hm, not as exciting this year.
CALDECOTT
Locomotive by Brian Floca
Journey by Aaron Becker
Mr Wuffles by David Wiesner
Flora & the Flamingo by Molly Idle
Well, I've read all of them, but two of them haven't been featured on my blog because I wasn't particularly excited about them. Locomotive I found well illustrated, but BORING. And Mr Wuffles was good, but in the end not as memorable or special. At least Journey got something, and Flora and the Flamingo was quite good. I think the choices are okay. I'm not outraged over any of them, but I'm most disappointed about Locomotive's win.
NEWBERY
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo
Doll Bones by Holly Black
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
One Came Home by Amy Timberlake
Paperboy by Vince Vawter
Yet another Newbery for Kate DiCamillo. I started Flora and Ulysses (it's a big year for Floras, isn't it?), thought it was pretty funny, and then had to return it before I could get past chapter 4.
PRINTZ
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susan Cokall
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool
How bout that? I read very few 2013 YA books, but I've read two of the winners. If you want to know my thoughts on Midwinterblood, see my GoodReads review. In short, I liked it, I couldn't stop thinking about it, but I couldn't tell you that it's excellent. It's so very literary, therefore a typical and unsurprising choice for the Printz. Eleanor & Park, everybody loved. I started Maggot Moon, took an immediate disliking to it, and returned it. Navigating Early wasn't on my radar for the Printz at all because her last book won the Newbery. I really want to read the Kingdom of Little Wounds. Sometimes I don't know if a Printz win is a recommendation or the opposite since pretentiousness and literariness often seem to be the bread and butter of the Printz. I was really hoping to see Boxers and Saints somewhere in there, but I guess it was a long shot, considering the companion book format.
GEISEL
The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli
Ball by Mary Sullivan
A Big Guy Took My Ball by Mo Willems
Penny and Her Marble by Kevin Henkes
I was very pleased with this category. All of them are well done and so much fun. I wrote a draft of The Watermelon Seed that I should probably publish. It's silly and funny. I don't even bother to review Elephant and Piggie books (Mo Willems) anymore because it's a given that they're all excellent and hilarious. A Big Guy Took My Ball is very funny, and introduces a hilarious whale into the mix. You know how I feel about Penny and Her Marble. Ball is a humorous book about a funny-looking dog and his all-consuming love for his ball. What I don't understand, is how it's an easy reader? There's only one word in the entire book.
I thought the Sibert was somewhat disappointing when I think about what could have won. I was happy to see Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard got a Sibert honor, and A Splash of Red was good, too. But Parrots Over Puerto Rico? eh.
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