My Ode to the Debut Novelist

I love that I have the luxury on this Sunday morning to sit with my coffee, enjoy some chocolate chip banana bread that my daughter baked yesterday and actually read the fine script of the Sunday New York Times.  This is one of my vices, when I have the time.  We actually get it delivered on Sunday...Ahhh...it brings me back to my Queens childhood.

In the back of the Book Review, the first section I pull out so I can see what beloved books and authors have made it to the bestseller list albeit a few weeks old, is a column I like to read called, "Bookends."  There's always a question with two authors offering differing opinions.  Today's topic completely struck me--

Why do debut novels command so much attention?

I am a huge fan of the middle grade debut novelist.  In fact, I get a little jolt when I read the biography that says, "This is _____ first book."  Yes!  I don't know if it is because I feel that I, and I alone, can help this author's career.  Hardly, but I love a good book for kids and boy do I love promoting that book, sharing reader enthusiasm with the debut author and just waiting to see how the future unfolds.

Did you know that there are Twitter accounts and hashtags for the middle grade debut writer community?  This year it is 

The Sweet Sixteens

@TheSweet16s

I'm embarrassed that I've only read five of these so far MG novels but I've heard great things about more of them! I loved all of the ones I read--I actually think I blogged about all of them--Paper Wishes, Fenway and Hattie, Counting Thyme, The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes, Hour of the Bees and The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary School. In fact, my students read The Adventurer's Guide and loved it so much they read way ahead for book group. We had a blast in early August with our summer book group chatting with Last Fifth Grade's Laura Shovan.  I don't think a non-debut novelist would do this, but she offered to Skype with us only a day or two before and we were able to make it happen!  It's a win-win situation for both of us--my students are thrilled with the opportunity to meet an author and the new author gets to experience enthusiastic readers first hand.

 

 

Here's the link for the debut novelists from last year:

Fearless Fifteeners

We loved a bunch of those, too!  Circus Mirandus was one of our top Newbery 2016 books, winning an honor from our Newbery Consensus club and we loved Skyping with Cassie!  We also loved Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones.  Both of those were book groups for Newbery and we had the wonderful opportunity to Skype with those fabulous debut women, too. On a side note, I hear there is a Book Scavenger hiding in NYC right now--I keep saying I'm going to hide one in Albany. I have to make that happen.

And I can't let this go without talking about Kwame Alexander.  Even though The Crossover wasn't his debut novel and he had been writing poetry (and prose) for 20 years before, The Crossover is what introduced this incredible poet novelist to the world. I got on board with the book from the beginning, got my students to love it and him and the rest, as they say, is history.

All in all, I love how Leslie Jamison put it in the "Bookends" column.  

"Part of the thrill of watching the [NBA] draft is the possibility of watching the future before it happens, which is also the thrill of of the debut novelist:  the chance to read an author before she has become a legacy, before she has become part of the canon.  It's a chance to imagine yourself, as a reader, inside the greater wingspan of literary history:  Witnessing the ascendance of a debut novelist means witnessing a career when it's just beginning, being part of a moment that will ultimately matter."

-Leslie Jamison

I couldn't have said it any better.  I thrive on being part of history and being "one of the firsts."  Now off to read to be part of history...

ps-Looking ahead, here is the link for next year's debut MG and YA novelists:

The Swanky Seventeens

Newbery Flags!

It is the eve of the 2016 ALA Youth Media Awards!  I can't believe a whole year has passed since students read, shared, debated, Skyped, made book trailers and just plain got  SO excited about  The Crossover that they missed football parties just to read or make a poster promoting the book. Incredible.  What an amazing year it was for Kwame, but definitely for all of us in Castleton, too.

Hard to believe that tomorrow we will have another Newbery winner.  How exciting!

On this eve of the ALAYMA, I wanted to share the Newbery flags that the fifth graders created.  They are pretty remarkable and are now hanging all over the library.  Is the winning book in there?  In 12 hours we should know!

I love the broken heart between Trent and Fallon.

I am thinking this book will win an honor!  And Cassie promises she will Skype with us to let us know the answer to the question, "What will you do if you win the Newbery?"

The kids in this book group LOVED LOVED LOVED Echo!  I love how they connected the stories in this flag with the harmonica.

It's clever how they made the three books here.

The winner of our Newbery consensus.  This is an amazing depiction of the book.

I love how they put the nicknames first.

The kids LOVED this book!  It got far (championship round) in our debates because they were so passionate about it.

This is a powerful flag.

I love the rainbow socks.  And did you know, today is Victoria Jamieson's birthday?  If she wins tomorrow that would be a pretty sweet birthday present!

I love this book for Newbery or Caldecott or both!  

We love Nikki Loftin and the kids LOVED Wish Girl! What a simple, but great way to depict the valley.

The kids also loved Fuzzy Mud.  Check out the rash going through the flag. Ewww...

So as you can see, the kids worked really hard on these and it paid off.  I love how they are flying throughout my library.  If one or more of these win, I will just have to put a gold or silver sticker right on the flag.

And if this whole 10+ week project (we've been doing it since October!) which has gotten 61 kids totally excited about reading and tomorrow's announcement doesn't show that author's need to go on the Ellen Show, I don't know what does!  #KidLitOnEllen  Pass it on!

We've Come to a Newbery Consensus

This afternoon from 2:30-4:30, 15 students and 3 adults sat in a circle attempting to come to a consensus about which book should win the 2016 Newbery Award and which, if any, should get honors. We had never done this before and had no idea how it was all going to turn out.  Would we be twiddling our thumbs by 3:00?  Would we need more time? Who knew? We probably could have used another half hour or so.  We did, however, manage to come to a consensus.  The "Starbucks" helped along with the pile of sweets.  Isn't that what they will have the weekend of January 8-10 in Boston this year?  Now we are totally DYING to know what they decide!

Private meeting.  No one disturbed us for 2 hours.

Cupcake in the ice cream cone

 Does this look like the real committee or what?  I went to Starbucks yesterday and asked for the red cups.
I brought in hot cocoa mix and voila! We are the authentic committee!

 Check out the SmartBoard.  We used images of the covers of the book to guide us.  Once a book was eliminated we deleted the image.  We started off with 30 books.  This is pretty early on since there are still 22 books up there.

 Busy at work discussing good books!

 Could we have any more snacks?!

Hot cocoa with a glimpse of someone's list.  

At the "midnight hour" this is what we came up with:

2016 Newbery Gold

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

2016 Newbery Honors

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

The Two Hold Outs

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff*

Winne: The True Story of the Real Bear that Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally Walker**

*This is where we got a glimpse of how challenging it must be to come to a consensus.  One boy really felt strongly about Lost in the Sun.  He was not going to budge.  We could see him getting emotional.  He was attached to that book, and that was perfectly ok, except that we ran out of time.  So, we kept it on the table.  

**Another student said "Winnie is such a sweet story" and it deserved to win.  No budging there, as much as we tried and again, we had to leave.  My prediction?  Maybe we would have been swayed to include Lost in the Sun as another honor but I don't think Winnie would have made the cut.  Perhaps it will get a Sibert and we will all be happy.

I'm pleased!  A great experience with a great outcome!  Looking forward to our debates beginning on January 4, and of course, the true reveal on January 11.  Happy Reading!

Circus Mirandus-Book Group #1

Meeting of the Minds at Panera!

This is how I know I love my job so much.  It's late afternoon in early July.  I am sitting in Panera waiting for seven rising 5th and 6th graders to show up and join me for some cookies and snacks and I am excited!  Wow! These kids were great! We squeezed into a booth and just talked about Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley for 45 minutes!

We discussed our questions, the genre, the theme, the settings, the plot, the characters, everything! And they were so excited to talk about it!  I really didn't have to bring them back on course at all! 

Here are some of their thoughts:
"The theme is courage because Micah was not afraid to stand up to Aunt Gertrudis and he still went into Circus Mirandus even when he didn't have a ticket."
"I'm like Micah because he always stood up for his beliefs."
"My favorite part was when Micah crossed the hole.  My favorite character was the Lightbender.  I like Jenny Mendoza because like her, I would have to see it to believe it."
"Thumbs Up!"
"I liked that it was about magic and fantasy.  I rate it a 4 1/2 [out of 5].  I liked that it started out with a normal life and then the story explained about Circus Mirandus."
"I like Chintzy because she has a lot of attitude."

THIS NEXT ONE HAS A SPOILER!!!!

"4 [out of 5].  I think that they should have mentioned more about Jenny.  I also think  ***SPOILER ALERT**** the grandpa should have stayed alive.  I liked how Grandpa Ephraim thought about Micah instead of himself."


There you go! From the mouths of students they all give it a THUMBS UP!

And of course, we LEAPT!

1-2-3...

JUMP!

 A great time was had by all.  Happy reading folks! 

 

The next book group (Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman) 

will be held at the Castleton Public Library on Wednesday, July 15 at 4:30.  

Circus Mirandus

Circus Mirandus

By Cassie Beasley

Can you believe this banner?  I want it for my library!!!!

Cassie wasn't at ALA but they gave away signed books and animal crackers! #Awesome

 

This book is another fabulous one in the magical realism genre.  If you liked Natalie Lloyd's Snicker of Magic last year you will love this!  When Micah Tuttle's grandfather, Ephraim, was younger he was in the magical Circus Mirandus.  The kind of circus we would all love to go to!  Now Ephraim is not well and he is asking to use his saved miracle from the past that he got from the "Lightbender." Micah, with the help of his friend, Jenny find the Circus Mirandus, the Lightbender and Mr. Head to try and get Ephraim's miracle and save him.  Wow.  Talk about magical.  It reminded me, too, of Megan Frazer Blakemore's delightful 2013 MG novel, The Water Castle.  Circus Mirandus is beautifully written with fabulous quotes you will hold on to for a long time.  I imagine that kids who like realistic fiction and/or fantasy are going to love it.




 Here are just a few of my favorite quotes. There are many more scattered throughout:

"It's important when you see magic, to recognize it." (p.34)

"Just because a magic is small doesn't mean it is unimportant…

Even the smallest magics can grow." (p.120)

"…when you try too hard to hold on to something, you break it…

Sometimes we need to let go so that other people can have their chance at the magic." (p.221)

Tomorrow I have a book group meeting at Panera to talk about the book!  I can't wait to hear what the kids thought!