Orphan Island

The following is more of a rant than a review. It is specifically for people who have read ORPHAN ISLAND by Laurel Snyder... and it contains heavy spoilers!

Read online about why Laurel Snyder wrote ORPHAN ISLAND and you will discover that the novel is a bit of a passion project for the author. She felt like she had been writing novels for others, with the goal of entertaining, and had lost a bit of the childlike passion that comes with the craft. I can respect that. I think it's awesome that Snyder is at a point as an author where she can write something for herself.

The problem with criticizing someone's passion project is that Ms. Snyder doesn't care what I have to say about the book. Her fans probably don't either. She didn't write this book to entertain me, she wrote this book for herself. As I said, whether I enjoyed the novel or not, I can respect that. Many fans of Snyder and reviewers online have enjoyed this, so take my thoughts for what they are. My thoughts.

The hype surrounding this novel was pretty high. It got a lot of crazy love on Goodreads as advanced copies made their way into the hands of fans of children's literature and librarians. When it finally hit bookstore shelves weeks ago, it felt like anyone who is anyone had already read this and declared it a masterpiece.

In ORPHAN ISLAND, nine children live on an island. Once a year, a mysterious green boat arrives with a young child, snot faced and dripping wet. The oldest child on the island, the Elder, must then trade places with the new child and get inside the boat while the boat takes the child away from the island into the mist, never to be seen or heard from again. It's kind of like Survivor, meets Lost, meets The Truman Show, meets Cast Away, meets Jerry Spinelli's HOKEY POKEY.

The setup of the novel is really well done and highly intriguing. "Nine on an island, orphans all. Any more, the sky might fall." Chapter 1 is gripping. There is emotional tension as Deen climbs in the boat and argues with Jinny. Immediately, readers are hooked, wondering what is going on. Where does the boat come from? Where is Deen going? Why are the others staying? How long have they been here? Who else has been here? Sadly, while a few of those questions are answered, the big ones are avoided altogether. Snyder has not written a plot-driven book, but a character study about the blurring of lines between childhood and adolescence.

It's fairly obvious that ORPHAN ISLAND is meant to be absorbed as a metaphor. Jinny, the main character, asks a lot of questions about life. That's actually pretty much the plot of the story. Over 200 pages of a child on a mysterious island asking questions about life. Furthermore, some of the questions are not questions that I felt like Jinny should have been naturally asking (that happens alot, and I'll talk more about it in a moment). I felt the author working really hard at reminding readers this was a metaphor. The approach was too in-your-face, too heavy handed. I would have appreciated a little more plot, with a more subtle approach to the metaphor.

The problem with viewing this story simply as a metaphor, is that it's an easy way out for an author. The details of the world you are attempting to build don't have to add up because a) you're not revealing them all and b) it's a metaphor! I read an online interview where Snyder admits to writing a prologue to the novel that details the creation of the island and after a friend read a draft of the story and then the prologue, she advised Snyder NOT to include the prologue. This friend probably supported Snyder's "metaphor" approach. There's also a chance that that prologue was a let down and didn't deliver the goods, ruining the story. So why risk including it when you can just fall back on "it was all a metaphor."

Here's an example: When the green boat returns for Jinny and she initially doesn't get inside, the empty boat kind of freaks out. It nudges into her and shakes in the water and wants someone to get inside to take them away. Is this magic? How does the boat operate? It seems to know that only 9 kids can remain... So in the end when Jinny finally climbs into the boat with the injured boy, the boat sails away into the mist! What the heck?!? So could the kids have all climbed into the boat in the beginning and just sailed away? Why does the boat leave with two? The thing is, by not answering these questions, Snyder is telling us it doesn't matter because it's all a metaphor for growing up. But that's lazy storytelling. There could be some serious loopholes in the world Snyder has developed and we'd never know.

It became obvious as I read, that we would not be getting answers to the numerous questions arising in the text about the island but I kept reading anyway in hopes that I could piece together enough of the snippets we did get to come to a conclusion myself. But no. Just a lot of questions that might not have legit answers. That's not masterful writing to me. That's sloppy writing. Snyder could have provided these answers and still done so without catering to audiences.

But enough about the ending, because to me, the shortfalls of this book are about so much more than just the open ended final page of the book. Jinny is the only real character that is given any depth and she's annoying. She's selfish and whiny and not near as endearing as I think she was intended to be. The other characters are pretty weak. Ess, the young girl who arrives on the island when Jinny's friend Deen leaves, becomes Jinny's responsibility to mentor and she too is rather annoying. She speaks like a frightened toddler throughout the book despite growing physically and becoming able to perform chores and tasks in her first year on the island.

The characters are too smart for their own good. As readers, we bare witness to two arrivals on the island and both children are very raw. Ess is whimpering, covered in snot, and can barely speak. She knows nothing (but mumbles "Mama"). The last boy to arrive (who I get the strong feeling is somehow related to Jinny, ironically) is similar to Ess, but mentally unhinged and hell-bent on damaging things. If they all arrive on the island this way, how to they learn anything? How do they become anything? The questions Jinny asks about life are questions a normal child would ask about life and growing up, not a girl stuck on an island, fighting each day to survive. Jinny behaves like a girl stuck on a really long vacation, not a girl who has spent years living on an island alone with a handful of other children.

It also bothered me that the children don't have to work really hard to survive. Things are comfy and routine on the island. They start fires, they prepare and cook food, they hunt and fish, they read bedtime stories together. How can they do all this? If they arrive on the island like Ess, how do they become like Jinny? The answer is probably the most problematic aspect of the book to me...

There is a library of books on the island (previously owned by some Annabelle) and the children read from these each night and credit most of their knowledge to what is contained in these books. This is highly problematic to me... How did these kids learn to read? Ess cannot read when she arrives. Neither can the other boy. It's revealed that hundreds of days pass between Deen leaving and the boat arriving for Jinny. And Jinny is the oldest of the nine. If you do the math, this means that Jinny has been on the island for anywhere from 5-9 years. Since she's at the start of her adolescent years, we can guesstimate her age at 12ish, which means the kids arrive on the island around the age of 7 or 8, or younger. And in a few short years, with only peers as mentors, they can read full novels and hunt and fish and prepare food?!? This is too contrived of a plot device for me and extremely lazy storytelling.

In the end, I found myself way more interested in the the mystery surrounding the island than in the characters inhabiting the island. The characters were nothing special to me. The island could have been but we'll never know. I think it's a copout to not provide some closure to the story after providing so much foreshadowing and so many clues to this story being about more than just a metaphor. I'm not sure a prologue (or even a prequel or sequel) could redeem this.

Ms. Snyder is a talented writer. There is sentence-level beauty in some of the passages here and I loved her previous works ANY WHICH WALL, BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX, and SWAN. After the hype this one seemed to gather, it just didn't work for me at all. I shouldn't say I wouldn't read a sequel (or prequel) but since she seems to have written this more for herself than for an audience, to pump out a second book to appease the masses seems highly unlikely so I won't hold my breath. I am really curious to see what child readers think of this.

Summer Reading

That is my summer reading pile. Ambitious, I know. I totaled up the pages in that stack of books and we're just over 4,000. If I started today and read until the second week of August, I would need to read around 50 pages a day. That's roughly an hour a day reading. With three young, active kids, and activities, and yard work, and school work, and Twins games, and vacations, etc, etc, etc. Furthermore, there are no former Newbery Medal winners in that pile and I want to get to a few of those read, and I know there a few newer releases I'd like to get my hands on that are not pictured in the stacks above (YORK, CLAYTON BIRD, ORPHAN ISLAND, BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA).

Shoot for the moon, right? It's good to have goals.

Princess Cora and the Crocodile

What is it about?

PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE, written by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Brian Floca, is about a princess who wants to explore and have fun instead of prepare for her future responsibilities as a princess. 

How is it structured?

PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE is kind of a hybrid of a picture book and an early chapter book. It fits in your hand a bit larger than your typical novel or early chapter book but is much smaller than your typical picture book. The hardcover edition I purchased as 74 pages and the story is told across 7 chapters. Readability is fairly easy and charming, color illustrations are found on every page, sometimes filling the page, sometimes juxtaposed on white pages of text. 

What did I like?

There is a lot to appreciate about PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE. Let me start with the illustrations. Brian Floca's illustrations are really the star of this vehicle. They appear to be outlined in thin black and filled in with light pastel water colors. The characters are drawn simply, yet their facial expressions are packed with the perfect emotion for each situation. The book's entire packaging is really charming.

I also appreciate that Laura Amy Schlitz has set out to create something completely original. There's a lot of rehashing of Grimm stories these days, but writing in a medieval setting is right in Schlitz's wheelhouse and this has such a classic feel while being wholly original. And while some of Grimm's stories have broad, and somewhat dated today messages, Schlitz's message is timely.

A sidebar: A parent of a student once told me that forcing their oldest children into organized sports at a young age was one of their biggest regrets as a parent. Because in hindsight, they realized they could never get back the time their child spent traveling with friends and practicing sports. It was more of a social experience for the parents. They told me they adopted a different philosophy with their youngest child. They were going to enjoy her for who she was, savor their time spent together as a family, and not pressure her into any sports, but encourage her if she was interested of course.

I feel like this parent would really enjoy PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE because the message is very similar. The King and the Queen will never get back the time they spent teaching their little girl science or drilling her as she ran laps. I like this modern fairy tale with a clear message that children today (and parents) can take away loud and clear.

What did I dislike?

There wasn't much I disliked about PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE per se, but I couldn't help but think, "That was it?" when I finished reading it. The plot was straightforward, clean, and well-structured, but nothing about the book really wowed me. Other than Floca's illustrations. In fact, I actually wondered if a no-name author could pass this manuscript off and attract a talent like Floca to sign on. It's a cute story, but without Schlitz's name attached, I wonder if this would have ever seen the light of day.

I was a bit bothered by the ending. In typical Grimm fashion, the adults come off as bumbling, dim-witted villains. I didn't read them as parents who had made mistakes and learned from them, if that was the intention. They are adults who are making a child do work. The problem I see, is that many kids today don't know how to work hard. When they read this, they will see adults making a child do work. This will speak to them. They will also see that child leave that work behind and teach the adults a lesson and by the end of the book, call all the shots. Princess Cora, the child, is in charge. That is a dangerous notion and I'm not sure how much it helps children today. The message is loud and clear for adults. But for kids?

Final verdict?

In the end, PRINCESS CORA AND THE CROCODILE is a cute story from a highly celebrated children's author and a highly celebrated children's illustrator. It will be read and enjoyed by many. Personally, I was expecting a little more.

Me and Marvin Gardens

ME AND MARVIN GARDENS by Amy Sarig King is about an environmentally conscious boy named Obe Devlin. Obe's obsession with taking care of the environment, especially his family's land, leads to social problems as some of the land begins to be developed for a new housing community. Obe also discovers a new species of animal on his family's land and wrestles with keeping the discovery a secret.

ME AND MARVIN GARDENS is a middle grade fantasy novel disguised as a realistic fiction novel. It classifies as fantasy because Obe discovers a new species of animal in a creek on his family's land. The animal eats plastic and leaves toxic scat throughout the housing development.

The novel is written in first-person, narrated by Obe. Breaking up the narrative, scattered throughout the book, are short chapters on gray pages, detailing what life was like 100 years ago. These sections begin vague but become more and more specific to the plot and the Devlin family as the novel nears its end. There is some mystery that strings readers along in subplots, like why Obe tends to get bloody noses easily, what happened to his friendship with Tommy, and what led to the Devlin land being taken away.

ME AND MARVIN GARDENS reminds me of children's novels like HOOT by Carl Hiaasen and OPERATION REDWOODS by S. Terrell French. Children in general, love the environment and are sensitive to taking care of it when educated at a young age. My 7-year-old daughter is a testament to that. Stories like this appeal to children. I can just imagine my students trying to draw Marvin, and take a genuine interest in protecting him. Likewise, Obe was a thoughtful, endearing narrator who was easy to root for.

I also thought Obe's relationships with his family and peers were very realistic and children will be able to relate to this as well. His friendship with Annie is sweet and awkward and his trouble with Tommy is all to common among kids. Choice Tommy made as a friend have damaged his relationship with Obe (maybe even for good) and this is important for children to read. Furthermore, I liked how each member of Obe's family was portrayed as their own person with their own interests and personalities and how tuned into this Obe was. At one point, Obe wonders if his father would have been his friend when he was younger or if he would have gravitated to boys like the boys in the new development. How painfully insightful! Obe knows the members of his family all have different interests but also discovers in the end, that they are there for each other. I liked the nuanced, non-cliched way this was portrayed.

Finally, I really liked the fantasy take on a story that really wasn't a fantasy. I also appreciated King's ability to be didactic about the environment without this book feeling overly didactic.

The discovery of Marvin is the only aspect of this story that classifies it as fantasy, and to me, it might be the weakest part of the story. Marvin felt a little too silly and goofy. I like that King tried to make Marvin as realistic as possible (dog shape and size, rhino-like skin) but the multi-colored scat and the role his scat played in the story was just a little too much for me. Marvin eating plastic was a strange subplot that was a little more farfetched than the idea of Marvin in the first place. Marvin is used more as a plot device to get Obe to move from point A to point B as a character, so I understand the lack of explanation into his being and his future, but it would have been fun to explore him a little more. The fact that King didn't, seems like a bit of a copout.

ME AND MARVIN GARDENS is a unique coming of age story. While the fantasy elements of this story were a little weak, Obe's relationship drama, with both family and peers, was well done and middle grade kids should be able to relate to him easily.

Short

What is it about?

SHORT by Holly Goldberg Sloan is about a middle school student (who is short for her age), discovering the confidence to embrace who she is during her stint as a munchkin in a summer production of The Wizard of Oz.

How is it structured?

SHORT is written in first person, narrated by Julia Marks, a middle school student who is short for her age. The narrative is pretty straightforward, beginning at the start of summer as Julia and her younger brother Randy audition for and prepare for a local university production of The Wizard of Oz, and ending at the close of the production near the end of summer.

The narrative wanders quite often, as Julia veers off topic rather easily. One situation will lead her to go off on multiple tangent thoughts causing her to ramble on and on. Julia is also still mourning the loss of her pet dog (who died prior to the opening of this novel), and many situations cause her to reminisce about him.

SHORT clocks in at just around 300 pages.

What did I like?

Julia is an endearing protagonist. Her voice is somewhat emotionless, but witty at the same time. There are a lot of clever one-liners in this book. She plays dumb in many situations but understands more about people and relationships than she gives herself credit for. For the most part, she read like a realistic twelve-year old to me.

I also really enjoyed the quirky supporting characters. There is subtle depth to each one of them, from Julia's brother, to her parents, to the adults she meets and interacts with during the production. Julia learns a lot from paying attention to the adult mentors in her life, like Shawn Barr, the director; Olive, the dwarf actress; and Mrs. Chang, her elderly neighbor turned costume designer.

I also thought the setting was great. The behind-the-scenes theater preparation was very descriptive and authentic. This is probably a testament to Goldberg's experience in theater and film. There is no detail left out as the group rehearses for the production and readers learn a lot about the management and hard work that is involved in putting on a play/musical.

What did I dislike?

While I found plenty of witty humor in Julia's rambling narrative, at times, I great annoyed with her. Sometimes she would go off on tangents for no reason other than to go off on a tangent. Didn't always feel genuine.

She's also a bit of a loner. She's rather up front about alienating herself from her peers in the production and hogging all the spotlight she can. She talks about a few friends and reminds herself to reach out to them throughout the summer but she never does. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, in an attempt to show us how isolated she is from her peers. The adults in the production fell in love with her and I'm sure adult readers would find her endearing, but I often wondered if kid readers would like her or be interested in her. Many of the students in my class would probably not have the patience for the many tangents in her narrative. I got the strong feeling while reading that she was written with adults in mind.

Another thing that slightly bothered me, was the revelation that she was not that short. In fact, Julia does not really even spend that much time in her narrative worrying about being short. She picks Olive as a mentor and is fascinated by the confidence she exudes as a dwarf, but for the most part Julia being short seems like a minor detail instead of being significant to the overall theme of the story. The lessons Julia learns tend to be more about being less selfish than being content with her height.

Final verdict?

SHORT is a sometimes humorous, often times thoughtful book about growing up. It's more character-driven than plot-driven and Julia Marks is an interesting, reflective character. If Julia was a student in my class, I think I would love her. I'm just not sure if the other students in my class would.

Scar Island

I recently became caught up on SLJ's Battle of the Kids Books and really liked Mexican-American author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh's clear and straightforward critique of FREEDOM IN CONGO SQUARE and FREEDOM OVER ME. I thought this format would help me get through my own thoughts on SCAR ISLAND, Dan Gemeinhart's latest...

What is it about?

SCAR ISLAND is about a group of juvenile delinquents attending a reformatory school on an Alcatraz-like island.

How is it structured?

SCAR ISLAND checks in at a relatively slim 249 pages. The story unfolds over 30 quickly paced chapters and the third person narrative focuses on Jonathan Grisby and his arrival and assimilation at Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys. Interlaced occasionally between the chapters are letters Jonathan is forced to write home to his parents.

The story begins in a creepy way, as Jonathan arrives at Slabhenge by boat during the onset of a big storm. He is introduced to the villainous Admiral and his cast of grotesque adult minions and it is clear that Jonathan's extended stay at Slabhenge is going to be anything but pleasant. The plot quickly twists however, when a freak accident leaves all the adults on the island dead and the boys left on their own. There is some psychological intrigue as the boys wrestle with their longing to return home, and their desire for independence and freedom after being treated so horribly.

There are a few mysteries that string readers along, such as what is lurking behind The Hatch, a mysterious, century-old metal hatch buried deep in the tunnels beneath Slabhenge, and the reader is left in the dark about what Jonathan did to find himself in Slabhenge (although there is plenty of foreshadowing along the way).

What did I like?

The opening chapters of SCAR ISLAND are fantastic. Gemeinhart does a great job of pulling the reader into this very grim, atmospheric setting. He writes "a dark and stormy night" really, really well! It feels a little bit dated (we are never given a time period, the characters speak with thick, almost archaic accents, the Admiral carries a sword, and Slabhenge feels like a centuries-old castle) and I liked this obscure feeling.

Once we get to Slabhenge, Jonathan's arrival is filled with tension. The Admiral is so creepy that you naturally start fearing for Jonathan's well-being. He had the makings of a great villain. Likewise, Jonathan's first night in his cell is wrought with suspense.

I also liked the confusion among the boys once they were left alone on the island. Some boys wanted to stick around after being mistreated and experience some freedom and have some fun. However, others just wanted to go home. This confusion felt genuine and I was intrigued by the moral dilemma they found themselves in. There's a line where Sebastian and Jonathan are talking and Sebastian says, "You want to stay so you can be nothing. I want to stay so I can be something." I thought this was a great line and summed up their motivations.

What did I dislike?

Unfortunately, the wheels of the story come off when the adults die. In fact, I almost found myself wishing they hadn't and that Gemeinhart had a different story to tell. Sebastian's rise to power among the boys happened so quickly and I found myself highly doubting that any single boy in that situation, surrounded by so many like-minded boys, would be able to wield so much power so quickly. It did not feel genuine to me, the way the other boys just went along with everything Sebastian commanded. Especially when he starts to punish other boys publicly.

Likewise, I did not find myself connecting to Jonathan. This is the problem when you shroud so much of your protagonist's life in mystery. Readers will want to keep reading for the sake of getting to the bottom of the mystery, but there's not a lot of the character to grab onto. By the time we find out the truth about Jonathan, I found myself not caring much about him. Furthermore, we really don't find out much about any of the boys' pasts. We get tidbits from time to time but without any real glimpses into their past, it makes redemption impossible because we don't even know what they are redeeming themselves from! Being mistreated at Slabhenge for one chapter? I needed more...

Overall, I did not think the story was very exciting or suspenseful. At least, not as much as it was disguising itself to be. The boys acted so stupid, blindly following Sebastian as the hurricane approached, that I didn't really care if they made it out or not. I thought the Librarian character was just plain weird and given way too much page-time and I was disappointed when the mystery surrounding The Hatch turns out to be not much of a mystery after all. I had a difficult time picturing the facility. I also wanted more closure in the end than we are given.

Final verdict?

SOME KIND OF COURAGE by Dan Gemeinhart is one of my favorites in recent memory so my hopes for this one were high. It had all the makings of a HOLES-type book, but fell short of that because the characters (outside of Colin), just weren't very likable. I'm sure some students will find this very enthralling (Gemeinhart is a very good writer), but it just didn't work for me.

1928: Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon

It is generally difficult to explain to others my motivation for reading all the Newbery Medal winners. It is especially difficult to explain it to a 5th grader who is eyeballing you from across the room and can't for the life of him understand why anyone would spend time reading a 100 year old story about a pigeon, when they could be reading Rick Rjordan's latest adventure novel!

In GAY-NECK: THE STORY OF A PIGEON, a baby pigeon (Gay-Neck) is born on a rooftop in India to a young boy. Gay-Neck's mother and father teach him to fly but soon, both die and Gay-Neck is hurried off to the Himalayan Mountains with his master (author Dhan Gopal Mukerji as a boy) and Ghond, a hunter. In the mountains, Gay-Neck faces many of his fears and eventually trains as a carrier pigeon to be used by Ghond in World War I. Gay-Neck and Ghond are both sickened by the death and carnage they witness in the war and in nature and reflect on the meaning of it all.

Kids love animal stories, especially when the animals can talk and are placed in interesting situations. On the surface, GAY-NECK checks off those boxes! Maybe kids in the 1920's saw those characteristics in this title and appreciated it like the Newbery Medal committee apparently did. I can tell that author Dhan Gopal Mukerji has put more thought into his presentation for a child audience than let's say, Will James did with the previous year's winner SMOKY THE COWHORSE, but that's not saying much...

GAY-NECK: THE STORY OF A PIGEON felt like an old house with good bones, but in desperate need of a remodel and fixing up. There are components of the story that I can appreciate, but in the end, the age of the language and the clunky pacing of the plot bored me.

So what is there to appreciate in GAY-NECK? Dhan Gopal Mukerji treats his subjects (Gay-Neck the pigeon, and the Himalayan Mountains) with tenderness and care, again, similar to the way that Will James treated Smoky the horse. Mukerji is very descriptive in his detailing of Gay-Neck's travels and the natural beauty of the Himalayas. The fact that he gives Gay-Neck a voice in some chapters, allowing him to tell his own story, is also evident of this. I appreciated how this was done in a realistic way, instead of an anthropomorphic way. Gay-Neck doesn't "speak" to Ghond or Mukerji in the text, instead we get a peek inside Gay-Neck's head for certain parts of the story where Gay-Neck wanders off and the two humans aren't present.

I was semi-interested in the idea of carrier pigeons, too. I thought this was an intriguing topic for a children's novel. The idea of carrier pigeons helping in WWI is kind of fascinating because it seems somewhat archaic. A quick Wikipedia search however, provides you with tons of information that supports Mukerji's story. The scenes of Gay-Neck training for the war were somewhat humorous, in a Top Gun for pigeons kind of way. There was also some humor in "The Mating of Gay-Neck" chapter, in which Gay-Neck comes out of his wartime funk by getting romantic with another pigeon!

For the most part though, GAY-NECK was a bore. I had a very difficult time understanding what was happening. The long paragraphs and rambling narrative were mostly to blame for this (look for a paragraph break in the photo... you won't find one!). Furthermore, there were issues of consistency with Gay-Neck's voice that I don't think would have made it past Newbery discussions today. For instance, in one scene, Mukerji works hard to make Gay-Neck sound like a pigeon, unaware of what he is witnessing in the war. He refers to airplanes as "metal eagles" that "spit fireballs" yet later, he refers to them as "aeroplanes with sharpshooters." The naivety of Gay-Neck's animal voice did not always ring genuine.

Mukerji's heart is in the right place in GAY-NECK, whether I enjoyed the story or not. There are some relevant themes present throughout about the costs of war and the violence we inflict on each other. Above all, Mukerji wants readers to stop and reflect on the beauty of the world that is preset all around them in nature. I can certainly appreciate that.

Some Kind of Courage

I have held off writing about this one for a long time. I purchased it in a Scholastic book order over a year ago, in the beginning of 2016. I read it merely because it was the only "new" book I could get my hands on at the time. The Newbery Medal had recently been awarded and I felt compelled to get a jump start on titles for the upcoming year. Some of the books I really wanted to read had not yet been released and I have zero access to ARCs. Since I first read SOME KIND OF COURAGE, I have finished roughly 30 other books published in 2016 by some truly incredible authors. Still, SOME KIND OF COURAGE by Dan Gemeinhart remains one of my personal favorites from 2016.

SOME KIND OF COURAGE is set in Washington state, in the late-1800's. After both of his parents (and younger sister) die, Joseph Johnson sets out to recover his family horse, Sarah. Sarah has been swindled away from him by a dirty horse trader. Sarah is all he has left of his family and it is his responsibility to take care of her. Getting Sarah back however, proves to be more difficult than Joseph could have ever imagined. Along the way, he encounters bears, Native Americans, raging rivers, and even a mother in labor! Joseph is accompanied by Ah-Kee, a Chinese speaking boy who has been separated from his own family. Each obstacle they overcome brings Joseph closer and closer to his horse.

It's difficult to pin down exactly why I love this book as much as I do. While my affection for historical fiction has been growing over the years, it is still not a genre I gravitate toward. And I've never really been into westerns. But for some reason, SOME KIND OF COURAGE works for me. I found Joseph to be a very endearing character and I loved his relationship with Ah-Kee. The adventures they encounter are exciting, funny, unpredictable, and paced nicely. This was an easy page-turner. I think my real love for this book however, stems from the reactions I have witnessed from students while reading it. I have read this with two different classes of 5th graders now and many of them have recommended it to other friends. I gushed about this book to a coworker and they too, read it with a group of 5th graders and enjoyed it as much as I did.

I have read reviews that found Joseph's voice to be too good. Too wholesome, and Boy-Scouty. To each their own. I tend to disagree. Yes, Joseph is guided by a strong moral compass, instilled in him by his late mother and father. Doing them proud is all he feels like he can do to honor them. Because of this, I found his voice to be very genuine. Besides, he is not always perfect. He makes some harsh choices along his journey and acts in some unholy ways by the book's end. He has an inner voice that wrestles with this throughout, doing what is right and doing what is easy. But he continues to be guided by his mother and father's wisdom. Because of his determination to do what is right, given his bad, unfortunate circumstances, students have an emotional desire to see things work out for Joseph.

And I don't think this emotional reaction comes from cliched cheap tricks either. Kids today are a tougher audience than they were when I was 12 years old. You can't just kill off the dog in the final chapter and expect children to cry anymore. Kids have so many avenues for entertainment in today's society and many shows they watch and books they read approach material in a more mature way than was done years ago. Kids tend to be a bit numb to plot twists like the death of a major character, because it's done so often now. Suffice it to say, there is an art to making readers care about your characters. Consider Gemeinhart's recent novel SCAR ISLAND, which I just wrapped up reading with my 5th graders. Despite being in a similar heart-breaking situation, my students did not connect with the main character of that story. My 5th graders cared deeply about Joseph and Sarah.

When picked apart, some of the subplots of this story lose their punch. There is a scene where the boys are attacked by a bear and just as the tension rises to a fever pitch and you wonder how in the world they are going to get out of the situation (SPOILER)... Ah-Kee approaches the bear and talks a blue streak in Chinese. The bear is confused and leaves! Later, when Joseph and Ah-Kee barely survive a raging river, they stumble upon a picturesque cabin housing a mother in labor. (SPOILER)... Ah-Kee steps right in and takes care of her and even delivers the baby! I admit, despite my affection for this story, both of these situations seem like stretches of the imagination. Both scenes generated quite a rise out of students, but when stripped down, they could have been handled differently.

I tend to disagree however, with complaints over Gemeinhart's treatment of Native Americans in the story. At one point, Joseph and Ah-Kee stumble upon an injured Native American teenager. Joseph describes him in the following way: "He bared his teeth like a wolf and snarled a word low and mean in his native tongue." Some reviewers take offense to Joseph's comparison of the boy to an animal, but I find this to be a reach. Joseph is a boy living in the late 1800's with little to no experience interacting with Native Americans. Some reviewers have pointed to the Native American chief's willingness to loan Joseph a horse at one point in the story, as being out of character. I happen to appreciate the way Gemeinhart connects their two plights. This shows of compassion in the chief. I'm not sure why this would be considered uncharacteristic.

Despite a few over-the-top moments of belief suspension, I still love this story. I love Joseph and Ah-Kee's friendship and how Joseph has to rely on facial expressions and body language because of the language barrier. This theme of language is present in many of Joseph's interactions with characters other than Ah-Kee throughout the story. "A smile broke across Mr. Strawn's face, and I saw his shoulders relax. He looked past me at the three Indian men and talked to them in their native tongue. A ripple of relief ran through the crowd at whatever it was that he said."

This message of friendship and kindness beyond barriers was powerful and relevant. Joseph's mother tells him, "There ain't no problem between people so big that it can't be solved by folks sitting down and talking about it." Joseph wonders though, "if that particular piece of wisdom would work if the folks sitting down didn't speak the same language." Turns out, a lot can be accomplished by folks working together despite not speaking the same language. Joseph and Ah-Kee are proof of that. This message should speak loudly and carry some meaning in today's culture.

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook

In late 2016, while many children's literature junkies were cramming for Mock Newbery discussions, I kept seeing this title pop up. I didn't see this book generating much discussion online, but it was a title that kept appearing places nonetheless. It received 22 votes on the Goodreads Mock Newbery list and currently sits at #14 on that list. Suffice it to say, ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK by Leslie Connor seemed to fly under the radar in 2016 and that, more than anything, is what drew me to the title. That, and the fact that any book whose jacket cover boasts praise from the one and only Gary D. Schmidt (one of my favorites) is a book that deserves my attention!

Eleven-year-old Perry Cook lives an unusual life. Perry was born and raised inside of a minimum security correctional facility in Surprise, Nebraska. Perry is thoughtful and polite and his presence inside the facility has made a positive impact on its residents. To Perry, Blue River Correctional Facility is home. Life is turned upside down for Perry though when a well-meaning district attorney discovers his living situation while preparing for Perry's mom's upcoming parole hearing. Jessica Cook is nearing the end of serving out her sentence for manslaughter. Forced to live outside of Blue River now, Perry must get to the bottom of what his mom is hiding in her story and confession and figure out a way to derail the district attorney's plans of stalling her parole and extending her sentence.

I loved this book! The concept is highly original and the characters were all awesome. Perry's voice is perfect in a polite, socially awkward kind of way. He brings this positive energy and hopeful perspective to every situation and relationship he is in and it rings true to the sheltered kind of life in which he has been raised. Perry finds friendship in Zoey Samuels who is great as well. She stands up for Perry and helps him in many different ways and their friendship feels authentic. Jessica Cook is given her own point-of-view chapters scattered throughout, letting readers know there is more to her story. She is a beacon of light in Blue River and has impacted the lives of every resident in the facility.

My favorite character however, is the story's "villain," Thomas VanLeer. The district attorney seeking to extend Jessica's sentence turns out to be none other than (SPOILER ALERT)... Zoey Samuel's step-father! VanLeer is well-intentioned in his attempt at giving Perry a better life outside of Blue River (Perry moves in with Zoey's family while his mother's parole is delayed) but terribly naive. VanLeer is such a compelling character in so many ways. He's part Do-Gooder. He's part bumbling idiot. He's part public crusader. He's part self-serving. He really does want to help Perry, but is blind to the fact that Perry doesn't need his help. Perry needs his mother. If it weren't for VanLeer's prying, Jessica would be out. Inside Zoey's house, VanLeer is outnumbered as even Robyn, Zoey's mom and Thomas's new wife, sympathizes with Perry. Which begs the question... Given the number of arguments they have over the course of the book, what is Robyn even doing with Thomas?

VanLeer's presence provides the story with some interesting moral ambiguity for young readers to chew on. During Jessica's parole hearing, VanLeer actually raises some decent points worthy of discussion. Should a child be allowed to be raised in a correctional facility? If so, until what age? Who would be responsible if something happened to him? This is an interesting hypothetical that I think kids would have fun debating. I can see some kids seething mad at VanLeer's actions and I can see some kids cheering him on.

As far as the correctional facility goes, there is quite a bit of suspension of disbelief required. I don't have a lot of experience inside facilities like Blue River, but the place seemed way more PG-rated than I would realistically imagine. I know this is a minimum security correctional facility and this is a children's novel so expecting a scene out of OZ or THE NIGHT OF is probably a bit impractical, and I could see the argument that Perry's presence inside the facility has warmed the place, but still, a PG-13 type of setting would've made this a little more believable. I kept wondering if everyone inside Blue River was so happy? Everyone the reader is introduced to is always smiling and high-fiving and hugging Perry. Maybe a glimpse, even a brief glimpse, at the underbelly of the facility, would have made this setting a little more workable.

The theme of redemption is powerful and uplifting though and this coupled with characters I cared about made up for the cheery correctional facility setting. I am also drawn to mystery stories and while this novel is not a straightforward mystery, I found myself flipping pages faster and faster so I could get to the bottom of Perry's mother's case. Her story was compelling as were the stories of other residents of Blue River.

This was a story I wish I would have read earlier in 2016. I could have seen myself getting behind this on Heavy Medal, if anything, for the sake of discussion. The things this novel does well, like establishing a theme and delineating characters, it does better than many other novels I read in 2016. The areas it falls short, would have been interesting to discuss and weigh. Either way, I highly recommend ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK.

1927: Smoky the Cowhorse

Poor, poor children of the 1920's, if SMOKY THE COWHORSE was the best children's literature had to offer. I started reading SMOKY THE COWHORSE nearly one year ago. I read one-third of it and couldn't bear it. It has sat on my desk at school ever since, bookmark holding strong. Recently, I felt compelled to get back to my Newbery reading so I mustered up all the focus and determination I could and pushed through...

It is difficult to summarize such a wandering epic story. Smoky was born wild, in western United States, He and his mammy are herded by a human and branded, but released. Smoky grows big and strong only to be kicked out of his own family when a black stud comes along and takes the herd for his own. Smoky roams the countryside with a lone buckskin and a strong pardnership forms. This is the first act of the book, and it does not unfold as quickly as I just made it sound.

Act II begins with Smoky being rounded up by the cowboy Clint, who immediately takes a liking to Smoky because of his wild, stubborn spirit. Clint is determined to break Smoky and over five years time, his hard work pays off. Smoky is loyal to Clint, and Clint alone, and earns a reputation as one of the best cowhorses around.

One winter though, while Clint is away during a wild snow storm, Smoky and his group get herded away by the horse thief. Thus begins a turbulent Act III. Smoky doesn't take to the horse thief too well. Smoky is beaten repeatedly for being stubborn and one afternoon, enough is enough and Smoky pounces on the thief and kills him. Smoky is found wandering the wild, taken in by a rodeo as a man-hating, bucking bronco nicknamed The Cougar and becomes famous. After years of headlining the sport, Smoky loses his spirit once again and finds himself as a downtrodden riding horse nicknamed Cloudy. In the end, after years apart, he winds up with cowboy Clint again and this raises his spirit.

Whew!

SMOKY THE COWHORSE was written by a real cowboy, Will James, so one can excuse the poor cowboy grammar throughout. It actually adds to the authenticity of the story. I heard Sam Elliott in my head, narrating. It's obvious that James loves his subject and his passion comes through in his careful detailing of every one of Smoky's behaviors and mannerisms. I read that Smoky was based on one of James's own horses and that makes sense to me after reading. He handles Smoky with a lot of care.

This did not read to me as a book for kids. There is not one single child character in the entire book! The violence in Smoky's journey is heartbreaking and definitely fits in among other sad-animal books for children. It read to me as a love letter from an adult cowboy to a horse he loved dearly. And apparently, according to Will James himself, was never published as a book for kids. This is interesting and raises questions about the crop of children's literature in 1927 considering the committee didn't choose any Honor books either.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Personally, I didn't like it. It took me a long time to finish. It isn't a genre I am interested in or enjoy and Smoky's roller coaster of a journey was a bit too much for me. On the other hand, I can appreciate Will James's authentic cowboy voice and the compassion he writes Smoky with. Smoky and Clint's relationship was nice, in a rough cowboy way and I am glad they found each other in the end.

More 100 Word Reviews

A few more short, economical reviews, SAMURAI RISING being my personal favorite read of the three...

SAMURAI RISING
By Pamela S. Turner

SAMURAI RISING by Pamela Turner, tells the story of Morimoto Yoshitsune, one of Japan's most notorious and ruthless samurai warriors. Turner recounts Yoshitsune's early days as an orphan to his rise as a bold and reckless general in the Morimoto army. The story is taut with thrilling action and layered with 12th-century political intrigue. Readers beware: Few nonfiction books for children are as violent as SAMURAI RISING. Page after page, arms and heads are slashed from bodies. Some of the more famous deaths are treated honorably but most are somewhat dehumanizing. A thrilling and fascinating piece of historic literature nonetheless.

MAKOONS
By Louise Erdrich

MAKOONS is the fifth book in Louise Erdrich's Birchbark House series about a nineteenth century Ojibwe family living on the Great Plains. MAKOONS is considered a sequel to CHICKADEE, centering on twin boys Makoons and Chickadee. Intricate descriptions of the family's day-to-day routines, like their cleaning and utilization of the hunted buffalo, added to the authenticity of this text. I appreciated the amount of humor in the book (Gichi Noodin). I don't know many middle age readers who would get much out of this on their own, but a fun and thought-provoking look at Native American life in the 1800's.

THE KEY TO EXTRAORDINARY
By Natalie Lloyd

In THE KEY TO EXTRAORDINARY by Natalie Lloyd, Emma Pearl Casey is on a mission to discover her destiny. Every female ancestor in Emma's family has had their destiny revealed to them in a Destiny Dream, and when Emma's dream finally happens, her destiny is shrouded in mystery. Fans of A SNICKER OF MAGIC will feel right at home in Blackbird Hollow. Supporting characters and subplots are rich with quirky details and depth. Natalie Lloyd's whimsical writing draws comparisons to Ingrid Law's SAVVY. Unlike Law's books, Lloyds stories are stand alone and highly accessible, EXTRAORDINARY coming in at 227 pages.

2017 Reading Goals

In my fifth grade class, I encourage my students to set goals for themselves as readers. These goals can focus on types or genres of books read, or quantity or amount of books read, or even reading skills and strategies. We check in on our goals frequently and adjust as needed or just simply, reflect. 

I model this by setting my own goals as a reader. I share these goals with my students and reflect on them frequently. For 2017, I have established the following goals:

1. Read 50 books.

2. Read 25 new books (published in 2017).

3. Read 5 nonfiction books.

4. Read 5 former Newbery Medal winners.

I have a mix of quantity and genre and have left some room in my total goal for other interests. I am currently reading 3 books that were published in 2016 and will count them in my goal for 2017 but they don't really fit in goals 2, 3, or 4. A current interest of mine is nonfiction but I don't know if it's a faze yet and a secret ambition of mine has always been to read every Newbery Medal winner so I'd like goal 4 to realistically be more than 5 by the end of the year. I'm sure when Fall comes around and the Newbery Medal is on everyone's mind, new books will dominate my reading so I hope to have some fun this summer stepping outside my comfort zone.

Next up... I close the door on 2016 and share my favorite 10 books from the past year.

Newbery Congratulations

For a number of years in a row now, I have watched the ALA Youth Media Awards live online. In the last few years, when that final screen has been displayed with the cover of the committee's choice for the Newbery Medal, a feeling of "meh" usually comes over me. It's either been the cover of a book I had never even heard of (MOON OVER MANIFEST), or the cover of a book I had read and didn't think much of (THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN), or the cover of a book that I almost read but didn't quite get to (THE CROSSOVER), or the cover of a book that made me scratch my head because a book of its type rarely, if ever, wins the Newbery (LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET). This morning, finally finally finally, a cover flashed across the screen that I had not only read, but loved and fully supported...

THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON by Kelly Barnhill.

First, I was shocked. I was stunned. This book is straight up epic, magical fantasy, with a swamp (bog) monster and a mini dragon and witches and babies left for dead in a dark and mysterious forest. Fantasy is a genre that does not typically fair well in the Newbery but a genre that is a favorite of mine. Second, I was ecstatic because I had actually read it and loved it! Recently, where the Newbery Medal was concerned, this had not always been the case. And finally, I was elated. For Kelly Barnhill, who seems like a genuinely great person and is from Minnesota (my neighbor to the North). 

In fact, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I had read, and could fully endorse all of the books the Newbery Committee awarded. Along with Barnhill's novel, the committee gave Honors to FREEDOM OVER ME by Ashley Bryan, THE INQUISITOR'S TALE by Adam Gidwitz, and WOLF HOLLOW by Lauren Wolk. All three are fantastic!

What a morning!

A few other personal highlights from this morning were all the great Sibert picks (as I've recently taken an interest in nonfiction books for children), THEY ALL SAW A CAT by Brendan Wenzel winning a Caldecott Honor, and WE ARE GROWING winning the Geisel Award (one of my daughter Charly's current favorite read aloud titles)!

But back to the showstopper... I have read two of Barnhill's other titles, THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK and THE WITCH'S BOY. She's been an author I've kept my eye on and been interested in. While reading THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, I couldn't help but smile at random times throughout because I just had this feeling that I was reading something special. A work by an author who was coming into her own. A work by an author who had found her voice and knew she was creating something magical and rare. THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON was different from Barnhill's previous novels. It truly felt like this was the story she was meant to write. It felt as if all of her previous work was her playing around and tinkering with ideas, leading to the moment she would create her masterpiece. 

A little dramatic of me, maybe. But THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON is a dramatic book! Congrats to Kelly Barnhill and all the other authors receiving accolades this morning. 

Ghost

It's been Jason Reynolds' year. I'm not sure there is a more popular name right now in children's literature. Reynolds came onto the scene a few years ago with a few killer YA titles (WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST, THE BOY IN THE BLACK SUIT, ALL AMERICAN BOYS) and garnered a lot of attention winning numerous literary awards. This year he released two middle grade fiction titles, AS BRAVE AS YOU and GHOST, and you will find both of them on most "Best of 2016" lists. AS BRAVE AS YOU is drawing comparisons to Christopher Paul Curtis's work (WATSON'S GO TO BIRMINGHAM primarily) and Reynolds' voice in GHOST is certainly similar, if not more edgy, electric, and raw. GHOST is the first title in a series Reynolds has planned, about a cast of characters on a middle school track team.

Castle Cranshaw cannot quite seem to get out of his own way. Ever since he and his mom left his father three years ago, it has been altercation after altercation in school. But after stumbling upon a group of kids his age practicing track, and impressing their coach, he is offered a spot on the team. Can Castle make the most of this opportunity and stay altercation-free in and out of school? 

There was a lot about GHOST that I liked. I liked that Reynolds has chosen to shine a spotlight on track. So often writers of children's sports literature choose to write stories about baseball, basketball, or football, to appeal to a wide range of kids. It was refreshing to see this sport featured in such a popular book. It should definitely fill a particular niche on library and classroom shelves.

I also enjoyed Castle's relationships with the various adults in the story. Castle loves his mother and understands her so well. He's realistically sympathetic to the hard work she puts into managing their life. He wants to protect her from his bad choices at school but is too impulsive to stop making bad choices. I liked his relationship with Mr. Charles, a grocery store owner too. Mr. Charles provided Castle and his mother with a place to hide from his father three years prior and Castle's obsession with sunflower seeds brings him back to Mr. Charles each day. But it's not really the sunflower seeds he's after. It's Mr. Charles's grandfatherly wisdom and friendship. Castle's relationship with Coach is the most powerful one in the story. For the first time in his life, someone besides his mother has taken an interest in making Castle's life meaningful. This resonates with Castle and he strives to impress Coach at every turn. 

Finally, I liked that Reynolds kept his story under 200 pages. That seems to be a rarity anymore in children's literature. Heck, Reynolds' other middle grade novel this year, AS BRAVE AS YOU is a whopper, coming in at 432 pages (hardcover edition). The plotting of GHOST is tightly structured and Castle narrates at a quick pace. Like the track topic, this was refreshing.

There are some things that frustrated me, however. Castle became a character I had a difficult time rooting for. There are moments where Castle is too smug and arrogant for his own good. I believe this was intentional on Reynolds' part, to show his insecurities, but I held back my empathy for him because of the voice. I also was a bit frustrated that things work out perfectly for Castle by the end of the story, given the mistakes he's made. I don't like the message this sends child readers. There is a moment near the story's climax where I applauded Coach's tough love. But a few flips of the page and it was all for nothing. All is forgiven, and even paid for! 

I was also bothered that Coach doesn't outfit Castle with the proper track gear after recruiting him. Having coached before, this seemed highly unlikely to me. After a few practices of Castle wearing jeans and worn out tennis shoes, it felt contrived (especially given Castle's horrendous decision later on) that Coach not offer Castle some proper practice gear. A man like Coach should be able to scrounge up a few t-shirts, or pairs of shorts, or old shoes. 

While Reynolds' talent is undeniable, personally, for me, GHOST didn't quite live up to the hype it has generated. It's still a good book and it should appeal to kids though. It's short and readable. It has a hopeful plot. Castle sounds like a real, contemporary kid and his first person narrative is definitely something fresh. And it's about track, a sport they don't read about every day. 

100 Word Reviews

In an effort to be less wordy (windy), I challenged myself to write about a few books I had recently read in 100 words or less. It took a little bit of effort and tinkering, but I was able to contain each to exactly 100 words!

Each of these three novels were fantastic, by the way!

MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY
By: John David Anderson

MS. BIXBY'S LAST DAY follows 3 boys, Topher, Steve, and Brand as they skip school on a mission to find their sick teacher and make her day as memorable as possible. Their teacher Ms. Bixby, is "one of the good ones" and has cancer. She is meaningful to each of the boys in ways that are revealed throughout the story. The first person point of view alternates between the boys each chapter and each is given their own distinctly genuine voice. The chapters tend to read long, but the boys' narratives are engaging. An epic story of friendship and loss. (100 words)

UNBOUND
By: Ann E. Burg

UNBOUND is a powerful novel told in verse poetry. Because of her lighter skin and blue eyes, Grace is chosen to work in "The Big House" for her Master, leaving behind her slave family who work in the fields. Grace's tongue gets the best of her and the Missus puts forth a plan to split up Grace's family, selling them at auction. Grace and her family run for freedom in the Great Dismal Swamp. Grace's voice is beautiful while feeling raw and authentic. The unknown future of some supporting characters are my only selfish frustration. A sad, but uplifting story. (100 words)

GERTIE'S LEAP TO GREATNESS
By: Kate Beasley

GERTIE'S LEAP TO GREATNESS follows 5th grader Gertie Foy, who is on a mission to prove her importance to the mother who walked out on her father and her. She is determined to become the best 5th grader in her class but new girl Mary Sue Spivey keeps getting in her way, ruining her mission. Debut author Kate Beasley does a great job of taking a pretty tried and true coming-of-age story and injecting it with some wit and spunk. The unique third person narrative reads as if being told by a slightly more mature Junie B. Jones. (100 words)

2017 Newbery Predictions

The ALA awards will be handed out at the end of this month and the most popular among them, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals. I love making predictions!

To inform my predictions, I've studied the last seven years worth of Goodreads Mock Newbery lists, dating back to 2010. The Mock Newbery lists on Goodreads really informs my reading list each year because many of the contributors to the list are some of the most intelligent, voracious children's literature readers out there.

There was really no other reason to choose Goodreads to dive into, then because it's where I go often to get titles. To see what others are reading and suggesting. There is no correlation between the Goodreads lists and the actually Newbery committee within a given year. Every committee is different.

Having said that, I have noticed a few consistencies between the lists and the corresponding year's actual winners (Medal and Honors). For instance...

• The top vote getter in a Goodreads mock list, has NEVER won the Newbery Medal. Ever.
• In fact, in just two years (of the last seven), in 2016 and 2015, has the top vote getter in Goodreads even Honored (ECHO and BROWN GIRL DREAMING).  
• This is misleading because of popular books like CATCHING FIRE and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, but never has the top rated book in the list won a Newbery Medal or Honor.
• 2012 was the only year I studied where at least 2 Top 10 books from Goodreads wasn't a winner or Honor book. In 3 of the 7 years, at least 3 Top 10 books were recognized.
• 6 times, a book just outside the Top 10 on Goodreads (11-16) has been recognized. 
• Last year's LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET was ranked 66 on Goodreads Mock Newbery poll. As a picture book, I was impressed it was even on the list. Arguably, that wasn't the biggest upset. BREAKING STALIN'S NOSE in 2012 was 90th on the Goodreads list! And it received an Honor!
• 29 books have been awarded in the last 7 years. 12 of them have come from the Top 5 of their year. 17 of 29 have come from the Top 10. 22 of 29 have come from the Top 15. 24 of 29 have come from the Top 20. Only 4 times out of 29 books, have outliers been rewarded. 
• The numbers 2, 3, 5, and 11 are magic. That is, the books that are ranked those numbers on the Goodreads mock lists have medaled or honored three times! This year, that would be WOLF HOLLOW, RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE, GHOST, and SOME KIND OF COURAGE (Yay!)

If it looks like I'm stretching to find some correlation here, it's because I am! At least, it feels like I am. Some years, like 2015, were spot on. Three books (THE CROSSOVER, BROWN GIRL DREAMING, and EL DEAFO) were all in or near the top 5 in their Goodreads mock. 2014 saw the 3rd, 5th, and 6th ranked books recognized. 2010, in which WHEN YOU REACH ME was NOT the top vote getter in the Goodreads poll (CATCHING FIRE was), rewarded the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 11th Goodreads books. 

So I think it's pretty safe that 2-3 books sitting in the current Top 10 of the 2017 Mock Newbery list right now, will probably receive some Newbery recognition and if recent history has anything to say about it, my odds aren't on PAX (sadly, because I still love it). The current Top 10 on Goodreads are:

1. PAX
2. WOLF HOLLOW
3. RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE
4. THE WILD ROBOT 
5. GHOST
6. THE NINE LIVES OF JACOB TIBBS
7. HOUR OF THE BEES
8. BOOKED
9. WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES
10. THE INQUISITOR'S TALE

I think it's pretty safe to assume that 3-5 books will be recognized. I'm going to go in the middle and pick one winner and 3 runner-ups. Of those 4 books, I think 3 of them will come from the current Top 10 on Goodreads and one wild card will come from outside the Top 10.

Here we go. My predictions. Not my favorites. Not the books I would necessarily choose, but the books I'm predicting will win. Drumroll.

Honor Book #1

WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES
By: Julie Fogliano

Currently sitting at #9 in Goodreads.

My reason for picking: Consensus building is often the key. I think this book will easily build consensus.

Honor Book #2:

PAX
By: Sara Pennypacker

Currently sitting at #1 in Goodreads.

My reason for picking: Beautiful writing.

Two years in a row, the #1 voted for book in Goodreads has received an Honor. Before that, zilch. I think PAX keeps up the trend but sadly, I find it being too divisive around the Newbery discussion table to win. The writing is too good to ignore though.

Honor Book #3:

AS BRAVE AS YOU
By: Jason Reynolds

Currently sitting at #36 in Goodreads.

My reason for picking: Surprise! There's always some surprise in the picks. Sometimes it's in the winner. Sometimes it's in the Honors. Jason Reynolds has had a big year with TWO novels getting lots of buzz. GHOST seems to be getting most of the attention but I think AS BRAVE AS YOU will hold up better when being discussed.

And the Newbery Medal will go to...

RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE
By: Kate DiCamillo

Currently sitting at #3 in Goodreads.

My reason for picking: DiCamillo. Everyone loves DiCamillo. I wasn't the biggest fan of the novel, but her writing is as good as it's ever been and lots of others seem to love this. I think it could build consensus. This could be her third Medal, making history!