As I shared before, when I first began the nonfiction picture book challenge, I simply wanted to close a personal book gap I had. I read very little nonfiction for children and knew that needed to change. Since starting the challenge in 2012, I have read nearly 750 nonfiction books for children. I suspect that my original book gap is no longer a book gap but has turned into a reading habit. My goal for 2016 is to read 150 nonfiction titles - preferably ones released in 2016.
Additionally, I recently signed up for an ALSC Online course called THE SIBERT MEDAL: EVALUATING BOOKS OF INFORMATION. As part of this six week course, we will read all of the Sibert Winners (not the honor books). My plan is to continue with the honor books once the class is finished in February.
As I look to 2016, I am celebrating my fifth year of hosting the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge. Reading nonfiction has become an essential part of my life and I am thankful for the community of authors who write nonfiction, and the readers who are participating in the challenge have become a wonderful source of information and new titles, as well as, on-line friends & even in person friends.
In the comments, I would love to hear about an ideas or suggestions you have for the Wednesday nonfiction posts. I can't promise I can respond to all of the suggestions, but I will certainly consider every one and try to incorporate what I can.
If you would like to participate in the challenge in 2016, here are the details:
1. Set a goal as to how many nonfiction picture books (or nonfiction MG or YA books) you would like to read over the course of 2016. Maybe you want to read one a month or one a week. Will they all be from 2016 or will you be reading ones previously published? Do you have a gap with a particular area of nonfiction? The important part is to set a goal that will be fun and not stressful.
2. My nonfiction book reviews and posts will be on Wednesdays but I may start posting on a second day in order to fit everything in. There will be a link if you want to connect up one of your reviews or progress towards your goal. If you post on Mondays (Nonfiction Mondays) or Fridays (STEM Fridays), please feel free to link up on Wednesdays with us, we would love to get to know more bloggers talking about nonfiction.
3. There will be interviews, guest posts, giveaways, and new release posts.
4. If you would like to participate in this challenge, please link up your blog or GoodReads Shelf using the Widget at the very bottom of the post. Please know that you can join in at anytime throughout the year.
5. If you tweet about what you are reading as part of this challenge, please use the twitter hashtag #nfpb2016.
6. You are welcome to grab the image at the top of the post to use in your weekly posts.
ALA Youth Media Awards are happening on Monday, January 11th at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here for more information and a link for the live webcast.
YMA Pajama Party
ALA is hosting a YMA Pajama Party this year. For all of the official rules, click here. Start planning on what pajamas you will be wearing while viewing the awards, and get those cameras ready.....
Post your photos (best pajamas, best snacks or beverages, or best reaction shots) to the YMA Pajama Party Facebook Event or on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #ymapjparty and #alayma. Everyone who submits a photo will be entered in a random drawing to receive a selection of 2016 Youth Media Award-winning books (and possibly some other great books we have laying around the office).
Mock Sibert Announcements
If you posted your Mock Sibert predictions or hosted a Mock Sibert Club at your school, please link up below and enter the giveaway. (You are welcome to link up twice - once for the challenge and once for the Sibert.)
Here are my predictions:
Winner: Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown (HMH Books for Young Readers)
Honor: The Octopus Scientist by Sy Montgomery (HMH Books for Young Readers)
Honor: Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin (Roaring Brook Press)
Honor: The Great Monkey Rescue: Saving the Golden Lion Tamarins by Sandra Markle (Millbrook Press)
For fun, I am doing a Sibert Giveaway. Here are the rules:
1. You must complete a Mock Sibert post with your own predictions (or the predictions of your class) by Sunday, January 10, 2016 and add the link below and a comment in the comments section.
2. A Winner will be randomly selected on Tuesday, January 12th and announced on Wednesday, January 13th here on the blog.
3. You must be 13 years or older to enter (or have a parent enter on your behalf).
4. You must have a US or Canadian mailing address or if the book is available through Book Depository and they deliver to your country, please feel free to enter.
5. Winner will receive a copy of the 2016 Sibert Winner (or if you already own that book then one of the honor titles).
6. Special prize: If more than one of my predictions are correct, then the winner will receive a complete set of the 2016 Sibert titles (winner and all honor books selected this year).
7. Please do not add personal information like your email or mailing address in the comments.
Link up below to enter the #NFPB2016 Challenge and/or to share your Mock Sibert posts: