Mock Printz 2026 discussion

I know many of you have started your 2013 reading already. So tell me, what should we look out for this year or what's out we shouldn't miss?

My first suggestion is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

(and I second Eleanor & Park)

Wasn't Eleanor and Park published in 2012? I bought it in November already from Amazon UK.

I loved Crash and Burn, by Michael Hassan. Supposed to be released later this month. It's a very intense read, definitely for older readers, but I was amazed by it.

Crash and Burn

Ringo wrote: "Wasn't Eleanor and Park published in 2012? I bought it in November already from Amazon UK."

It's not being pubbed in the US until March 2013 so is eligible for the Printz.

Great author, interesting setting, has at least 2 starred reviews. This one is definitely on my radar.

Jenna wrote: " Great author, interesting setting, has at least 2 starred reviews. This one is definitely on my radar."

Ruta immediately goes on my Newbery Contender list. Is this one for YA?

I'm reading Out of the Easy, and I see a couple people have already suggested that - I think it's a good one! I loved The Tragedy Paper, also.

17 & Gone and Black Helicopters are on my radar for 2014 already as potential contenders.

Definitely YA material. I'm reading the ARC right now and it's very interesting.

I'm reading Rick Yancey's THE 5TH WAVE right now, and so far so amazing.

Next up is OUT OF THE EASY, really looking forward to that.

Thanks for firing up Printz discussion! Already looking forward to a huge year of reading!

Eleanor and Park is good for me or Out of the Easy!

I'm looking forward to the new Gayle Forman, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard, and The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist.

I second most of the other books listed so far, too!

Karyn wrote: "I'm looking forward to the new Gayle Forman, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick, The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard, and The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist.

I second most of the ..."

How about Sara Zarr's The Lucy Variations, too?

Another one: Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt. It's garnered at least three starred reviews already.

OH yea, I have Leonard Peacock and the Lucy Variations on my TBR pile!

I can't wait to read Maggot Moon by Sally Garner. It comes out this month.

Just finished Eleanor and Park. Left it in the seatback of the US Airways plane I was on, so hopefully a teen finds it!

I read Lucy Knisley's Relish earlier last year and loved it so hard. I'm hoping to read Maggot Moon soon.

The new Gayle Forman is okay, but Just One Day is not Printz material...and I think she is getting a bit formulaic with the two part romance. However, teens will like it. I am currently reading How To Lead a Life of Crime. It's good, but I liked Divergent more.

Kathy wrote: "I know many of you have started your 2013 reading already. So tell me, what should we look out for this year or what's out we shouldn't miss?

My first suggestion is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowel..."

I second the idea of Eleanor & Park! It's one of the best books I've read in a long time--such believable characters.

I want to read Maggot Moon too!

Joy wrote: " Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

(and I second Eleanor & Park)"

Relish won't be eligible because it's published for adults. Looks like a great read though!

I've heard great things about Maggot Moon-and read some starred reviews for it.

I've also been hearing lots of great reviews for Midwinterblood and I'm sure the committee is looking at it as it's a past Printz winner and received multiple starred reviews.

Kathy wrote: "I know many of you have started your 2013 reading already. So tell me, what should we look out for this year or what's out we shouldn't miss?

My first suggestion is Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowel..."

Loved this book...we don't have much YA written from an Asian boy's point of view. The relationships begins awkwardly yet is so sweet. Loved the portrayal of the Korean mom and her cultural attitude of how a girl should look.

I just finished Crash and Burn by Hassan. I'm curious what other readers felt about reading this. It was marvelously complex in relationships and plot. I liked the details and frustrations of knowing and interacting with teens who are mentally ill and violent but the graphic language and almost daily teen drug use was a bit much. Am I being too sensitive?

Kathy wrote: "Jenna wrote: " Great author, interesting setting, has at least 2 starred reviews. This one is definitely on my radar."

Ruta immediately goes on my Newbery Conte..."

I've started it, and it is definitely YA rather than J. In fact, it's really for older readers, 9th grade +. I'm enjoying it so far, but have to set it aside while I tend to other things... like reading books I can recommend to middle school students.

Just finished Eleanor & Park and it is fantastic! Wonderfully developed characters, spot-on family dynamics, and an amazing love story.

I really liked Maggot Moon. I'm reading The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban and Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz as possibilities.

OUT OF THE EASY is definitely for an older YA audience, but it has real strength and is a strong contender.

MIDWINTERBLOOD is just a masterpiece. I love Sedgewick, but he has taken it up a notch here. Great themes and setting and SO well written with so much to think about days and weeks after reading.

Loved THE 5TH WAVE and love anything Yancey writes, but this didn't seem to have the weight of a Printz winner. It is very good and well written, but not quite enough for a contender.

Has anyone read or ? I've seen some starred reviews floating around for those but I haven't gotten to either yet..

Other possible fall contenders to be on the lookout for..

What else should be on my fall radar?

Far Far Away may be my top book so far this year. It only suffers from a slight lag in the middle, but boy does it get intense in the 2nd half. It really captures the feel of a Grimm's tale for today, and Ginger is one of my favorite characters ever.

I also really liked Rose Under Fire. Problem is it isn't as strong as Code Name Verity, so it pales in comparison. But it is strong, has emotional impact, and the poetry is great. It is a contender. And it's not a sequel, but has some nice tie ins to Verity.

Jenna wrote: "Has anyone read or ? I've seen some starred reviews floating around for those but I haven't gotten to either yet..."

I just finished Far, Far Away and it is my top YA book of the year, so far, too! It does take a little while to get going, but it is beautifully written and has a rather dramatic narrative arc. And I think I liked the ghost best.

(Hmmm - if I think about it a little more, maybe Quintana of Charyn is my favorite, since I thought the Lumatere Chronicles were, overall, superb.)


Looking forward to reading Rose Under Fire when it's published, but I have read an ARC of Rainbow Rowell's newest, FANGIRL, which I loved. Distinctive, well-developed characters in a college setting. Liked it considerably more than Eleanor and Park.

We have Nothing Could Possibly Go Wrong in our collection, but it has barely circulated. (Graphic novels are not very popular here, particularly at the YA level.) However, I will almost certainly purchase the Gene Yang books, which I do look forward to at least looking at. And after having already read and loved Holly Black's middle-grade Doll Bones this year, I will certainly be reading her upcoming YA title.

Adding Far, Far Away and FanGirl to my reading list. I agree with what Paul wrote about Rose Under Fire, very good book, but lacks some of the elements that made Code Name Verity an honor book. I will be getting the Gene Yang books too, my graphic novel collection does get decent circulation.

I have a feeling Leonard Peacock will go far because of the subject matter, but similar to Aristotle and Dante last year it reads to me more like award bait than an organic story.

I liked Rose Under Fire more than Verity but agree about its chances, it's too typical for the genre.

Unlike with Navigating Early for the Newbery I haven't seen any frontrunners yet, anyone know if there's a consensus yet?

How odd. Where did I get the idea that Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz and Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina were our August selections? But now that I've finished the Delgado book, I see that neither is listed as our current reads. Must have gotten confused with another Goodreads group...

Ugh, I am so far behind in this reading... trying to catch up with you all! On to The 5th Wave next, then I'll try to get to Winger. I'm going to try to get more of these done.

Has anyone read March by John Lewis? I've heard about the book on several news shows (and I think Colbert Report). When I just added it to my fall order, I see it has five starred reviews. I'm definitely ordering it, but would love to hear any thoughts on it.

I couldn't stand looking at the cover of Winger. I know that makes me lame.

I just readA Moment Comes and think it should be considered. It's historical fiction about the splitting of Pakistan and India after WWII. I love the dynamic. It is about Muslims, Christians and the British in india. But also a complicated love triangle. I don't know of too many books that cover this topic.

Great suggestions everyone! I've been adding potential contenders to the group bookshelf if you want to add more to your to-read shelves.

Someone has also created a Mock Printz list if you feel ready to vote for your picks already!

Hello,

I just finished More Than This by Patrick Ness.

It opens by explicitly outlining the drowning death of a boy (Seth) in the wintry cold ocean. But after Seth's apparent demise, he awakes outside of his childhood home in a neighbourhood that has been abandoned and left to decay. Both the readers and Seth must determine whether Seth has in fact died, and why he has returned to his childhood residence where something unthinkable happened many years ago.

I think that Patrick Ness is a brilliant author, and absolutely loved this book. It was stunning.

I seem to remember that Ness didn't qualify for Printz before? Maybe because he lives outside US or something? I thought his cancer book was brilliant as well.

Jennifer wrote: "I seem to remember that Ness didn't qualify for Printz before? Maybe because he lives outside US or something? I thought his cancer book was brilliant as well."

Hmm I don't know. I believe he does have American citizenship, and Elizabeth Wein lives outside of the United States, so that would be strange it it were the case.

I loved A Monster Calls as well, but it is a hard book to classify since it can easily be juvenile fiction or YA. His Chaos Walking Trilogy is also incredible, but I can understand why they wouldn't be nominated for those, since none of the titles are able to truly stand on their own.

A book is eligible for consideration as long as it's published in the US. Copied from the Printz Award criteria: "Books previously published in another country are eligible (presuming an American edition has been published during the period of eligibility)."

Loved "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness, will have to look for his latest.

I think we need to add The Kingdom of Little Wounds
by Susann Cokal to the Printz reading pile.

I've just joined the group with the hope of seeing what everyone thinks about THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING by Robyn Schneider. I've just finished it, and it handily joins WINGER and FAR FAR AWAY (two I see you've already discussed) in the top tier of Printz possibilities I've so far read.