Elizabeth Bird's 2015 Newbery Predictions--by Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

Elizabeth ("Betsy") Bird is New York Public Libraries Youth Materials Collection Specialist. Which is to say that, in the world of libraries, and people who love libraries, she's pretty famous. [She tweets as @fuseeight]

Yesterday, she wrote a predictions post on School Library Journal, handicapping the 2015 Newbery (and Caldicott) books.

Books featured:
The Night Gardener, by Jonathan Auxier
Curiosities by Gary Blackwood
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin
Greenhouse Glass by Kate Milford
West of the Moon by Margi Preus
Boys of Blur by N.D. Wilson
brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

So far, I've got only the first one in my sticky little hands--and looking forward to reading it. I better get cracking!

Have you read any on this list? What did you think? Any more you'd like to add?

And the Winner is... What are your Newbery Predictions for 2011??

You like me!!! You REALLY like me!!

So, as you can imagine all us Project Mayhem bloggers who had a book release in 2010 would LOVE to find out we were nominated for a Newbery. Long shot, sure, but what children's writer doesn't daydream about that? I mean seriously, can you imagine? 

When I was still looking for an agent and the agent I really, really (really) wanted already rejected me, I used to have out loud conversations with myself (don't ask and at least they were in private), in which he would call me out of the blue, saying he'd changed his mind. Well, guess what! That's exactly what happened! So, in my mind, anything is possible after that!

I read so many wonderful middle-grade novels this year, I'm clueless as to who will get the Newbery nod. So, I ask you, what are your predictions? Who do you think will get picked! We'll know next week, but we would like to hear from you. Newbery picks books on merit, not popularity. Which books of 2010 just spoke to you. What books did you read that STILL have you thinking?

Bring it! ;)