I gave blood this morning and now I’m CRANKY and don’t want to go to work. I also realized I miscounted my credits for graduation and am one – ONE! – shy. Oh, the humanity. I’ll get it sorted, but it’s annoying.
Another thing annoying me is that my favorite YA books of the year aren’t on the Mock Printz list. Not that next week’s discussion won’t be fun, but I might as well get annoyed while I’m on a roll. My top three right now are probably Octavian Nothing, Tender Morsels, and The Knife of Never Letting Go, with Pretty Monsters and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks following close behind, along with The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Okay, two out of six isn’t bad, but I’m not ready to fight for those two they way I am for my top three.
I’m almost done with the mock list – just Skim left to read.
- Cory Doctorow, Little Brother.
- John Green, Paper Towns
- Michael Harmon, The Last Exit to Normal
- Steve Kluger, My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park
- E. Lockhart, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
- Norma Fox Mazer, The Missing Girl
- Christina Meldrum, Madapple
- Walter Dean Myers, Sunrise Over Fallujah
- Mary Pearson, The Adoration of Jenna Fox
- Julie Schumacher, Black Box
- Mariko Tamaki, Skim
I haven’t seen many Printz predictions, but I liked Carlie’s list, even though we disagree about Madapple. Actually, I could see the Printz going to Madapple, but I didn’t like it.
All this listing is reminding me that I never did any end of the year round up – although I did count the other day, and I almost hit 200 books for the year – a 20 or so increase over 2007. As usual, I don’t count picture books or short non-fiction – that would be cheating.
One thing I always notice, looking back over what I’ve read, is finding things that seem like I read them ages ago, when it was really only a year. Other books I remember really liking at the time, but they haven’t really lived on in my imagination. Some I don’t remember until I see the title and get the feel of the book all over again. I’ll come back with a round up.
garish & tweed 
5 comments
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January 8, 2009 at 6:10 am
babelbabe
my 2008 book list died when my laptop did. i feel bereft.
January 8, 2009 at 10:59 am
jessmonster
Somehow this makes me feel more sane about keeping my booklist in 3 different places – one paper. You have my condolences.
January 25, 2009 at 8:25 am
Wendy
Do you have a review of Madapple up? I didn’t like it, either, but almost everyone else seems to have liked it a lot.
I have Printz predictions on my blog, too, but you won’t agree with mine, either! But I’m reading Tender Morsels now, and I would be happy if that got an award.
January 25, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Laura
Thanks for posting these! I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s announcements.
Also, it’s so good to hear other people who didn’t like Madapple. I get why others liked it; it was an interesting way to tell the story, I liked all the plant and mythology and religion parts, but I just…didn’t like it. Hooray for not being alone!
January 25, 2009 at 4:43 pm
jessmonster
I have a brief review of Madapple on Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34916065
I guess I forgot to post it here, too. People seem to have really strong reactions to Madapple, so in a sense I wouldn’t be surprised if the committee picks it. I would understand why – but I think the ending was weak, and that really detracts from the strength of the book as a whole (regardless of liking it or not liking it).
Wendy, I’ll have to come check out your predictions!