It's been a few weeks since I showed up for Slice of Life.
Today's slice shares one of my favorite activities. "Drum roll, please!" Reading Newbery possibilities!
I used to do this with my sixth grade students in book clubs. Some years King County Library selected certain titles and we read those. When they stopped doing this, I continued the practice by selecting a few titles, applying for a grant to purchase copies of the books, and moving forward with our book clubs.
Now that I'm retired, one might think that I've outgrown middle grade books. Not so! I still follow the Heavy Medal blog's list of possibilities. I cross check this list with Betsy Bird's predictions (scroll down to find the Newbery list, Caldecott is listed first) to guide my choices.
Here are three titles that I've read recently and highly recommend:
A Year Without Home by V.T. Bidania, Historical Fiction
Novel-in-verse, a refugee story of the Hmong people.
The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker, Historical Fiction
Lucas, an orphan, learns to be brave and stand against injustice during the resistance in WWII France.
When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller, Magical Realism
While Seattle faces wildfires, three 7th graders try to figure out a prophecy of fire and destruction.
Currently Reading:
The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller
Audio Book Ready for Listening on Libby:
A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff
Do you have any 2026 middle grade titles to recommend?
Oooh, I am saving this post to add to my TBR, now that I'm semi-retired and have a bit more time to read! I just read Outside by Jennifer L Holm, and was surprised by the plot twist, which is rare for me reading a middle-grade book. I'm starting to read this year's Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees.
ReplyDeleteI have not kept up with Newbery winners since I retired, shame on me. I need to get back to them. arjeha
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