The John Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year.
In celebration and exploration of the Newbery experience, the Austin Public Library's Literature Committee will host a Mock Newbery Discussion on Monday morning, December 14, 2009 at the University Hills Branch <http://www.austinlibrary.com/apllocations.cfm?acronym=auh> of the Austin Public Library. Participants will discuss ten books in relation to the specific Newbery terms, definitions, and criteria, and using the book discussion guidelines developed by the Children's Cooperative Book Center. The discussion group will - in true Newbery fashion - vote for a winner and perhaps even select Honor books. In preparation for the Mock Newbery Discussion, participants are asked to: 1. Familiarize themselves with the Newbery terms, definitions and criteria <http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberyme dal/newberyterms/newberyterms.cfm> . 2. Familiarize themselves with the CCBC Book Discussion guidelines <http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/discguide.asp> . 3. Read and be prepared to discuss ALL of the pre-selected books published for young people in 2009: Baskin, Nora Raleigh. Anything But Typical Burg, Ann E. All the Broken Pieces DiCamillo, Kate. The Magician's Elephant Kelly, Jacqueline. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Peck, Richard. A Season of Gifts Philbrick, Rodman. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me Stone, Tanya Lee. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream Walker, Sally M. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland Woodson, Jacqueline. Peace, Locomotion Recommended reading: From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children's Books by KT Horning. To register for this program, please contact Alison O'Reilly at [email protected] or 512-974-7347. Please include your name, library, email address and phone number in your message. The discussion fills at 30 participants, so don't wait! Alison O'Reilly, Teen Services Librarian Austin Public Library 800 Guadalupe, Austin, TX 78701 email: [email protected] voice: 512-974-7347 fax: 512-974-7587
