This past fall, the Columbia Public Library hosted its fourth season of the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery program. Youth in grades 4-8 were invited to join us twice per month to discuss possible Newbery Award contenders for 2015. The John Newbery Medal is an award given annually for the most distinguished contribution to American Literature for children. At these interactive sessions, we discussed six Newbery contender books, and kids were able to defend the book they felt deserved the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Award.
This year we read the following books:
- “ Echo” by Pam Munoz Ryan
- “Circus Mirandus” by Cassie Beasley
- “A Handful of Stars” by Cynthia Lord
- “The Marvels” by Brian Selznick
- “Rhythm Ride” by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- “The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Our group looked at criteria similar to those used by the Newbery Award Committee members when considering top book selections. Was the book well organized? Did it have a clear beginning, middle and end? Is the book well rounded? Are the characters well described? Are they 3D or flat? Are you able to imagine what they look like? Is the style of writing consistent throughout the book?
The winners for the 2015 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Award are…
1st Place
“The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
2nd Place
“Circus Mirandus” by Cassie Beasley
3rd Place“Echo” by Pam Munoz Ryan
The American Library Association will announce this year’s official Newbery Medal winner during The 2016 Youth Media Awards, Monday January 11. To find out more about the ALA Youth Media Awards, visit the organizations’ website.
