A few weeks ago I was on “Who’s There? A Podcast About Horror Fans”! Hosted by horror fan Allison, it’s “a podcast to talk to horror fans and see exactly why they love this genre the way they do.” I really enjoyed doing this interview! It’s embedded above, or you can listen to it here.

Among other things, I talk about how I was such a wimp about horror as a kid that I was frightened by even the trailer for the Stephen King-directed horror movie Maximum Overdrive. I love the demented way Stephen King casually throws Brian DePalma and Stanley Kubrick under the bus (“A lot of people have directed Stephen King novels and stories. And I finally decided if you want something done right, you oughta do it yourself”) and how he points at the viewer and snarls “I’M GONNA SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU!”

I also talk about ruining a double date with David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers, how horror is like Malört (on my mind because that Malört review I recently wrote), and how companies like Google/Apple/Facebook and Charles Manson’s cult have telling similarities.

I also get to talk about some horror-adjacent favorite movies like Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Upstream Color, Rosemary’s Baby, and It Follows (directed by someone who went to my high school!) as well as my love of Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery” (a big influence on my small-town horror novel Bride of the Tornado).

I also refer to the picture below. It’s of one of the first audiences of the 1979 movie Alien, seeing the infamous “chestbuster” scene for the first time. I want to be best friends with the bearded man in the upper left corner.

Anyway, I feel good about this interview. Give it a listen when you have a chance!

This past Saturday, at long last, we brought the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival back to Minneapolis! We hadn’t done a screening there since 2019, when Covid disrupted our 2020 show. As a hastily-conceived substitute, we had instead streamed a an online screening from my basement with just my daughters and their stuffed animals as an audience, and my co-host Kelly Barnhill was represented by a balloon with a face on it. (We tried our best. It was a pandemic.)

But thanks to the relentless efforts of Jackie Hjelden, a resourceful teacher and ally from Minnetonka, we were able to bring back the 90-Second Newbery to Minneapolis! And even though we hadn’t had a screening in years, we managed to fill up the auditorium with a rowdy and enthusiastic crowd of young filmmakers and their friends and families.

Big thanks to my co-host Jacqueline West (New York Times bestselling author of Long Lost, The Books Of Elswhere, and more) who is also a trained and very skillful singer! Check out her pipes as we sing a modified version of “The Phantom of The Opera”:

All right, let’s look at some of the Minnesota movies that I featured at the screening! I visited Delano Intermediate School the Friday before the show and got to meet some of their young filmmakers personally. I was impressed by Delano’s movie of Minnesota’s own Kelly Barnhill’s 2017 Newbery Medal Winner The Girl Who Drank The Moon, as adapted by Mia, Hope, Emma, Eden, and Natalie:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “It was the energetic, impassioned performances that made this movie excel . . . The fully committed emotional performances from all the actors and the inventive filmmaking made this a great watch!”

Delano Intermediate School also turned in this entertaining and very efficient black-and-white silent movie of Neil Gaiman’s 2009 Newbery Medal Winner The Graveyard Book, adapted by Wyatt, Alice, Emma, Ava, and Ailsa:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The spooky music at the beginning and the end helped set the mood, and I appreciated the various careful details, like the gravestone and knife props, or the mood-scrambling ‘static’ effect. The performances managed to get across a lot of the information of the story even without dialogue!”

Delano Intermediate School also submitted this movie of Amina Luqman-Dawson’s 2023 Newbery Medal Winner Freewater, adapted by Winston, Jack, Kyler, Eva, and Reagen:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie was full of action and incident, which made it fun to watch—far superior to just watching folks standing around talking. There were satisfyingly forceful performances throughout, and I particularly liked the guide who kept repeating, in more and more peeved tones, ‘Be quiet and listen to me!'”

Here’s Delano’s Claymation-and-green-screen adaptation of Jack Gantos’s 2012 Newbery Medal Winner Dead End in Norvelt by Bennett, Brecken, Evan, and Addy:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Chaotic and goofy, and sometimes a little helter-skelter, but entertaining to watch! I was impressed by the elaborate clay figures and the inventive and extensive green screen work—both the backgrounds and the way the figures were made to move.”

Although we weren’t able to feature them at the screening, Delano also submitted wonderful movies of Dave Eggers’ 2024 Newbery Medal Winner The Eyes and The Impossible (as adapted by Ray, Ben, Everret, Mariam, and Keegan) and Erin Entrada Kelly’s 2018 Newbery Medal Winner Hello, Universe. Click the links to check them out!

We also got some super movies from Orono Intermediate School in Long Lake! Here is Tae Keller’s 2021 Newbery Medal Winner When You Trap A Tiger as adapted by Anna, Avery, Evelyn, and Cora in the style of the musical Wicked:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The choreography and dancing were fun to watch . . . There was a resourceful use of green screen, and the tiger mask was elaborate and cool! I also chuckled at the offhand casual weirdness of some of the lyrics: ‘I’m Halmoni, I have brain cancer, I have to barf!’ Committed performances, a fun concept, and inventive use of Wicked all combined to make this a super entertaining movie.”

Orono Intermediate School also submitted this worthy adaptation of Erin Entrada Kelly’s 2018 Newbery Medal Winner Hello, Universe, by Kaitlyn W., Iva J., and Millie J.:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie had a lot of great ideas, particularly how Virgil, Valencia, Kaori, and Chet introduce themselves to the audience on their first appearance, giving us an idea what kind of person they are—essential when you’re doing a very quick video that has so many characters . . . I also enjoyed the clever Taylor Swift ‘Antihero’ reference: ‘It’s me, hi, I’m Valencia, it’s me.’ Fun to watch, accurate to the book, and frequently inventive!”

Orono also gave us an adaptation of Donna Barba Higuera’s 2022 Newbery Medal Winner The Last Cuentista by Rhys D., Benson B., Teddy M., and Hugo C.J.:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie did an admirable job zipping through some of the most important plot points of the story, such as Petra talking to her abuela before leaving Earth, or when Javier remembers who he is (ripping off his false nametag to reveal his true nametag— good visual storytelling!), or when the bad guys try to ‘re-purge’ Petra . . . the committed performances (and wigs!) and competent script made for an entertaining movie!”

Those were the movies from Orono that we featured at the screening, but if you want to see all seven of the movies we received from Orono Intermediate School, you can find them here!

Now, what would a Minnesota screening of the 90-Second Newbery be without Minnetonka? At the screening, they were certainly the loudest and most energetic of the audience (in a good way!), cheering and hooting and encouraging their classmates. You’ve heard about how unhinged everyone gets at screening of the Minecraft movie, right? That was nothing compared to the riotous hubbub that greeted this Minecraft adaptation of Gary Paulsen’s 1988 Newbery Honor Book Hatchet, by Calvin Jack and Clare:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I appreciated the attention to detail in how the various scenes were built: the interior of the airplane, Brian’s shelter, his raft, fire, a pond for him to fish in, and even a giant moose and a tornado . . . Fun and entertaining!”

Minnetonka also gave us Grace Lin’s 2010 Newbery Honor Book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon done entirely with papier-mache puppets:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I was blown away by the beautiful and elaborate puppets for Minli, the Old Man in the Moon, and the various other characters . . . Resourceful puppetry, a smart script, and engaging performances all combined for an entertaining and rewarding movie!”

We also got from Minnetonka this boffo adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s 2001 Newbery Honor Book Because of Winn-Dixie:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This was an appealing sprint through the story, with heartfelt performances and a nimble use of green screen. I liked the resourceful mask for the dog Winn-Dixie and the props like the guitar, peanut butter, and sandwiches . . . A rewarding and absorbing romp!”

Minnetonka also turned in this surprisingly comprehensive adaptation of Cece Bell’s 2015 Newbery Honor Book El Deafo:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The performances felt realistic and authentic . . . I liked the smart touch of how all the characters wore bunny ears, mirroring the bunny ears throughout the original graphic novel. There was a resourceful use of props, such as the hearing aid, the eyepatch, the capes, and even the dog that ‘bites’ Cece! Good performances, plus a detailed and faithful script, made for a solid and enjoyable movie.”

We also got from Minnetonka a Lego version of Kate DiCamillo’s 2014 Newbery Medal Winner Flora & Ulysses, adapted by Theo, Elliot, Clare, Luca, Calvin, Elinor, Holger, and Hugh:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “A kooky and chaotic, but ultimately entertaining, sprint through the basic plot points of the book . . . The voiceover performances were full of energy and charm, especially Ulysses’ sped-up squeaky voice. I particularly enjoyed the lightsaber battle with Star Wars music in the Giant Donut cafe!”

And finally from Minnetonka, another Lego movie, this time of Lois Lowry’s 1990 Newbery Medal Winner Number the Stars:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I liked the inventive use of the medium (a boat made out of looseleaf papers, scary red-clad soldiers) and the frequent intertitles did help to make the plot a little clearer . . . The performances were agreeable and the story moved quickly through the complicated plot points . . . Overall a pleasing and entertaining movie!”

And that’s it for the Minneapolis screening of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Again, thanks to all the young filmmakers who participated and attended, as well as their friends and family and teachers. It really was a triumphant return! Here’s to next year!

One of the most satisfying things for me about running the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival for the past 15 years has been watching the progress of young filmmakers over time. One of the most spectacular examples of this is Eian-Gabriel Sinclair of Rochester, New York.

I first received a 90-Second Newbery movie from Eian in 2016, when he was nine years old. The movie was of Allison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow—which actually isn’t a Newbery book, but whatever! Almost every year since, Eian has submitted a new stop-motion or animated movie to the 90-Second Newbery. And every year, they’re more and more impressive!

After the 90-Second Newbery screening in Rochester earlier this month, Carol White Llewelyn of Communivision Studio interviewed Eian about his experiences with the 90-Second Newbery. Carol did a fantastic job, and Eian came across really well. Check out the interview above!

A fun fact: I wrote Eian a letter of recommendation when he applied to the Rochester Institute of Technology at fourteen years old. Eian is now 18 years old, and a college graduate from RIT . . . summa cum laude!

To recognize Eian’s splendid work from throughout the years, I gathered all his videos for the 90-Second Newbery in one place. He really is an incredible talent. Enjoy!

Eian’s latest entry from 2025—mentioned in the interview above—was based on Russell Freedman’s 1988 Newbery Medal Winner Lincoln: A Photobiography. I always encourage 90-Second Newbery filmmakers to put a twist on the original material, and here Lincoln himself ably makes the case that Rochesterian Frederick Douglass deserves to be on Mount Rushmore:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I loved the painstaking, ingenious way that this movie makes the Presidents squabble and interact—Eian-Gabriel’s clay faces are better actors than some professionals I could name! (At times they remind me of Statler and Waldorf, the two old hecklers in the balcony on The Muppet Show.) Great voiceover performances really seal the deal.”

In 2024, Eian adapted Katherine Applegate’s 2013 Newbery Medal Winner The One and Only Ivan in the style of the movie King Kong:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Entertaining and adroit . . . The background music and voiceover narration were artful and felt period-specific, as well as the black-and-white cinematography. I thought it was clever how it swapped out the roaring lion in the iconic Twentieth Century Fox logo for a fluidly animated Ivan the gorilla.”

In 2021, Eian adapted Hugh Lofting’s 1923 Newbery Medal Winner The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I love the attention to detail in this movie: the spot-on olde-tymey news bulletin fanfare, the lifelike way the dog’s tail wags (and then the dog adjusts the radio with its paw—very Gromit-esque!), the fluid camera work as the shot drifts from the dog to Doctor Dolittle himself . . . I was charmed and nostalgic when he brought out the clay figurines from his previous entries to the 90-Second Newbery—I’m glad to see those old friends, even though time has not been kind to them (‘They’re cute little zombies, aren’t they?’ quips Dolittle as one of their heads falls off).”

In 2020, Eian adapted Wanda Gag’s 1929 Newbery Honor Book Millions of Cats into “Millions of Blob Monsters”!

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The blob monsters were so cute and fun to watch. I particularly liked when, at the climax, they were devouring each other and canceling each other out! But of course the funniest part was when the blob monster ate the candle, and then ate the old man and the old woman . . . and then the old couple revolted against that ending, and forced it into an ending they preferred!”

In 2019, Eian adapted Arnold Lobel’s 1973 Newbery Honor Book Frog and Toad Together in a “medieval times” style:

The judges said in part (complete review here): “From the very beginning this movie inspires confidence, with the beautifully drawn titles that even feature animated singing mouths . . . You can really feel the frustration of Toad as he jumps up and down, desperately sings, and flies into a tantrum when the plant won’t grow quickly enough for him. The voice acting is also amazing . . . especially the behind-the-scenes bit at the end, where Frog complains about not getting enough lines — hilarious!”

In 2018, Eian adapted William Steig’s 1983 Newbery Honor Book Doctor DeSoto:

As the judges said (full review here), “I was blown away by the painstakingly elaborate illustrations throughout . . . The fox is particularly impressively animated, with so many fun-to-watch sequences, like when he’s scooting on his knees to beg to Dr. DeSoto, or licking his chops in anticipation of a meal, or when his jaw trembles when he can’t open his mouth. The script is tight and tells the story accurately and wittily: ‘I’ve been outfoxed by a mouse!’ I was also impressed by how all of the original music was composed and played by Eian.”

In 2017, Eian adapted Richard and Florence Atwater’s 1939 Newbery Honor Book Mr. Popper’s Penguins:

As the judges wrote in part, “A tour de force! This movie was amazingly well-drawn and cleverly animated . . . Tight script, expressive voiceover, and the music was charming.” Read the full review here.

In 2016, Eian adapted Matt de la Pena’s 2016 Medal Winner Last Stop on Market Street:

So says the 90-Second Newbery blog: “The clay figures were impressive, full of intimate character and detail, and animated with lifelike subtlety (the toe-tapping during the music, the wriggling of the dog, the little smile on the guitar player when people clap for him)!”

And here is the movie that started it all, based on Alison McGhee’s (non-Newbery-winning) Firefly Hollow:

I loved the charming and painstaking stop-motion animation with the beautifully-crafted clay figures. And the original music was quite well-done too! Even though this was his first movie that Eian made when he was nine, you can see the seeds of future greatness.

What an incredible run! The 90-Second Newbery has been lucky to have Eian-Gabriel Sinclair making movies for us for nearly the past decade. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do in his career going forward! I expect great things.

Thank you, Eian, for all the great movies and memories!

And I will always cherish this caricature than Eian made of me in 2019: