Slice of Life: 2026 Youth Media Awards!

I almost missed watching the Youth Media Awards live yesterday. I was chatting with my niece when I remembered that they started at 11:00 am (ET) and it was already 11:20. I had nothing else on my calendar. We're still iced in, so how did I almost miss this very important gathering? They must have spent a bit of time introducing the event because I hadn't missed much. And certainly not my favorite award, the Newbery which always comes near the end.  

I made some lists last year when I turned 70: 7 lists of 7 things to do during my 70th spin around the sun. My list for Newbery possibilities is the only one that I've completed (exceeded) so far. 

Newbery Possibilities & Awards Garnered

(in the order that I read them):

1. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest  - Newbery Honor

2. The Trouble with Heroes - (passed over, reminds me of the year Wonder received no recognition & my students were furious)

3. Will's Race for Home - Coretta Scott King Author

4. All the Blues in the Sky - Newbery Medal

5. Bad Badger - (received 9 write-in votes on Heavy Medal's final ballot)

6. The Teacher of Nomad Land - Newbery Honor 

7. The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli -Newbery Honor

8. How to Say Goodbye in Cuban -  

Outstanding Comics Award – Children in the Category of Nonfiction Honor Books

9. A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez -

Newbery Honor & Pura Belpre Honor 

The most amazing thing happened this year. I read all of the Newbery Award winners before they were announced! During the fourteen years that I've been tracking my reading of Newbery possibilities, this has never happened before. For years, my students and I read along with King County Library's You Choose the Next Newbery and Mock Newbery Award Choices. Now, lest you think I have a superpower for detecting winners, let me share my method. I follow SLJ's Heavy Medal, A  Mock Newbery blog and their recommendations directed my reading. In fact, I added books 7, 8, & 9 to my list after they were included on the final ballot of 15 titles.

For a look at the award winners, with some added insights, check out Betsy Bird's post, ALA Youth Media Awards: The Interviews, Videos, & Behind-the-Scenes of the Winners. 

I go straight from the Awards Ceremony to my library site to request other books I want to read. Yesterday's requests include: 

Whale Eyes: A Memoir about Seeing and Being Seen 

The Poetry of Car Mechanics

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories

The Pecan Sheller 

Woods and Words: The Story of Poet Mary Oliver (not yet available at my library) 

How about you? Are there any award winners that you are looking forward to reading? If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, my personal pick for the Newbery Medal.