the truth comes out.

I listened to this book and it's read by one of my favorite readers, Bahni Turpin. Sometimes you hear a voice and you can't get the other books they have narrated out of your mind.  Not with Bahni.  Even though I knew she read Angie Thomas (amazing!) and Nicola Yoon's books (and I just saw she is narrating Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's new one, Fighting Words), she was a unique Zoe. Download it now to be part of the June-is-#audiobookmonth party.

It is guaranteed that when you read the book, you will not only crave the cupcakes, but also JP Licks ice cream (I've been there!) and mac and cheese. Your ears will also want to listen to the Little Tomato playlist.  Thankfully, Janae Marks has it on her website. I'll save you the step and share it here (but do visit her site for all the extras in one place):

Now more than ever, all middle grade readers need to meet Zoe Washington. Personally, I'm always thinking about the fall and my fifth grade Newbery project.  From the Desk of Zoe Washington will definitely be at the top of my list. I'll be rooting for you, Zoe!