Mock Newbery 2026 discussion

Welcome to our second and final round of voting. The slate is wiped clean and our list is down to 10 contenders.

When the Newbery committee votes for a book they list their top three choices.

"Each committee member votes for three books, with four points assigned to first choice, three points to second choice, and two points to third choice."

Our final tally will depict our winner and then we can see how many honor awards we would give.

List your top three (and only three) books from the following list in order of importance and we will calculate the winner. Happy Voting!

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Train I Ride by Paul Mosier

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

Refugee by Alan Gratz


This thread will close on Friday, January 26th at 8:00 P.M. Eastern time.

1. Refugee
2. Hello, Universe
3. Beyond the Bright Sea

1. The Hate You Give
2. Real Friends
3. The Ethan I Was Before

1 Beyond the Bright Sea
2. Refugee
3 the war I finally won

1. Train I Ride
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Refugee

I am sorry... I added a title and did not follow the rules. Here is my list -please ignore the previous one:

1. Beyond the Bright Sea
2. Orphan Island
3. Refugee

1. Wishtree
2. Refugee
3. Real Friends

Ana wrote: "1. Train I Ride
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Refugee"

Your list is fine, do you want to go with the first one or the second?

I've only read two on this list, can I still vote?

1. The Ethan I was Before
2. Hello, Universe

1. Refugee
2. Real Friends
3. Hello Universe

1. Refugee
2. The War I Finally Won
3. Beyond the Bright Sea

1. Hello, Universe
2. The Hate U Give
3. The War I Finally Won

1. Orphan Island
2. The Ethan I Was Before
3. Real Friends

1. Orphan Island
2. Wishtree
3. Beyond the Bright Sea

1. The War I Finally Won
2. The Hate U Give
3. Refugee

1. Beyond the Bright Sea
2. Wishtree
3. Refugee

1. Orphan Island
2. Wishtree
3. Refugee

1. Orphan Island
2. Wishtree
3. Train I Ride

1. The War I Finally Won
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Orphan Island

1. Refugee
2. Hello, Universe
3. The War I Finally Won

1. The Ethan I Was Before
2. Real Friends
3. Wishtree

1. Wishtree
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Real Friends

1. Wishtree
2. Refugee
3. The War I Finally Won

1 Refugee
2 Beyond the Bright Sea
3 Wishtree

1. Wishtree
2. The War I Finally Won
3. Real Friends

1. The War I Finally Won
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Hello, Universe

1. Train I Ride
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. The Ethan I Was Before

1. Train I Ride
2. The Ethan I Was Before
3. Beyond the Bright Sea

1. Wishtree
2. Refugee
3. The War I Finally Won

Refugee
Beyond the Bright Sea
Wishtree

Refugee
Train I Ride
Hello, Universe

1. The Hate U Give
2. Refugee
3. Wishtree

Beyond the Bright Sea
Refugee
The War I Finally Won

The Ethan I Was Before
The War I Finally Won
Refugee

Refugee
Orphan Island
The Hate U Give

Beyond the Bright Sea
Train I Ride
The War I Finally Won

1. Wishtree
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. The War I Finally Won

1. The Hate U Give
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. The Train I Ride

1. The War I finally won
2. The Hate you Give
3. Real Friends

Orphan island
Refugee
Beyond the bright sea

1. The War I Finally Won
2. Refugee
3. Orphan Island

1) The Ethan I Was Before

2) Orphan Island

3) Beyond the Bright Sea

1. The War I Finally Won
2. Refugee
3. Wishtree

1. Beyond the Bright Sea
2. Refugee
3. Train I Ride

(I think my previous vote went onto the wrong thread.)

1. The Ethan I was Before
2. The War I Finally Won
3. Refugee

1. Orphan Island
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Hello Universe

1. Train I Ride
2. Wishtree
3. Refugee

I was sorry to see Clayton Byrd Goes Underground was bumped from our list for second round voting... fabulous characters! Fabulous book! Clayton is still my favorite for Newbery. I am wrapping my brain around what makes a book a contender for Newbery vs Printz... Train I Ride is amazing - it is receiving my vote- although it could be a better Printz contender! Thanks for this opportunity.

1. Refugee
2. Beyond the Bright Sea
3. Hello Universe

1. Hello, Universe
2. Wishtree
3. Real Friends

1. The War I Finally Won
2. Refugee
3. Wish Tree