It’s the last 90-Second Newbery screening of the season! Actually, we were supposed to do our Minneapolis screening back in March 15, but it got snowed out. Luckily we were able to reschedule it to June 14, at the same venue: the Minneapolis Central Library!

I was joined by my fantastic co-host Jacqueline West, author of the NYT-bestselling middle grade series The Books of Elsewhere and more, including the upcoming YA horror novel Black Point. Jacqueline is a great writer, has an infectious laugh, and she can REALLY SING. Check out how she belts our opening song, a rewritten version of “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast:

Let’s check out the movies that we featured at the screening! The first one is based on Victoria Jamieson’s 2016 Newbery Honor Book Roller Girl, and it’s by Hazel and friends from Minneapolis:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “It was an inspired idea to retell the story in the style of various Queen songs . . . The best thing about this movie are the open-hearted, go-for-broke performances, excellent singing and choreographed dancing, and cleverly rewritten lyrics! A fun concept and impressive execution!”

We featured two movies from Garlough Environmental Magnet School of West St. Paul. This first one is based one Kate DiCamillo’s 2014 Newbery Medal Winner Flora and Ulysses, and it’s by Madeleine, Penelope & Lucy:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Making Ulysses himself the narrator at the outset was a smart choice. I was amused at how this movie made the out-of-control vacuum run over Ulysses on its own at the beginning, and how we ‘zoomed out’ to a seeming overhead shot of the town as the vacuum hurtles down the street to ‘Incandesto’ — where Ulysses falls into a vat of ‘cleaning product’ and begins to glow, turning into a superhero! . . . Stylish and fun to watch!”

We also showed this movie from Garlough Environmental Magnet School, based on E.L. Konigsburg’s 1968 Newbery Medal Winner From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and adapted by Grayson O’Keefe, starring his friends Emerson, Azariah, Ja’Keem, Isabel, Aleena & Marcus:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie was great fun because of the energetic and fun performances of Claudia and Jamie . . . But my favorite part was how instead of Claudia and Jamie trying to solve the mystery of an angel statue that might be by Michelangelo, they’re trying to solve the mystery of whether a certain cheeseburger is from McDonald’s! Entertaining and silly in all the right ways.”

We also featured two movies from Scenic Heights Elementary in Minnetonka. This first one is based on Cece Bell’s 2015 Newbery Honor Book El Deafo:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “A fun romp through the highlights of the book! I thought it was clever how all the actors wore rabbit ears, just like how all the characters sported rabbit ears in the original graphic novel. There were great performances throughout, from the dad’s funny ‘Geez, you’re overreacting’ to the way the mom protests ‘No, she’s only four!’ as the camera zooms in on her face melodramatically. ”

We also featured this movie of Flora and Ulysses from Scenic Heights Elementary:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie made creative use of green screen to put us in the various scenes, and I loved the energetic performances of all the actors! I particularly liked the slo-mo effect when Flora is rescuing Ulysses the squirrel from the vacuum cleaner (and I appreciated that you were able to get hold of an actual vacuum cleaner to use for the scene) . . . fast, wild, and entertaining!”

We also featured two movies from Delano Public Schools. This first one is based on Tae Keller’s 2021 Newbery Medal Winner When You Trap A Tiger:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This movie had a lot of energy and emotion. I particularly appreciated the tiger in its costume, especially when it was goofily dancing around in the middle of the street at the beginning (Good old-lady wig for Halmoni, too!).”

And also from Delano Public Schools, we have this adaptation of Erin Entrada Kelly’s 2025 Newbery Medal Winner The First State of Being:

As the judges wrote in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (complete review here, “I liked the breakneck pace of this movie as it sprinted ludicrously quickly, but accurately, through the plot points of the book! The background music was a great addition, especially when it changed to match the action of the scenes (such as how it became more hopeful when the time-travel egg started working again) . . . I liked the sly humor of some of the parts, like when the earthquake is predicted and then the intertitle dryly notes ‘One earthquake later.’ Well done!”

And those were the local entries for the Minneapolis 2026 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Thank you to the filmmakers and the parents and teachers who support them, and to the Minneapolis Central Library for letting us use their auditorium, to Jacqueline West for co-hosting, and to Jackie Hjelden for getting the ball rolling on organizing. See you next year . . . and I hope it doesn’t get snowed out this time!

Did you enjoy the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival? Do you want us to keep doing it? Then please help us out with a tax-deductible donation. Our fiscal sponsor is Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization.

We’re coming to the end of the fifteenth season of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! And on May 29, we had our Tacoma screening at Grant Center for the Expressive Arts. Thanks to Mr. Johnson at Grant Center for setting up the GoFundMe for this screening, and to all the wonderful folks who donated to it, with a special thanks to the Friedman family for their generous matching contribution! And thanks most of all to the young filmmakers who created the movies, and the teachers, librarians, and family who helped them.

And thanks to my lovely and talented co-host, Tacoma’s own Doug Mackey! As usual, he and I sang a ridiculous song to open the show . . . this time, based on “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, with lyrics rewritten to be about the Newbery.

Doug is a true showman, and I love that I get to perform a goofy song with him every year!

Every screening features a mix of locally-made movies and the best of what we’ve received nationally throughout the year. Let’s look at some of the local movies that were featured!

ActorCraft Page, Stage, and Screen of Gig Harbor, WA has been participating lately with some really snappy movies. Their 32 Hour Film Frenzy Workshop made this adaptation of Lois Lowry’s 1994 Newbery Medal Winner The Giver, and the script, performances, and cinematography were all top-notch:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The script did a fantastic job of telling the story quickly and with humorous verve—and I particularly liked that the Giver himself is pretty funny (‘I’m known for my motivational speeches’ and ‘I’ll finally get some rest, maybe take interpretative dance’ were my favorite lines of his) . . . But the strongest thing about this movie is the performances: anchored by a realistic Jonas and a wry Giver, and supported by often amusing performances from the friends and family and other characters.”

The good folks at ActorCraft also did this adaptation of Donna Barba Higuera’s 2022 Newbery Medal Winner The Last Cuentista:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Strong, compelling, believable performances—some incredible acting and directing here! I was particularly impressed at the scenes of the secret meetings in which everyone is sharing recollections, and at the end when everyone is standing up to announce their specific memories. In a canny move, this movie dispenses with many of the picky details of the story (the visits to the planet, the subplot about the poison, etc.) and chose instead to concentrate on the book’s more general themes of memory, cultural inheritance, and meaning-making.”

We got five movies from Bryan Johnson’s fifth grade class at Grant Center for the Expressive Arts! The first one is based on Kwame Alexander’s 2015 Newbery Medal Winner The Crossover, and it’s by Mila, Akira, Ma’liya, Emmett, and Michael:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Fantastic! From the very beginning I knew this would be good, with the music’s opening flourish and all the cast popping their heads into the frame from offscreen—brilliant! There was an ingenious use of green screen throughout, with extra touches like an animated CGI tiger, or the way the dad’s corpse hilariously flies up into the sky during his funeral. The lyrics to the theme song for ‘Sofia the First’ were cleverly written into ‘Filthy the First’ and effectively got across the main plot points of the story. The singing was enthusiastic and fun to listen to, as well!”

This next movie from Grant Center is based on Rebecca Stead’s 2010 Newbery Medal Winner When You Reach Me, and it’s by Isaiah, Claire, Wren, Cora, and Elizabeth:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “It was a fun idea to adapt the story in the style of K-Pop Demon Hunters, complete with flashy outfits (I especially liked that pseudo-militaristic one with the elaborate epaulettes) and a reference to the ‘Soda Pop’ song at the end . . . The story was grounded by a believable and compelling performance of Rumi . . . Fun to watch!”

M.T. Anderson’s 2024 Newbery Honor Book Elf Dog and Owl Head was adapted by Mimi, Katja, Janessa, Simon, and Bennett:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This was a fun sprint through the story, made especially entertaining by the committed performances of the dogs crawling around, making dog noises, and even dogfighting . . . Hit many of the plot points compellingly and with style!”

Maxine, Teddy, Frances, Janaee, and Adam did this adaptation of Beverly Cleary’s 1982 Honor Book Ramona Quimby, Age 8:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “I love it when filmmakers adapt the books in a musical style! The singing and performances were fun to listen to, and the subtitles helped keep the cleverly written lyrics clear so I could understand every word. There was a cool use of green screen for backgrounds, and also for the occasional surprising foreground detail like the raw egg on Ramona’s face and the vomit! The enthusiasm and committed spirit of all the performers really made this movie work, and the movie hit most of the plot points in a way that was both swift and entertaining.”

Finally from the Grant Center, we have George Selden’s 1961 Newbery Honor Book The Cricket in Times Square, as adapted by Violet, Brynn, Jerimiah, Lulu, and Tyce. This movie is a creative imagining of what would happen to Chester the cricket after the events of the original book: he visits the countryside, but on his way back to New York City, he makes a wrong turn, and ends up in Seattle! This movie shows off some of Seattle’s notable tourist attractions:

As the judges said on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The background music kept the energy up, the performances were lively and appealing, and I was intrigued to meet Chester’s new Seattle friends, each with distinct personalities. I agree: the Seattle waterfront park is better than a drainpipe, and ‘New York can wait!'”

And that was the Tacoma 2026 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Here’s to many more screenings in Tacoma—it’s such a warm, supportive, creative community there!

Did you enjoy the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival? Do you want us to keep doing it? Then please help us out with a tax-deductible donation. Our fiscal sponsor is Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization.

Did you enjoy the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival? Do you want us to keep doing it? Then please help us out with a tax-deductible donation. Our fiscal sponsor is Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization.

Last Saturday, in Rochester New York, we screened the 15th annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival at the Dryden Theater at the Eastman Museum! And we packed the place, with over 260 people in attendance!

With my co-host, the legendary kids author Bruce Coville, we showed off the best kid-made movies from the Rochester area and around the country that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in just a few minutes. Here we are, right before the show began (and before we did our opening song based on “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast—sadly, or mercifully, the video I have of it doesn’t quite capture the experience, so I’m not sharing it):

Thank you to Eliza Bennington and everyone at the Eastman Museum for their support and for letting us use their beautiful space, and to Winna Carrasco who helped out in the tech booth. Thanks to Deb Ross of KidsOutAndAbout.com and Carol White Llewelyn of CommuniVision Studio for their essential support. And thank you to our many local sponsors, including the Rochester Teen Book Festival, the Friends and Foundation of the Rochester Public Library, Genesee Valley BOCES, the Irondequoit Public Library, Animatus Studio, and RIT MAGIC, RIT College of Art & Design and RIT K-12 University Center.

Thanks most of all to the young filmmakers who created the movies, and the teachers, librarians, family, and other adults who helped them! Let’s look at the local movies that we featured at the screening!

Christopher, Cora, Emma, Adeline, Nathaniel, Clare, Eve, and Kiryn of the Penfield Public Library made this version of E.L. Konigsburg’s 1968 Newbery Medal winner From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. In this version, instead of running away to the museum, Claudia and Jamie run away to the jungle because their parents have turned evil. But when bulldozers start destroying the jungle, can Claudia and Jamie solve the mystery of the statue that contains a crystal that turns people bad?

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “What an ingenious, creative, and fun transformation of the story . . . it was the performances that really made this work, from Claudia and Jamie’s realistic acting to the animals to the mysterious Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler herself, especially when she’s rampaging through the forest in her bulldozer!”

The Harley School of Rochester submitted four videos for the 90-Second Newbery this year. This first one, by Eloise, Brody, Henry, Beth, Padma, Anne, Addy, and “the_ok_artist,” retells the story of Matt de la Pena’s 2016 Newbery Medal Winner Last Stop on Market Street—in the style of a zombie apocalypse:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Fantastic acting from Nana (no-nonsense and crusty), C.J. (wide-eyed and idealistic), and of course all the ravenous zombies, who turn out to be complicated characters who have their own dreams.”

Quinn, Jaliyah, Henry, Mabel, and Liv of The Harley School made this version of Louis Sachar’s 1999 Newbery Medal winner Holes in the style of a reality show: “The Secret Lives of the Green Lake Wives.” Instead of boys at a prison camp, it’s women contestants who are contending for the hand of an eligible bachelor:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The pitch-perfect acting is what made this movie shine, with everyone doing a great job of imitating the peculiar vocal mannerisms of ‘Real Housewives’ contestants and hosts. The overly dramatic reality-show music was a brilliant touch, and I loved the costumes . . . So much fun to watch!”

Leo, Lila, Maddy, and Brody of The Harley School made this version of Lois Lowry’s 1994 Newbery Medal Winner The Giver. I particularly like the contemporary twist this movie puts on the original book—in this one, everyone is addicted to their phones, even the babies!

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “A dramatic, serious, skillfully-made retelling of the story! The acting was particularly good, from the toneless dialogue between Jonas and his family at the beginning (indicating the deadened emotions of the ‘community’) to the Giver’s heartfelt monologue about Rosemary to Jonas’ breakthrough into true emotion when he goes outside and makes a joyful snow angel . . . The dramatic soundtrack music throughout was expertly chosen and deployed, and the cinematography and editing were pro level.”

And finally from The Harley School, Addy, Tommy, Anne, Jonathan, and Trish made this version of Tae Keller’s 2021 Newbery Medal winner When You Trap a Tiger:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “This was a clever way to retell the story: in the style of a 1980s sitcom (complete with colorful period-appropriate opening credits, in which each cast member mugs for the camera as their character’s name flashes on the screen and sitcom-ish music plays) . . . It was fun to reimagine Ricky as a fourth-wall-breaking commenter (“this movie was made by a bunch of teenagers with no budget” or “are you another main character or side character?” were funny lines) . . . This story was satisfyingly and entertainingly told, with some real filmmaking know-how!”

Bernabi Elementary of Spencerport made this paranoid sci-fi reimagining of Kate DiCamillo’s 2014 Newbery Medal Winner Flora and Ulysses. In this version, instead of being run over by a vacuum cleaner, Ulysses is sucked up into a UFO and spit out as a human-animal Ulysses hybrid. But why do these aliens want to make animals form into humans, and humans into animals? And can Flora and her parents stop the aliens’ plan?

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “A clever re-imagining of the original story, transforming its various plot points so that it becomes a paranoid sci-fi mystery about an alien takeover of Earth . . . From the very beginning this movie set the appropriate expectations, with the ominous sci-fi music and starry cosmic visuals. The cinematography and editing were refreshingly crisp and assured, and I loved the various kooky sci-fi sound effects . . . All the performances were spirited, energetic, and often funny, making this a very entertaining movie!”

Amelia, Gelina, and Makayla of Munn Elementary School in Spencerport made this movie based on 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 cinematography and editing in this movie were top-notch, with a nimble use of green screen to put us in the various locations . . . I appreciated how the scenes were punctuated by the repeated appearances of Cece as an anime-style superhero, interpreting Cece’s good actions in each scene and offering various pieces of advice.”

Canal View Elementary in Spencerport did this great adaptation of Jennifer L. Holm’s 2011 Newbery Honor Book Turtle in Paradise:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Tight script, proficient cinematography, and enthusiastic performances . . . There were many inventive little touches, such as the animation of Turtle on a plane flying down to Florida, the fast-forward montage with music depicting the Diaper Gang searching for treasure, or Aunt Minnie’s costume of wig, cardigan, and cane—which she uses to bop Archie over the head at the climax!”

We got four movies from Taylor Elementary in Spencerport! The first is by Loki, Eloise, Sydney, David, and Teagan, and it’s based on Neil Gaiman’s 2009 Newbery Medal Winner The Graveyard Book:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “There were lots of stylish touches, like the man in the red cloak growling ‘Finally the boy has been found,’ or the monster in the mask, or the dramatic swishing sound effect when Silas the vampire leaves the graveyard . . . This was a fast, creatively-shot, resourcefully-made movie that hit an impressive number of plot points from the story!”

We also received three—count ’em, three—movies based on Richard and Florence Atwater’s 1939 Newbery Honor Book Mr. Popper’s Penguins. This first one, by Everleigh, Eyvi, Evie, Maggie, Alivia, Isra, Josh, and Josiah, is told in the style of The Wizard of Oz. Instead of Mr. Popper managing a bunch of penguins, it’s Dorothy taking care of a troop of munchkins!

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “It was clever how this movie imitated the style of The Wizard of Oz, for example by starting in black and white and transitioning to color. And Dorothy’s blue gingham dress and the witch’s black cloak were perfect references . . . I was also intrigued by the bizarre little ‘commercial’ in there that says ‘get lost to find yourself’—appropriate!)”

Christian, Patrick, Oliver, Tylor, Madison, Cooper, Camden, and Mason made their own version of Mr. Popper’s Penguins, but instead of Mr. Popper collecting penguins, it’s capybaras!

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “Excellent and resourceful use of green screen throughout this movie, putting us in many different locations, from Mr. Christian futzing in his workshop, to Mr. Christian zooming along in his car, to whooping it up on Broadway and even visiting a tropical island . . . The performances were all engaging and fun to watch, from Mr. Christian’s unflappable chill to the capybaras’ goofy enthusiasm.”

Finally, Madison, Cooper, Camden, Sydney, Olivia, Ella, and David made their own Mr. Popper’s Penguins, set in the wizarding world . . . and instead of penguins, it’s another kind of bird. We give you Mr. Potter’s Pigeons:

As the judges said in part on the 90-Second Newbery website (full review here), “The green screen work effectively put us in the wizarding world, and was especially impressive when Harry was riding on his broomstick. I also was amused at how the pigeons multiplied, and later flew around the screen during the ‘show,’ obeying Harry’s magical commands . . . A super fun-to-watch movie!”

And that was the Rochester 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! I hope these movies inspire you to make your own for next year. Anyone can do it, and adult help is okay. The movies are due in January 2027, but you can turn them in any time. You can find complete details about the film festival, including tips on how to make your own movies, at www.90secondnewbery.com.

Did you enjoy the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival? Do you want us to keep doing it? Then please help us out with a tax-deductible donation. Our fiscal sponsor is Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit arts service organization.