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LARC Mocks: 2025 Chapter Books

Working list of starred reviews to be considered for the Mock Caldecott and Newbery Award

2025 Chapter Books

Adler, Dahlia.  Come As You Are.  BL 4/1-15/25

Ahn, Angela.  The Big Splash.  SLJ 1/25

Alexander, Kwame.  How Sweet the Sound: A Soundtrack for America.  BL 11/1-15/24

Alexander, Kwame. J vs. K. PW 3/3/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Algarmi, Wahab. Almost Sunset.  SLJ 2/25

Ancrum, K.  The Corruption of Hollis Brown.  BL 2/1-15/25

Anderson, Laurie Halse.  Rebellion 1776.  BL 2/1-15/25

Angleberger, Tom.  Dino Poet.  SLJ 2/25

Annable, Graham.  Hide & Seek With Clyde & Monique: Clyde in Plain Sight.  K 4/1/25

Arango, Andrea Beatriz.  It's All or Nothing, Vale. K12/1/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Aung Than, Gavin.  Creature Clinic.  K 3/15/25

Bailey, Jenn.  Henry's PIcture-Perfect Day.  SLJ 2/25

Bakes, Jules.  Sea Legs. K 12/15/24, SLJ 1/25, BL 1/1-15/25

Beckett-King, Alasdair. Murder at the Museum. PW 11/11/24

Blakewell, Catherine. Where Shadows Bloom. PW 11/4/24

Blankman, Anne.  The Enemy's Daughter.  SLJ 12/24

Braun-Arnold, Lily. The Last Bookstore on Earth. PW 10/14/24

Bouwman, H.M.  Scattergood.   K 11/1/24

Broach, Elise.  Bulldozer's Big Rescue.  K 11/1/14

Brosgol, Vera. Return to Sender. PW 2/10/25.

Brown, Waka T.  Rick Kotani's 400 Million Dollar Summer.  K 12/15/24

Browne, Mahogany L. A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe. PW 1/6/25, BL 2/1-15/25

Burgess, Tamika. Danilo Was Here. PW 10/14/24

Bussing, Kim. Cinderella and the Beast. PW 10/14/24

Button, Lana. Brianna Banana, Helper of the Day. PW 10/28/24, K 2/15/25

Bybee, Veeda and Joy McCullough. Jojo vs. Middle School. PW 11/11/24

Callans, Jess.  Ollie in Between.  BL 1/1-15/25

Calonita, Jen. Isle of Ever. PW 1/6/25

Cartaya, Pablo. A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation. PW 3/3/25, BL 4/1-15/25

Cavalancia, Kaitlyn. Mystery Royale. PW 9/30/24

Cherrywell, Steph.  Unboxing Libby.  BL 1/1-15/25

Chewins, Hayley. I am the Swarm. PW 12/2/24, BL 2/1-15/25

Cho, Kat.  Wish upon a Star.  BL 3/1-15/25

Chu, Kyle Casey.  The Queen Bees of Tybee County.  BL 4/1-15/25

Chung, Arree.  Don't Cause Trouble.  BL 3/1-15/25

Close, Helena.  The Close Book.  BL 3/1-15/25

Cook, Elora.  In the Company of Killers.  BL 3/1-15/25

Cotter, Charis. The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall. PW 3/17/2025, K 4/1/25

Cuevas, Adrianna. What Fell from the Sky.  SLJ 2/25

Currie, Lindsay.  It's Watching.  SLJ 1/25

Cushman, Karen.  When Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea.  BL 3/1-15/25

Cypess, Leah.  The Truth About the Tooth Fairy.  SLJ 2/25

Davis, DeAndra.  All the Noise at Once.  BL 4/1-15/25

Dee, Barbara. Tear This Down. PW 10/28/24

Diaz, Dani. Dreamover. PW 10/14/24

DiCamillo, Kate.  Orris and Timble: Lost and Found.  K 1/1/25

Doktorski, Jen. Finding Normal. PW 10/14/24

Dugan, Jennifer.  Summer Girls.  BL 4/1-15/25

Emberley, Michael.  Night Light.  K 2/1/25, SLJ 2/25

Evans, Victoria.  The History of Everything.  BL 2/1-15/25

Faruqi, Saadia.  The Strongest Heart.  PW 1/13/25, K 1/15/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Faruqi, Reem. Zarina Divided. PW 3/10/25

Florence, Debbi Michiko. A Study in Secrets. PW 12/2/24

Fodor, Kate.  The Rehearsal Club.  K 2/1/25

Fusco, Kimberly Newton.  The Secret of Honeycake.  K 11/15/24

Galligan, Gale.  Fresh Start.  K 11/1/24, SLJ 12/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Gao, Laura. Kirby's Lessons for Falling (In Love). PW 12/16-23/24, BL 3/1-15/25

Garcia, Kami.  Mixed-Up.  BL 1/1-15/25

Gidwitz, Adam.  Max in the Land of Lies: A Tale of World War II.  K 1/1/25, BL 2/1-15/25

Go, Jung-soon.  Okchundang Candy.  BL 2/1-15/25

Godwin, Tate. Operation: Cover-Up. PW 10/14/24, K 12/15/24

Grant, Allison Sweet.  I Am the Cage.  BL 2/1-15/25

Guillory, Sarah. Gus and Glory.  K 3/15/24

Guojing. Oasis. PW 11/11/24, BL 2/1-15/25

Haley, Erin Moonyeen. Miss Liberty. PW 2/17/25

Hartman, Aubrey.  The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest.  K 12/1/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Healy, Kay. The Mysterious New Girl. PW 11/11/24, SLJ 2/25

Heilig, Heidi.  Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker.  K 2/1/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Jackson, Tiffany D. Blood in the Water. PW 4/21/25

Kantorovitz, Sylvie. Pickle on Wheels.  K 4/1/25

Kemmerer, Brigid.  Carving Shadows into Gold.  BL 1/1-15/25

Kim, Graci.  Dreamslinger.  BL 1/1-15/25

King, Wesley. Benny on the Case. PW 1/13/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Korman, Gordon. Old School. PW 10/14/24

Lai, Remy.  Chickenpox.  K 11/15/24

Larson, Hope.  Very Bad at Math.  SLJ 1/25

Lawrence, Lorien.  The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family.  BL 2/1-15/25

Leathley, Philippa. Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo. PW 10/14/24

Leavitt, Lindsey.  The Garden Just Beyond.  K 4/1/25

Lewis, Jessica.  Nav's Foolproof Guide to Falling in Love.  BL 4/1-15/25

Lin, Grace. The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon. PW 2/24/25

Lipsyte, Robert.  Rhino's Run.  BL 1/1-15/25

Lobb, M. K. To Steal From Thieves. PW 12/9/24

Lord, Emma.  The Rival.  BL 1/1-15/25

Lovett, Sawyer.  Shampoo Unicorn.  BL 3/1-15/25

Lukoff, Kyle.  A World Worth Saving.  PW 10/28/24, K 11/1/24, SLJ 12/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Ma, Diana.  Rainbow Fair.  K 2/1/25

Madden-Lunsford, Kerry.  Werewolf Hamlet.  BL 1/1-15/25

Mandanna, Sangu.  Vanya and the Wild Hunt.  SLJ 1/25

Mansour, Vivian.  Pilgrim Codex.  BL 1/1-15/25

Marchesini, Irene.  Rebis: Born and Reborn.  BL 3/1-15/25

Marianayagam, Maria.  No Purchase Necessary.  K 11/1/24, SLJ 12/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Matsuda, Mai.  Hikaru in the Light!  BL 2/1-15/25

McClaren, Meredith.  Crumble.  K 12/1/24

McCullough, Joy. Everything is Poison. PW 10/14/24

McDonald, Megan.  Flower Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies.  BL 11/1-15/24

Medina, Meg. Graciela in the Abyss. PW 4/14/25

Mendez, Yamile Saied. The Reel Wish. PW 1/27/25, K 3/15/25

Mendez, Yamile Saied. The Trouble with Sunshine. PW 12/16-23/24

Menton, Kel.  A Fix of Light.  BL 4/1-15/25

Messner, Kate. The Trouble with Heroes. PW 1/20/25, BL 4/1-15/25

Moldavsky, Goldy. The Case of the Contraband Closet (Bubblegum Shoes #1). PW 4/14/25

Monsef, Kiyash.  Bird of a Thousand Stories.  K 12/1/24

Mullarky, Alex.  The Edge of the Silver Sea.  K 12/15/24, SLJ 2/25

Munoz, Gloria.  This Is the Year.  BL 11/1-15/24

Ogle, Rex. When We Ride. PW 12/16-23/24

O'Neill, K. A Song for You and I. PW 12/16-23/24

Pimienta, Jose.  Halfway to Somewhere.  BL 1/1-15/25

Pinkney, Andea Davis.  And She Was Loved: Toni Morrison's Life in Stories.  BL 11/1-15/24

Pixley, Marcella.  Neshama.  BL 4/1-15/25

Pizzoli, Greg.  Earl & Worm #1: The Bad Idea and Other Stories.  SLJ 2/25

Powars, Page.  And They Were Roommates.  BL 3/1-15/25

Prendergast, Gabrielle. The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt.  SLJ 1/25

Reardon, Joan. Dad Rock Dragon Quest. PW 4/7/2025

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Will's Race for Home.  BL 1/1-15/25

Rossell, Judith. The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. PW 3/10/25

Quinn, Sine.  The Faerie Isle: Tales and Traditions of Ireland's Forgotten Folklore.  K 1/15/25

Rae, Elspeth and Rowena Rae.  Train Day!  BL 2/1-15/25

Rappaport, Doreen.  Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama.  BL 11/1-15/24

Reid, Ava.  Fable for the End of the World.  BL 2/1-15/25

Reiss, Rachel.  Out of Air.  BL 3/1-15/25

Rex, Adam.  The Story of Gumluck and the Heroes: Book Three.  K 2/1/25

Rhodes, Jewell Parker.  Will's Race for Home.  PW 10/21/24, SLJ 11/24, K 12/15/24

Ries, Ariel Slamet. Strange Bedfellows. PW 12/2/24

Riordan, Rick.  Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess.  K 11/15/24

Robin, Taylor. Hunger's Bite. PW 10/28/24, BL 2/1-15/25

Rose, Caroline Starr.  The Burning Season.  K 3/15/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Rossell, Judith.  The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls.  K 3/15/25

Rubinstein, Elana.  The Secret of the Scent Map.  SLJ 12/24

Ruiz-Flores, Lupe. The Pecan Sheller. PW 1/20/25, BL 2/1-15/25

Rundberg, Johan.  The Lost Ones. K 12/1/24

Safadi, Shifa Saltagi. Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship. PW 3/3/25, K 4/1/25

Said, SF.  Tyger.  BL 4/1-15/25

Sain, Ginny Myers. When the Bones Sing. PW 12/9/24

Sanders, Lee.  Under the Light of the Fireflies.  BL 11/1-15/24

Selznick, Brian.  Run Away with Me.  BL 3/1-15/25

Shaw, Tucker.  Right beside You.  BL 4/1-15/25

Shusterman, Neal. All Better Now. PW 10/28/24

Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk.  Under Attack.  K 11/15/24

Smith, Linda Joan.  The Peach Thief.  BL 11/1-15/24, K 1/1/25, SLJ 2/25

Smith, Sasha Peyton. The Rose Bargain. PW 11/11/24, BL 2/1-15/25

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Summer of the Bone Horses. PW 2/17/25

Steinke, Aron Nels. Speechless. PW 12/16-23/24

Stevens, Laura.  Our Infinite Fates.  BL 1/1-15/25

Stewart, Erin.  The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner.  K 11/15/24

Stone, Nic.  Dear Manny.  BL 2/1-15/25

Stuart, Dean.  Cassi and the House of Memories.  K 12/1/24, SLJ 2/25

Sumner, Jamie. Please Pay Attention. PW 2/10/25

Targosz, Shana.  River of Spirits.  BL 2/1-15/25

Taylor, Emily J. The Otherwhere Post. PW 10/28/24

Telgemeier, Raina. The Cartoonists Club.  SLJ 2/25, BL 3/1-15/25

Tew, Jill. Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement. PW 1/13/25

Thakrar, Shveta.  Divining the Leaves.  BL 2/1-15/25

Torres, Vanessa L. On the Wings of La Noche. PW 9/30/24

Tran, Trang Thanh.  They Bloom at Night.  BL 3/1-15/25

Stuart, Dean. Cassi and the House of Memories. PW 11/4/24

Upperman, Katy.  Everything I Promised You.  BL 1/1-15/25

Uzuki, Coco.  Fall in Love, You False Angels v.1.  BL 3/1-15/25

Vacharat, A.A.  This Moth Saw Brightness.  BL 4/1-15/25

Van De Car, Nikki.  The Invisible Wind.  BL 4/1-15/25

van Lieshout, Maria.  Song of a Blackbird.  BL 1/1-15/25

Venkatraman, Padma.  Safe Harbor.  SLJ 11/24

von Lieshout, Maria. Song of a Blackbird. PW 10/14/24

Voris, Jenna.  Say a Little Prayer.  BL 2/1-15/25

Walther, K.L.  While We're Young.  BL 2/1-15/25

Walz, Jason.  The Flip Side.  BL 2/1-15/25

Watkins, Lala.  Hello, Sun!  SLJ 11/24

Watson, Renee.  All the Blues in the Sky.  K 1/1/25, BL 1/1-15/25, SLJ 2/25

Weissman, Elissa Brent.  So Over Sharing.  BL 4/1-15/25

Wilkinson, Lili. Unhallowed Halls. PW 11/11/24

Williams-Garcia, Rita.  One Crazy Summer: The Graphic Novel.  K 3/15/25

Witherspoon, Sujin.  Bingsu for Two.  BL 11/1-15/24

Wolf, Ryan. Darkness at Dreamer Mountain. PW 1/27/25

Wolk, Lauren.  Candle Island.  BL 1/1-15/25, PW 2/17/25

Wood, Maryrose.  Bad Badger: A Love Story.  K 12/1/24, BL 1/1-15/25

Youngdahl, Shana.  A Catalog of Burnt Objects.  BL 2/1-15/25

Zoboi, Ibi.  (S)Kin.  BL 1/1-15/25

Newbery Criteria

1. In identifying “distinguished contribution to American literature,” defined as text, in a book for children,

a. Committee members need to consider the following: Instructions for Paste and Spellcheck

  • Interpretation of the theme or concept
  • Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization
  • Development of a plot
  • Delineation of characters
  • Delineation of a setting
  • Appropriateness of style.

Note: Because the literary qualities to be considered will vary depending on content, the committee need not expect to find excellence in each of the named elements. The book should, however, have distinguished qualities in all of the elements pertinent to it.

b.Committee members must consider excellence of presentation for a child audience.

2. Each book is to be considered as a contribution to American literature. The committee is to make its decision primarily on the text. Other components of a book, such as illustrations, overall design of the book, etc., may be considered when they make the book less effective.

3. The book must be a self-contained entity, not dependent on other media (i.e., sound or film equipment) for its enjoyment.
 
Note: The committee should keep in mind that the award is for literary quality and quality presentation for children. The award is not for didactic content or popularity.