{"id":18825,"date":"2013-03-21T11:35:11","date_gmt":"2013-03-21T15:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=18825"},"modified":"2013-03-21T12:10:20","modified_gmt":"2013-03-21T16:10:20","slug":"sljsbob-getting-ready-for-round-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=18825","title":{"rendered":"SLJsBoB: Getting Ready for Round Two!"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first round of School Library Journal’s Battle of the Books<\/a> has finished up. I predicted<\/a> exactly half of the matches correctly in both the first half<\/a> and the second half.<\/p>\n

However, up to Match 6<\/a>, even though I only predicted half of the matches correctly, the one I did<\/em> predict correctly was the one I’d picked to move on in Round Two, so at first it didn’t look like my picks in Round Two would change.<\/p>\n

But a couple things have happened to change that.<\/p>\n

First, I finished reading Endangered<\/a><\/em>. Even though it plays havoc with your emotions as much as The Fault in Our Stars<\/a><\/em>, it feels less manipulative as it does that. Not that I thought The Fault in Our Stars<\/em> manipulated my emotions. But Endangered<\/em> even less so, even though it’s every bit as weighty a book. Does that make sense?<\/p>\n

I still want Code Name Verity<\/a><\/em> to win the top bracket. But I’m reversing my pick for Endangered<\/em> vs. The Fault in Our Stars<\/em>. Now that I’ve read Endangered<\/em>, I want it to win.<\/p>\n

Admittedly, I still think The Fault in Our Stars<\/em> or Code Name Verity<\/em>, whichever one is knocked out, will win the Undead Poll. So I expect to see both of those in the Big Kahuna Round anyway. If they both<\/em> get knocked out? I shudder to even think of that possibility!<\/p>\n

But the second problem to my Second Round picks is that I hoped The One and Only Ivan<\/a><\/em> would win the entire bottom bracket. This is clearly no longer going to happen. <\/p>\n

I did, however, hope<\/a> that one of Starry River of the Sky<\/a><\/em> or Liar & Spy<\/a><\/em> would get knocked out, despite my predictions, so I wouldn’t have to choose between the two. Well, I’m a little sorry my wish was granted.<\/p>\n

But it does make my decision easier. No dithering here! It turns out that in every Round Two Match, there is one book I predicted correctly, and one book I didn’t. Except for Endangered<\/em> (see above), I always want the book I predicted correctly in the Round One to win Round Two.<\/p>\n

That means I want Starry River of the Sky<\/em> to beat Splendors and Glooms<\/a><\/em>. No question about it.<\/p>\n

And Seraphina<\/a><\/em> over No Crystal Stair<\/a><\/em>. Easy-peasy choice, despite whatever judge Paul Griffin may say about it.<\/p>\n

Round Three? If it goes as I wish, the top half is still all about Code Name Verity<\/em>. In the bottom half? Well, can I cop out and say whichever of the Round Two matches I get right?<\/p>\n

But if by some amazing miracle I guess both right, Starry River of the Sky<\/em> vs. Seraphina<\/em>? Well, I think Starry River<\/em> is the more expertly crafted book, so I’ll go with it. But that’s one where I wouldn’t be as sad, because I did love Seraphina.<\/em> <\/p>\n

If I get the Second Round Bottom Half both wrong, I’d choose Splendors and Glooms<\/em> over No Crystal Stair<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And I still want Code Name Verity<\/em> to win it all!<\/p>\n

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