Here, however, are some of the 2011 books I've read so far that I think might get a nod from some sort of awards committee, such as the ALA Best Books for Teens list or the Morris Award (for best debut novel):
What Comes After by Steve Watkins
The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
Huntress by Malinda Lo
Stay by Deb Caletti
The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier
Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard
Pink by Lili Wilkinson
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Bumped by Megan McCafferty
What about you? Have you read (or heard of) anything this year that may be a possible Printz contender?
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
ReplyDeleteWither by Lauren DeStefano
No i haven't read anything as of yet that's a contender for the award.
ReplyDeletehttp://treasuredspotbookreviews.com
You've got some great books on the list, particularly LIKE MANDARIN and THE LAST LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPE. BITTER MELON and WITHER, while not my faves, were well-written & I can see those as possibilitities. I also really liked SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD by Lindsey Leavitt. Haven't read BEAUTY QUEENS yet but it's pre-ordered & I can't wait to dive into it. Sounds wonderful. But do they usually pick the same writer two years in a row? (She won last year, right? Ack! My years are blending!)
ReplyDeleteI'm not even sure what the parameters are for a Printz. I think that it's hard to speculate because it's so far-reaching.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Morris. I tried to read Flash Burnout and I just couldn't finish it.
But from your list I think you can narrow it down by removing some authors:
Sarah Dessen (too mass market)
Gayle Forman (Sequels never win)
Cynthia Hand (Paranormal romance?)
Maureen Johnson (Another sequel)
Dystopian has long enjoyed awards.
When Bray won for Going Bovine, she took us on a Lewis Carroll-esque ride.
Amelia Lost seems a likely candidate for the Nonfiction Award. I also have high hopes for Flesh & Blood So Cheap, though I haven't had a chance to read it yet.
ReplyDeleteFor the Printz, I'd say Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys is a major contender. Bitter Melon was great, too (though I'm biased because I was on the speech team in high school, too!)
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta
ReplyDeleteI think this is my personal experience, but I find the Printz books really unpredictable, especially after reading them. There's often a few that aren't mainstream YA at all, and the books I expect to win rarely do... anyways, I don't think I have that many predictions b/c I haven't read enough books this year! :( I'm interested to see what everyone thinks though!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on Beauty Queens.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to see Like Mandarin nominated/win! Oooh and Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, Printz winners are often really varied and unpredictable.
I haven't read it yet but one of the teen Librarians at my library thought that Shine by Lauren Myracle could be a Printz contender. Maybe Bumped since it talks about controversial issues. :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to see some awards love for BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys!!!!
ReplyDeletehonestly, nothing i've read this year has screamed award-worthy to me. perhaps it's a matter of still being early in the year, and i think there are some big ones coming out in may-june-july and then in the fall that will be award-y.
ReplyDeletei do agree with the commenters who suggested BETWEEN SHADES OF GREY. i haven't read it yet, but i know it's gotten good buzz and the reviews have been excellent.
I haven't read Chime, either, but that one's gotten a lot of buzz as a potential contender.
My guess is Jasper Jones. It seems like the kind of book they tend to go for--very full of meaning, extremely well-written, with a lot of humor. I love the idea that Chime might get a shout-out--that's definitely been one of my favorite reads this year.
ReplyDeleteChime by Fran Billingsley. It's beautifully written. I'll be surprised it it's not on the Printz list.
ReplyDeleteDEADLY by Julie Chibbaro
ReplyDeleteWho knows..What Comes After and Bitter Melon are contenders in my book. Bitter Melon was powerful, emotional and hard to put down. And What Comes After just seemed unique - it has a great main character, plus animals, plus some laugh-out-loud funny parts despite dealing with child abuse.
ReplyDeleteIMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma. It's completely unlike anything that's out there. I want it to get some award love badly.
ReplyDeleteIMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma. It's completely unlike anything that's out there. I want it to get some award love badly.
ReplyDelete