2010 Book Battles - Something for Everyone!

Two of my favorite places are running book battles to decide the best of the best. I'm not participating in either one officially, mostly due to time, but I'm going to be following each.

1. The Morning News - The 2010 Tournament of Books
Each year the irreverent TMN hosts this wonderful contest. I love reading how they chose the books and discovering what new way they will bash other book awards. They profess to be non-elitist and are surely extremely entertaining. I try to read at least one of the books each year but this year's list contains a number of tempting morsels. I've linked to the brackets for those of you who want to read along.

Top 16 Contenders

The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood
The Anthologist, by Nicholson Baker
Fever Chart, by Bill Cotter
Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth, by Apostolos Doxiadis
The Book of Night Women, by Marlon James
The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver
Big Machine, by Victor Lavalle
Let the Great World Spin, by Colum McCann
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
A Gate at the Stairs, by Lorrie Moore - reading
Miles from Nowhere, by Nami Mun
That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo
Burnt Shadows, by Kamila Shamsie
The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned, by Wells Tower
Lowboy, by John Wray

This contest will run from March 1 - April 5. Way too fast. I'm going to read along slowly and I'll be sure to post my reactions. I've already read The Help and am reading A Gate At the Stairs now. I've ordered Lowboy and The Book of Night Women from the library to complete those brackets.

Are there any on this list you've read? Or want to read?

2. School Library Journal - Battle of the Kid's Books
I only found out about this battle during the summer 2009. I think this is only their second year and I can see they've modeled it more after TMN's tournament, including a zombie round. Fuse 8 has a great video that explains the battle. Due to my participation in a Mock Newbery club, I've read a few of these! There are still some I want to dive into and this might be the incentive I need.

Top 16 Contenders

CHARLES AND EMMA by Deborah Heligman
CLAUDETTE COLVIN by Philip Hoose
THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Tate
FIRE by Kristin Cashore
THE FROG SCIENTIST by Pamela S. Turner
THE LAST OLYMPIAN by Rick Riordan
LIPS TOUCH by Laini Taylor
THE LOST CONSPIRACY by Francis Hardinge
MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD by Francisco X Stork
MARCHING FOR FREEDOM by Elizabeth Partridge
PEACE, LOCOMOTION by Jaqueline Woodson
A SEASON OF GIFTS by Richard Peck
THE STORM IN THE BARN by Matt Phelan
SWEETHEARTS OF RHYTHM by Marilyn Nelson
TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA by Shaun Tan
WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead

This contest runs from March 15 - April 5, even faster than the TOB! Again, I'm going to try to read along, especially since I've read a great number of these books. I have Lips Touch Three Times, Charles and Emma, and Tales from Outer Suburbia right here on my desk!! I've also completed two other brackets and can't wait to weigh in! I love how they decided on the brackets because it's way more even than TMN's TOB.

What have you read on this list? Any you've been meaning to read?

I'm really excited about both of these contests and will keep you informed of my progress, if any, each week!