At this time of year, when “Best Books of 2021” lists pop up daily, we educators and community members cannot forget that it doesn’t matter which books win awards for best children’s and young adult literature if young people never see the books in their schools, libraries or homes. National efforts to censor books in […]
Tag Archives: Nerdy Awards
January
02
THE 2021 NERDIES: YOUNG ADULT FICTION (PART ONE) ANNOUNCED BY A CONVENTION OF NERDS
posted by donalynm
December
31
THE 2021 NERDIES: LONG FORM NONFICTION ANNOUNCED BY DONALYN MILLER
posted by donalynm
I’ll just admit it–I have probably learned more about history from the children’s and young adult literature I have read since leaving college than anything I learned as a student. Most of the history classes I took relied on filmstrips, textbooks, and lectures to deliver content–told predominately through the points of view of white people […]
December
30
THE 2021 NERDIES: POETRY AND NOVELS IN VERSE ANNOUNCED BY DONALYN MILLER
posted by donalynm
While many teachers and librarians enjoy sharing poetry with students, many of my middle school students claimed to detest poetry or actively avoided reading it over the years. For some, poetry was silly–like the Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky poems they remembered reading in elementary school. For others, poetry was hard to understand–like the “classic” […]
December
29
THE 2021 NERDIES: GRAPHIC NOVELS ANNOUNCED BY KATHERINE SOKOLOWSKI
posted by donalynm
Every year I am honored to share the winning books in the graphic novel category for Nerdy Book Club. Donalyn’s email hits my inbox right around Christmas day and it’s my own gift to open it up, see what titles I know, place orders for those I don’t. I am grateful, as always, to the […]
December
28
THE 2021 NERDIES: EARLY READERS AND CHAPTER BOOKS ANNOUNCED BY ALYSON BEECHER
posted by donalynm
Every year, I look forward to the email from Donalyn asking if I will write a post announcing the winners of the Nerdies Early Readers and Chapter Books. And every year, I scroll back through all of the previously recognized books from this category to see how the books have changed over the years. Though […]
December
26
THE 2021 NERDIES: FICTION PICTURE BOOKS ANNOUNCED BY JOHN SCHU
posted by mrschu81
Happy Sunday! I’m honored to kick off the eleventh annual Nerdy Book Club Awards. First up is fiction picture books! A HUGE thank-you to everyone who nominated titles. Congratulations to this year’s winners! Bear Is a Bear by Jonathan Stutzman; illustrated by Dan Santat “Jonathan Stutzman’s manuscript for Bear Is a Bear carried a lot of heart […]
January
03
The 2020 Nerdies: Young Adult Fiction (Day Two) Announced by a Chapter of Nerds
posted by donalynm
Today is the second day of the 2020 Nerdy Book Club Awards announcements for Young Adult Fiction. You can read Day One here. Congratulations to the authors and publishers of these outstanding books. The variety of voices, genres, and topics on this list will engage young readers’ minds and hearts through the power of story. […]
January
02
The 2020 Nerdy Book Club Awards: Young Adult Literature (Day One) Announced by a Convention of Nerds
posted by donalynm
2020 was a year like no other—the global COVID-19 pandemic has altered every aspect of American life, including dramatic shifts in how young people attend school and teachers and librarians serve their communities. Access to books and technology remains a pressing concern in many places and educators and families must work together to provide young […]
December
26
THE 2020 NERDIES: FICTION PICTURE BOOKS ANNOUNCED BY JOHN SCHU
posted by mrschu81
Happy Saturday! I’m overjoyed to kick off the tenth annual Nerdy Book Club Awards. First up is fiction picture books! A GIGANTIC thank-you to everyone who nominated titles. Congratulations to this year’s winners! A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India by Meera Sriram; illustrated by Mariona Cabassa “One cannot think of India without thinking […]
December
01
Looking for a Home, Our 5th Nerdversary by Donalyn Miller
posted by donalynm
As I child, I thought I was born into the wrong family. My mom and stepdad fought a lot, and worked multiple jobs to pay our bills. My brother, Wendell, was born with cerebral palsy and needed help with daily functions. My sister, Abbie, was retained in second grade for kicking a teacher during […]
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