The Big Idea: Donna Barba Higuera

Keep science fiction weird! New York Times Bestselling and Newbery Medalist author Donna Barba Higuera is a big believer in letting literature be weird and out there and most of all, inspiring to those whose hands her books happen to fall into. Come along in the Big Idea for her newest book, Firesnake and see how a little sticker can have a big impact. DONNA BARBA HIGUERA: So, what influence has the Newbery Medal had on contemporary Sci-Fi? If you ask adults which book was that “magical” book for them, the one that sent them on a quest for more of that feeling, turned them into a reader, most will answer with something they read as a child. Often, it’s a book with that gold sticker on it. Not necessarily because it’s absolutely the best book, but because it was the one someone put in their hands. Still, odds are, it’s gonna click for someone out there. It’s no secret that Sci-fi books don’t often get on the radar of the Newbery Committee. So what a bizarre close-the-loop moment for me…