We rely on your support to keep the 90-Second Newbery going. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to us here, through our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.

Next year will be the HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY of the Newbery awards! That means our eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival will surely be magic. The 90-Second Newbery is an annual video contest I founded in which young filmmakers create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books—preferably with a fun twist.

For instance, check out the movie above, based on Holly Black’s spooky 2014 Newbery Honor Winner Doll Bones . . . but retold in the style of the Netflix show Stranger Things!

Okay, I know the movie is a bit long for a “90-Second” film festival. I’ve grown more flexible on that rule over the years (but if your movie runs long, it had better be good). And full disclosure, the actors are my daughters Lucy and Ingrid and their friends. Since they made Stranger Things costumes for Halloween, we figured, why not take advantage? You may also recognize this troupe from their D&D-style Black Cauldron in 2019, their “Les Miserables”-style Tale of Despereaux in 2018, or their movie of My Father’s Dragon in 2017.

There’s still time to make your own movie for the 90-Second Newbery! It’s open to young filmmakers up to 18 years old, and adult help is allowed. I’ve extended the deadlines. The GENERAL DEADLINE for most movies has been extended to February 25, 2022. Making a movie for the Brooklyn screening on February 12? The special early NEW YORK DEADLINE is February 1, 2022.

(Need technical help and moviemaking advice? Check out our video resources and how-to guides.)

Last year all of our screenings were virtual, but in 2022 we hope to bring back our live, free, in-person screenings in eight cities (with possibly more to be added). I’ll put up links to make your reservations in January. For now, save these dates:

Friday, February 25, 2022
The GENERAL DEADLINE deadline for submitting movies for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival. (The Brooklyn screening has been canceled because of Covid but we are still welcoming entries from New York City.)

Saturday, March 12, 2022
The BOSTON online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm EST here. Made possible by the Boston Public Library.

Saturday, March 19, 2022
The TACOMA, WA online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm PST here. Made possible by the Tacoma Public Library.

Saturday, March 26, 2022
The CHICAGO online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm CST here.

Sunday, March 27, 2022
The NEW YORK STATE online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm EST here.

Saturday, April 2, 2022
The SAN ANTONIO, TX screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Carolyn Flores (The Amazing Watercolor Fish and more). At the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Will Naylor Smith Riverwalk Plaza. Made possible by partners at Bexar County Digital Library Bibliotech and the Hidalgo Foundation through the generosity of H-E-B Texas Grocery. Get your FREE tickets here. 2 pm.

Saturday, April 23, 2022
The ASSORTED CITIES online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm CST here.

Sunday, April 24, 2022
The BEST-OF-THE-BEST 2022 online screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Keir Graff (The Tiny Mansion). The screening will premiere at 3 pm CST here.

Saturday, April 30, 2022
The TRENTON, NJ screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and another co-host TBA. More details to come.

Sometime in May or June, 2022
The BOULDER, CO screening for the eleventh annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by me and author Lija Fisher (The Cryptid Catcher, The Cryptid Keeper). Made possible by the Boulder Office of Arts & Culture. More details to come.

I hope the pandemic abates enough such that we are able to do these screenings. These events are usually lots of fun, consistently drawing big enthusiastic audiences! Thanks so much to my talented and generous co-hosts for being part of this.

Want to bring the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival to your town? Every year we expand into more cities, and I’d love to come to yours! Drop me a line at james@90secondnewbery.com.

Now go out and make your own 90-Second Newbery movies! Remember, the general deadline is February 25, 2022 (with a New York deadline of February 1, 2022). I can’t wait to see what you create!

(Want to ensure I can pull off this weird operation for another year? Please donate to us here, through our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. All donations are tax-deductible.)

Hey, they really get me in the UK! The Times Saturday Review named Dare to Know as the “Book of the Year” in the sci-fi category. I’m really heartened at how my book has been embraced across the pond. America, you’re on notice.

Considering buying Dare to Know as a gift for someone? Or want a deluxe version for yourself? My publisher Quirk Books is running a “Holiday Pop-Up Shop” in which you get Dare to Know in a special package with some related trinkets and an author letter! But it’s only available under December 12, 2021. Get it here!

I’ve been doing a lot of virtual events lately for Dare to Know. On November 17 I was interviewed by Bob Lingle of Off The Beaten Path Books in Chautauqua, New York. Bob is one of the many wonderful independent booksellers who were early cheerleaders for Dare to Know, and helped get it onto the September 2021 Indie Next List. It’s a great interview, which includes a weirdly specific embarrassing story that we improbably have in common!

It’s another episode of the Secrets of Story podcast, hosted by me and Matt Bird. This time Matt and I discuss an insight of his that I agree with, so we fight less than usual!

Every character should have a distinct voice, such that even if you saw their line written out without attribution, you would know that they and only they would say it. In this episode, Matt says it’s helpful to build a character’s voice through their Metaphor Family (e.g., on Parks and Recreation, everything Leslie Knope says comes from the metaphors of “sunny corny can-do political zealot,” Ron Swanson’s way come from libertarianism, woodworking, barbecue, etc.), Default Personality Trait (by default Eeyore is usually gloomy, Tigger is a spaz, etc.), and Default Argument Tactic (on Community, Jeff Winger tries to trap you in a lawyerly manner, Shirley passively-aggressively guilt trips you, etc.).

It’s worth clicking through those three links and reading what Matt has to say on these topics—I think he’s on to something! And in this episode I add my own twists and modifications to this theory, pointing out that for many characters, these metaphors, traits, and tactics often change based on whom the character is speaking to—that is, a character isn’t just some immutable essence who acts the same with everyone, but they behave relationally. (After all, Luke doesn’t act the same to Ben Kenobi as he does to Uncle Owen!)

Listen to the episode here:

During the episode, Matt mentions a facial expression generator chart from Scott McCloud’s Making Comics—and, on reflection, he misrepresents how I feel about it. I totally see how Scott McCloud’s chart (reproduced below) would be very useful for visual artists who want to learn how to portray emotion in a human face. For instance, I’m terrible at drawing, so I would find this chart very useful! The thing I was arguing against was the idea of equivalent chartification of plot and character when you’re writing a story . . . I don’t think those are as amenable to the chart treatment. Anyway, the charts are below!

I’m a Scott McCloud fan, actually, and as my daughters are both eager and active graphic-novelists-in-training, I’ll be buying them Scott McCloud’s Making Comics for Christmas.