3 New Books Your Book Club Needs This Week

What is the Newbery Medal?

The Newberry Medal is awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children on a yearly basis. The American Library Association (ALA) gave the very first Newbery Medal to Hendrik Willem van Loon, author of "The Story of Mankind," in 1922.

This honor, named after John Newbery, an English children's book publisher, ultimately became the world's first children's book award.

Since its inception, the Newbery Medal has been awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children. Numerous revered works have been given this honor, ranging from The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle in 1923 to Summer of the Swans in 1971 and The Tale of Despereaux in 2004.

Who won the 2025 Newbery Medal?

The honor was given to The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. The book, which came out on March 5, 2024, is set in 1999 and follows a 12-year-old boy named Michael Rosario, who is consumed by anxiety as he prepares for a potential Y2K disaster.

Then, one day, Michael encounters a teenager named Ridge, who stands out with his unusual clothing and strange way of speaking. It turns out that Ridge traveled back in time from the year 2199 with the help of his mom's scientific experiments following a dare from his siblings.

Michael is tempted by the opportunity to find out about the future. However, he realizes that his priority is helping Ridge return to his own time.

This feat represents Erin Entrada Kelly's second Newbery Medal win. She previously won the honor for the first time in 2018 with her book, Hello, Universe.

Along with this prestigious award, the committee also awarded Newbery Honors to other books deemed attention-worthy. These titles included Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar, Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller, One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome, and The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy.

While the Newbery Medal is perhaps the most famous children's book award, the ALA also recognizes outstanding literature across a variety of categories. These awards, including the Randolph Caldecott Medal, the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the William C. Morris Award, and the Michael L. Printz Award, are determined by committees of children's librarians and other literary experts.

This year, the Randolph Caldecott Medal was presented to Chooch Helped by Andrea L. Rogers and illustrated by Rebecca Lee Kunz. It's awarded to the most distinguished American picture book for kids.

Twenty-four Seconds from Now... by Jason Reynolds received the Coretta Scott King Book Award, which honors African American authors and illustrators who create exceptional books for both children and young adults. My Daddy Is a Cowboy, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award.

The William C. Morris Award, given to books by debut authors writing for teen audiences, was presented to Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo. Finally, the Michael L. Printz Award, which recognizes excellent works across YA fiction, nonfiction, poetry, graphic novels, and anthologies, was awarded to Brownstone by Samuel Teer and illustrated by Mar Julia.

Order 'The First State of Being' Here!

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

March 2025

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

The Dream Hotel starts off with oppressed women being held against their will and ends with a revolutionary act that dismantles the very system meant to keep them locked away. Readers will meet Sara, the main protagonist, and other women who have been detained by the Risk Assessment Administration for being possible "threats" to society. In her case, she's charged with the fact she might put her husband's life in danger.

As readers can surmise, the rules aren't consistent at the center they're being held and their "sentences" stretch out to the point it's impossible for them to ever leave. But the RAA makes a miscalculation when they bring a new face to the center. Soon, the women they held back will expose them and others.

February 2025

This Is a Love Storyby Jessica Soffer

January 2025 

The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight

Penn should be excited about advancing her education at the University of Edinburgh, but she can't stop thinking about the secret her parents have been keeping from her. For some reason, she believes she'll uncover it while she's in Scotland because Lord Lennox — her father's friend — is in the area.

Her hunger for the truth leads her to Lord Lennox's estate where she she starts mingling with his family and even discovers love in this moving novel.

Jenna Bush Hager thinks readers will love The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus because "it's a rich novel" with themes of "friendship and motherhood" (via Instagram). It's so good, she's sure "it will sweep you off your feet (via Instagram).

Blake Lively just involved an ex-CIA advisor in her case.

Blake Lively has enlisted Nick Shapiro, former CIA deputy chief of staff and senior advisor John Brennan (the former director), to help with her case, according to Page Six and Variety.

“The litigation team for Ms. Lively retained Mr. Shapiro to advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York,” Blake Lively's lawyers said in a statement.

This proves more than anything else that Blake is taking the trial really seriously because this is a major move on her part.

Recently, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni actually agreed on something when they spoke out against the "violent" messages Blake and her loved ones have been receiving.

Blake's legal team requested a stronger protection order (PO), considering Blake, "her family, other members of the cast, various fact witnesses, and individuals that have spoken out publicly in support of Ms. Lively have received violent, profane, sexist, and threatening communications" (as the request states), "good cause exists for the Court to adopt the Proposed PO."

And Justin's legal team went on the record, saying they "do not condone dangerous rhetoric targeted toward anyone no matter the situation. Anyone receiving violent messages by anonymous parties is abhorrent."

“When private parties were wrongfully accused by Lively and her paid team of wrongdoing, they received continuous death threats and visits to private homes where young children reside after their addresses were leaked on her initial complaints," they continue. "No one should have to face that, especially private parties who do not have means for security detail. We do not condone dangerous rhetoric targeted toward anyone no matter the situation.”