Nic Stone!

Clean Getaway is for sure a contender for a Newbery.  I was worried that 2020 would be like last year.  I just couldn't get overly excited about much.  Probably that was me, like I said, it was a rough year, but wow, Stone has written a really different, excellent book here.  I didn't know about the Green Book.  I am embarrassed.  And I am glad that all who read this book will know about it.  The NYPL has digital copies online.  Stone is such a "real character" writer.  No easy answers, no dualistic thinking.  Excellent.

Dear Martin, You would love this book.

Dear Martin was just so excellent.  I bought it when I saw that it had made the list of finalists for the Morris Award.  May I also admit that the Morris Award was completely unknown to me before I saw the email from YALSA announcing the finalists?  I am embarrassed, but I am transparent!  Relevant, real, amazing writing. I didn't know until I looked at her web page that Nic Stone is female.  Not a big deal or even a deal, but I am always impressed when an author can just really speak in the voice of someone different from they.  So good.  This one should be a Printz Honor for sure.  Only Auma's Long Run is higher in my opinion.  But man, this is close!