The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

Anya and the Dragon by Sofia Pasternack (Middle Grade Honor Book) is a historical magical fantasy set in 10th century Russia. Dissenter on the Bench by Victoria Ortiz (YA Honor Book) is a biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Both have strong female leads who care passionately about justice.

What 2020 books about strong girls or women are you looking forward to? Leave us a comment.
Anya and the Dragon at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade AuthorsDissenter on the Bench at Jewish Books for Kids
And the traditional Blog Tour finale, a virtual roundtable with the whole gang:Blog Tour Wrap-Up at The Whole Megillah The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour
February 9-13, 2020
Click here for full blog tour schedule 

Two out-of-the-box books are featured on the blog tour today. Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz (YA Honor Book) is a romance with two Jewish leads, a disability #ownvoices story, a sicklit book in which nobody dies - all unusual traits. Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss tells the unexpected true story of the invention of basketball and its intersections with Jewish history.

Are there any 2020 Jewish kids' books coming out that you think break the mold? Tell us about them in the comments.

Today's Blog Tour stops:
Sick Kids in Love at Good Reads with RonnaGames of Deception at A Fuse #8 Production at School Library Journal The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour
February 9-13, 2020
Click here for full blog tour schedule

Lesléa Newman and Amy June Bates received a Sydney Taylor Honor in the Picture Book category for Gittel's Journey. They are both past Sydney Taylor Book Award winners, having received the gold medal in 2016 for Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed. Lesléa also has quite a few Notable Books to her name:  Here Is the World in 2015, A Sweet Passover in 2013, Runaway Dreidel in 2002, and Fat Chance in 1994. Even more special, Lesléa was named a Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award winner this year for her overall contributions to the genre of Jewish children's literature.

You can see past Body-of-Work Award winners here. Who else do you think would make a good Body-of-Work Award recipient?

Today on the blog tour:
Gittel's Journey on Mr. Schu ReadsAll the Authors and Illustrators on The Children's Book Podcast The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour
February 9-13, 2020
Click here for full blog tour schedule

One more gold medalist is interviewed today on the Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour, and then we move on to silver medalists.

These two books have interesting settings: Shanghai for Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin (the YA gold medalist), and Bosnia for The Key From Spain by Debbie Levy (an Honor picture book). What benefits or hurdles do you think might accrue to an author if they are not from the place where their book is set? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Someday We Will Fly at Out of the Box at The Horn BookThe Key from Spain at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour
February 9-13, 2020
Click here for full blog tour schedule

It's the first day of the 2020 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour! These interviews with the most recent winners of the Real Award provide a great opportunity for us to see the qualities the Real Committee is looking for.

Today we look at the gold medalists in the Picture Book and Middle Grade categories, respectively, The Book Rescuer by Sue Macy with pictures by Stacy Innerst, and White Bird by R.J. Palacio of Wonder fame.
The Book Rescuer at 100 Scope Notes at School Library JournalWhite Bird at The Paper Brigade Daily at The Jewish Book Council These are both stories about various kinds of rescue: saving books, saving human beings, saving language, saving culture. Does Jewish children's literature perform a rescuing function in the world? Do book awards? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour
February 9-13, 2020
Click here for full blog tour schedule

Before we move onto reviewing books eligible for next year’s award, it’s time to celebrate the ones that won in 2020.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award will be showcasing its 2020 gold and silver medalists with a Blog Tour, February 9-13, 2020! Interviews with winning authors and illustrators will appear on a variety of Jewish and kidlit blogs. Interviews will appear on the dates below, and will remain available to read at your own convenience. Below is the schedule for the 2020 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour. Please follow the links to visit the hosting blogs on or after their tour dates, and be sure to leave them plenty of comments! SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2020 Sue Macy and Stacy Innerst, author and illustrator of The Book Rescuer
Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Picture Book Category
at 100 Scope Notes at School Library Journal R.J. Palacio, author of White Bird
Sydney Taylor Book Award in the Middle Grade Category
at The Paper Brigade Daily at The Jewish Book Council MONDAY FEBRUARY 10, 202…