Notes on Andre Norton Award Jury Reading--2008

[sartorias]

This year’s ballot is being circulated around--which includes the jury selections for the Andre Norton Award.

2008 was my toughest year ever for jury reading. Ever

Comments

[shsilver]

Your link to Scalzi was to last year's ballot, not this year's. I don't think they've released this year's yet.

[sartorias]

Damn, how did I do that--I did see it! I am sure I did!

[shsilver]

You might want to pull the post until Brook does release the ballot.

[sartorias]

Eh, writers on the ballot are talking all over the net, and I'm talking about the stuff not on the list--do you really think it's a problem?

[rachelmanija]

Thanks for the fantastic, detailed round-up! I;ll definitely get to the ones I haven't read yet. (Eventually.)

[sartorias]

I think there is a whole discussion area in books that intensely involve us as kids. Some of those books are the perennial favorites. Like, one of mine was Mara, Daughter of the Nile--a book over the years has elicited gasps and "Oh yes!"s--and it's still in print. And Enid Blyton. But just as much I loved Mary Chase's Loretta Mason Potts, which most have never heard of, and Margot Benary-Isbert's The Wicked Enchantment, again, many have never heard of it. Both these women were respected writers of their time, and the books pretty much hold up . . . but why didn't they grab hold of wider audiences? And what about the downright clunky books that we loved passionately? They were doing something right at the time! (See Enid Blyton, above.)

[stephanieburgis]

Oh, I ADORED Mara, Daughter of the Nile! Thanks for the reminder - I really have to get a new copy.

[sartorias]

Another one!

[neile]

I surprised at how many of these I've already read (almost all)--and how I agree with your assessments of them, except I gave up on Jellicoe Road. I couldn't imagine they could make that whacked-out territorial battle interesting to me. I guess I should give it another shot, eh?

[sartorias]

Well, I found it worthwhile after a second go--but mileage does vary! *g*

[ourgosling]

I never thought of Jellicoe Road as a fantasy/sci fi... but I loved it, as said, once I "got" a little more of what was going on. Her first book, "Looking for Alibrandi" is quite famous in this part of the world but I think that "Saving Francesca" is one of my favourite YA books *ever* because it touches themes quite dear to my heart and it feels very "real" to me.

[carbonelle]

I was going to reccy Marchetta's non SF&F teen fiction: she's amazing!

[coalescent]

Interesting about the Graham Joyce; over here, that was published as an adult title.

Sorry to hear you didn't like the Ness, too. What was it about the voice that you wouldn't have liked as a kid? (I'm pretty sure I would have devoured it.) And what's the plot hole?

[sdn]

the exchange? no, it wasn't. it was published as do the creepy thing, a YA, by faber.

[sartorias]

Okay, so then the jury person was right to say it had been previously published? (I tried to double check that right before we voted, and couldn't find its other version.) So I guess it's okay that it got knocked off, then, but that was a wrench. I loved that book.

[sdn]

it was published in the UK. just not here.