Printz
I’m going to be honest and say that I thought last year’s winner, Going Bovine, was dreadful. I mean really, really bad. Clearly this is a minority opinion, and I know many people see lots of greatness in the book, but I disliked it intensely. My dislike of last year’s winner informs my predictions for this year. And by that I mean: I fear that a book I really disliked will take the prize. And that book is…
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, by Francisco X. Stork. We did a round robin review of this one awhile ago, which you can read here. Oh my gosh it bored me almost to tears. But literary merit, which is how the Printz committee defines the term “best,” often equals boring.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Incarceron, another boring book and one of my predictions from our previous post, took the prize either. The same goes for Will Grayson, Will Grayon, which I haven’t read. Jennifer Donnelly’s Revolution, another book I haven’t yet read, is also an easy choice to contend for the Printz.
Morris
I haven’t read any of the Morris contenders, and honestly none of them appeal to me. They could be well-written and interesting, but as a teen I wouldn’t have picked up a single one of them. Since appeal is a third of the criteria, I don’t think the committee did a hugely great job, but then again, I’m not on the committee, so what do I know. By conducting a very scientific eeny meeny miney mo, I’ve decided to throw my hat in for Guardian of the Dead. Nonfiction
I’m always of two minds when it comes to these sorts of awards. There’s the ones that the committees will like, and there’s the ones I’d like.
Printz
For me, it seems these titles are the realistic top choices:
In my own Printz world, these would see time on the honors or winner list:
I’ve read a lot of books this year — something like 215 at this point — and so few have really stood out as what the Printz committee seems to dig (though even that is something completely mysterious into itself). But if I were a betting woman, my money would be on one of the first four I liked. The Green/Levithan might edge out the others because they’re librarian darlings. If you’ll notice, my list looks remarkably similar to the list I had earlier. Publishers are on to putting out some of their strongest, most award-worthy titles earlier on in the year, so it’s not super surprising.
On a sidenote (maybe someone can clue me in): why did the title of Stolen change when it came to the US from Chicken House? Our US version does not include the subtitle “A Letter to My Captor.”
Non-Fiction
It seemed like a pretty weak year for non-fiction this year, but maybe I say that as someone who doesn’t really select teen non-fiction anymore and thus don’t read it as much. But when the list was announced, one title stood out to me as a front runner:
I have no real reason other than it’s Susan Campbell Bartoletti, and I have loved her non-fiction in the past. This one’s gotten a lot of positive buzz, even outside the librarian world.
Morris
I was a little surprised at some of the picks this year. It seems I’m in a rare position, having actually read many of the titles short listed. There were a number of titles I’m bummed didn’t make the list, including Harmonic Feedback, You, The Mockingbirds, and Split. Many of the titles appear to have come out of left field and many titles that seemed like natural fits didn’t make the cut. I get that it’s a balance of titles, authors, genres, publisher sizes and whatnot (I’ll save that rant for another post) but alas. I wasn’t super impressed with a couple of the titles I did read, particularly on the “appeal” factor for this award. However, one I have enjoyed and think could eke it out is:
I like a good historical fiction, and by good historical fiction, I mean it has to be really good. This one? It’s good. I think it has the potential to suck in non historical fiction readers, and it’s interesting to read a book set in 1926 that isn’t about flappers, the growth of consumerism (it’s subtle), or about wealth. It’s different in a good way.
Since I’m not versed enough in other areas of ALA awards, I’ll defer those thoughts to the lovely Jen.
What I hope will win and what I think will win are in odds for some of these categories. However, in the spirit of the game, I figured I’d share both choices!
I have not yet read any of the Morris nominees, but based on the premise alone, along with reviews I have read, I’m going to take a stab in the dark and choose The Freak Observer. I do wish that the committee had recognized one of my favorite reads of the year, Anna and the French Kiss, which perfectly balanced sparkling humor, three-dimensional characters, serious issues, and sizzling chemistry.
Again, I have read none of these nominees. However, based on reviews alone, I agree with Kelly and choose They Called Themselves the KKK.
Will win: Without a doubt, the book to beat is Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer, which many believed was robbed of the National Book Award. While I did like this book, I didn’t have the love that many others feel toward it. Regardless, Williams-Garcia’s book was marvelously written.
Honor books I wouldn’t be surprised to see: Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Forge, Kathi Appelt’s Keeper, and Pam Munoz Ryan’s Dreamer. I would love to see Sharon Draper’s magnificent Out of My Mind get a Newbery Honor nod, although I’m predicting it will win the Middle School Schneider Award (for “a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.”)
Will win: The two strongest contenders I have seen are either Deborah Underwood’s The Quiet Book or Kevin Henkes’ My Garden.
Personally, I believe that either could take the top prize or gain a honor. I’m also rooting for Mo Willems’ lovely Knuffle Bunny Free, which perfectly (and tear-jerkingly) wrapped by Trixie’s story.
And I think Jonah Winter’s Here Comes the Garbarge Barge could definitely also merit an honor.
________________
I love this post, which is no surprise. Why am I the only person who just couldn't deal with The Sky is Everywhere?
Also, I don't think You was eligible for the Morris award because he wasn't a debut author.
Hmmm. I know he was a debut TEEN author. Maybe that's the kicker.
I wasn't a fan of SKY, either. I mean, I get it and it was certainly well written, but it was so hard to get through.
I love My Garden so much. Even bought a personal copy for my future kids.
I love these predictions (how funny that you all have ones you think will win and ones you wish would win). I'm with Kim on the Printz awards picking things I mostly don't like (loathed Going Bovine). Looking forward to see what's chosen, though. And I just published a review of SKY and while I loved the writing and grief stuff (which sounds weird) I didn't LOVE it. The romance was a bit too yucky for me.
*nods* To be eligible for Morris, you can't have published another book for *any* audience.
My Printz pick is REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly, going on the the-more-I-dislike-it-the-better-chance-it-has theory. But I will admit that I don't think I've read a great deal of "Printz-y" books this year, so it'll probably go to something I haven't read…
Ditto Newbery predictions (though I'm holding out hope for TOUCH BLUE by Cynthia Lord and maybe KEEPER by Kathi Appelt and a lot of people seem to think ONE SUMMER has a chance, which I have read, so that would be good…). That was a really long parenthesis.
I'm working on compiling a bunch of Mock Printz lists and out of 8 lists so far, the books that appear the most are The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, Finnikin of the Rock, Nothing, and They Called Themselves the KKK. Of course, that doesn't really mean much, since I did this last year and none of the honored books appeared on many Mock Printz lists!
@Whitney there is no doubt in my mind Nothing will win the best translation award. Absolutely none.
What a depressing book.
I still haven't read The Last Summer of the Death Warriors (tried twice and couldn't get into it, which makes me sad because I loved Marcelo in the Real World) and didn't care for Incarceron. I would LOVE to see Nothing win the Printz. Do I think it will? Um, not as much as I did earlier this year. Mostly because the Morris and Nonfiction shortlists have me doubting my powers of prediction. And also because I trust in Abby's theory after the last two years and Jennifer Donnelly's already won a Printz Honor. Though I wouldn't mind if They Called Themselves the KKK became the first nonfiction winner.
Janssen, I totally agree with you, and Kelly's review, of The Sky is Everywhere. Yeah, it was well-written and whatever, but I just couldn't connect with it or the characters.
For the Nonfiction Award, I have to go with the Susan Campbell Bartoletti. It's a topic that award committees seem to love, plus it's powerful and well-written. It does the "excellent writing, research, presentation and readability" thing much better than Spies of Mississippi, which is the only other finalist I've read.
I don't know how much appeal The Freak Observer has, but it seems the most…I have no idea how to phrase this (it's been long day)…seems like it has the most award-bait, I guess, of the three finalists I've read.
No idea about the Newbery. re: the Caldecott, I really like The Quiet Book, but isn't the illustrator Canadian and therefore ineligible?
@Trisha I keep going back and forth on THE FREAK OBSERVER. I think there is definite appeal for select teens — those who like higher level, heavily philosophical and mathy/sciency books. I have been torn back and forth on whether it or CROSSING THE TRACKS has a bigger chance, but then I think maybe the NECROMANCER does because it's been blurbed by Sherman Alexie.
GAH there were so many fantastic and strong books not on the Morris list and the more I think about those not included, the sadder I kind of get.
I thought I was the only one in the entire world who was bored by Incarceron! My coworkers have been looking at me like I'm crazy when I say I had trouble with it. So glad I'm not alone!
I'm really hoping Will Grayson, Will Grayson wins the Printz award. Best book I read this year, hands down.
Great post.
You know, Jen, I've been thinking about COUNTDOWN as a real possibility for the Newbery, too. Any thoughts on that one?
See, I liked Death Warriors more than Marcelo (but I also did Death Warriors on audio which I think for me is the key to getting through those books.) But what I don't like about it is it feels like an award winning book adults would pick for teens and while the story was decent, there were several things I didn't care for (review to come soon!)
I'm actually really enjoying Revolution and I liked Sky-it got better for me as it went on, so those are my top two picks right now, although I can see WG,WG pulling out a win-like you said, librarian darlings and you put both of them in one book? My only issue with that book was that it wrapped up too quickly!
Countdown could be up there for the Newbery-I think it has a shot at an honor but I don't know if it'll get the top prize-it's a new format and I thought the pictures wouldn't be easily understood by young readers unless they had someone explaining them to them. I mean, they wouldn't get that the lines on the photos are song lyrics and are they really going to check out the index in the back? So for that I'm not sure they add to the story which might keep it from the top prize, in my opinion.
I LOVED One Crazy Summer and I think I might cry if it doesn't win. I've been cheering that book on all year and I want it to win so much! Man I adored it-and I don't often feel that way about the contenders!
I've only read Hush for the Morris and it was good. I'm still shocked Sky and Before I Fall didn't make the list!
And I pick The Quiet Book for Caldecott too-such a lovely little book that expresses so much in the illustrations which I think is key for that award.