This Week’s Peanut Gallery
March 16, 2013
Just before the Battle began, a few more BoB Followers gave us their predictions.
Jen at Read for Keeps offered hers complete with a charming sketch:
Armed with my mug o’ tea (naught but the finest Alishan high mountain tea leaves, of course), I attempt to divine the course of the 2013 SLJ Battle of the Kids’ Books. Behold my bracket:
Lisa also at Read for Keeps also chimed in:
School Library Journal’s BoB is one of my favorite events of the year. The mad scramble to read all 16 contenders, the howls of misery and delight (remember last year when a certain book lost via a coin toss?), and, of course, a spectacular opportunity to demonstrate my lack of divination powers.
The Brain Lair considered:
But, today starts my favorite Battle, the one School Library Journal (SLJ) puts on each year! The 16-book list is handed out after the ALA Youth Media Awards. Starting mid- to late March, an author will judge two books and decide which moves to the second round. This goes on each weekday until we get to the Big Kahuna. The book Kahuna judges the final two books plus a book that rises from the dead! Each year, SLJ adds a new twist to the contest. This year – students writing as books! Check out Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4. Such a great idea! I must figure out a way to incorporate it!
Sondy did her predictions too:
It’s that time of year! School Library Journal’s Battle of the Books is starting up! (I keep hearing this rumbling that other tournaments happen in March, but I’ve never heard about anything so exciting.)
Once the Battle got underway, a number of our followers had things to say. (This is going up Saturday morning so we will add in later links as they become available. And, as always, let us know in the comments if we missed yours so we can add it in as well.)
- Liz B started by giving us her picks and now is doing posts on each match. So far they are here, here, and here. (Is she gloating just a tad? Read her posts to see why she might be doing just that.)
- LIbrariYAn is also following along daily –with appropriate songs no less! So far she’s weighed in on Bomb vs. Wonder , Code Name Verity vs Titanic, and Endangered vs Three Times Lucky.
- BooksnStories commented on Bomb — Da BOMB! and Battle Joined.
- Random Musings of a Bibliophile has some reactions to the first round.
- Sondy’s report of the first week is here.
- Book Nut’s is here (picked up early Monday).
- Finally, there’s Horn Book editor Roger Sutton who is judging the judges. He’s got some strong opinons (and winners) with his first two brackets: Oppel v. Engle and Applet v.Caletti. Be sure to also read the comments — and give your own!
Over at Twitter:
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2013 Battle Schedule
Recent Posts
- Winner of the 2013 Battle of the Kids’ Books
- The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
- This Week’s Peanut Gallery
- And the 2013 BoB Undead Winner Is…
- Round 3, Match 2: Splendors and Glooms vs No Crystal Stair
What People Are Saying…
- Rankingoptimierung on The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
- Edgar Awards, “Briefings,” and ACL Pinterest Page | on And the 2013 BoB Undead Winner Is…
- ‘Code Name Verity,’ ‘The Quick Fix’ Win Edgars | School Library Journal on And the 2013 BoB Undead Winner Is…
- Sonderbooks » Blog Archive » Review of Midwinter Blood, by Marcus Sedgwick on Round 1, Match 5: Jepp, Who Defied the Stars vs Starry River of the Sky
- Josef on The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
- April Shroeder on The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
- Dark Horse ‘No Crystal Stair’ Takes Battle of the Kids’ Books Top Prize | School Library Journal on This Week’s Peanut Gallery
- Dark Horse ‘No Crystal Stair’ Takes Battle of the Kids’ Books Top Prize | School Library Journal on Downloadable Graphics
- Alyson on The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
- Nina Lindsay on The Big Kahuna Match: Between The Fault in Our Stars, No Crystal Stair, and Code Name Verity
This is what I predicted for the first part:
Bomb v. Wonder – Bomb
Code Name Verity v. Titanic – Code Name Verity
Endangered v. Three Times Lucky – Three Times Lucky
The Fault in Our Stars v. Temple Grandin – The Fault in Our Stars
Jepp Who Defied the Stars v. Starry River of the Sky – Starry River of the Sky
Liar and Spy v. Splendors and Glooms – Splendors and Glooms
No Crystal Stair v. The One and Only Ivan – No Crystal Stair
Moonbird v. Seraphina – Moonbird
And my report of the first week isn’t complete without my prediction post: http://sonderbooks.com/blog/?p=18444 (which I posted unfortunately after last week’s Peanut Gallery).
Coming up is the match I feel most strongly about. Funny because I like all the books, and Starry River isn’t necessarily an overall favorite. But I think that Starry River is superior writing to Jepp, and I’m hoping the judge will point that out! Of course, maybe my hatred of present tense in fiction — unless it’s done exceptionally well — is influencing my decision unduly. I’m looking forward to what Adam Gidwitz will say, but if he doesn’t agree that Starry River is better, I’m going to wonder how he’s so blinded.
*Uh oh. I just realized that my rule of thumb that judges tend to choose books least like their own might come into play. Adam Gidwitz writes books playing off fairy tales. Grace Lin wove folk tales into her plot. I hope he will pick Starry River anyway!*
Yes, I am gloating! Because if past SLJ BoB’s are any indication, soon I will be very, very wrong in my predictions so I’m gloating while I can.