Maw Books » Newbery

A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant

Natasha Maw — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:12:06 +0000

A lot of Newbery reviews this past week. A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant is a Newbery Honor book from 1987. This is one of those books which has benefited from a face lift. Sadly, the book that I own is the cover on the right (blech!) but I love the book cover shown here on the left.

At 106 pages, A Fine White Dust is a very quick read. 13-year-old Pete has always loved to go to church. It has always been one of his most favorite places to be. In second-grade he’d invite himself to go with the neighbors, by fourth-grade he’d get up and go by himself, and by fifth-grade he became very serious and religious about church.

I didn’t want to go to hell. I wanted somebody to tell me I wouldn’t go to hell. I’d look at me and I’d see a boy who never did seem to be good or holy or worth anybody dying for. Just nothing real special. And I guess I wanted somebody to make me better. To save me from hell.

Pete was looking for somebody to understand him. With his best friend, an atheist and no desire from his parents to go to church, he felt alone in his desire to be close to God. To be saved. That all changes when a traveling preacher, James Carson, comes to town. Pete finds in him an answer to his prayers. Ardent with a near frenzy call to faith, Pete decides to run away with the preacher as his new disciple leaving behind his friend and family. But his is faith misplaced? When he is helplessly betrayed, Pete must come to terms with his faith in God and himself.

Pete is working out who he is independently of his parents and best friend and I really liked that about his character. He’s also very naive though, thinking that he can simply run away and begin a new life with the preacher. He learns the hard way that not everything will go according to plan and that one shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket – so to speak. He certainly learns about heartbreak and betrayal but it also seems that his character is slightly more or less the same than at the beginning of the book.

I’m glad I read this one but also not one that will stick with me for a long time. But well worth the read because I haven’t read many books about young children who are navigating the world of faith and God. A very positive book in that regard. It is not his faith that fails (in fact – his faith in God only becomes stronger) but rather he learns to beware the folly’s of man.

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: Atheneum. Reprint 2006. Originally published 1987.
Paperback, 112 pages. ISBN 1416927697
Source copy: Own
A Fine White Dust is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars

Natasha Maw — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:05:12 +0000

Winner of the 1971 Newbery Medal, The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars is the story of the longest day of 14-year-old Sara’s life. Her summer has already been awful and boring, she thinks that her feet are too big and she’s jealous of her beautiful older sister Wanda. Sara, her sister and their little brother Charlie, who is mentally handicapped (the book written in the ’70’s labels him as retarded – I would suspect some type of autism), live with their Aunt who has been taking care of them since their mother died six years ago. Their father, who only visits on weekends, has become a distant figure in Sara’s life.

Sara is fiercely devoted to Charlie but also feels as though she can never get a moment alone without him. One night, after having watched the swans at the nearby lake, Charlie goes missing. That next morning a desperate search takes place to find him, and Sara is certain that he’s gotten lost when trying to find the swans again. The story centers around Sara’s search for Charlie. The Summer of the Swans has a rather simple story line but around it revolves a story of family dynamics and coming-of age-angst.

As I’m attempting to read all of the Newbery books, I’m glad to have read The Summer of the Swans but I doubt I’ll be holding on to this one. I wanted to know what happened to Charlie and if they’d find him but otherwise, not much else stood out for me. If anything, I enjoyed the process of reading a children’s book written in the ’70s and getting a kick out of all the TV show’s that Sara watched. That, and taking notice of how an author treated a character with a disability at a time when not much was understood about them. Certainly, not a favorite Newbery but not particularly terrible either. Meh.

Links of interest: more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Puffin. 1981. Originally published 1970.
Paperback, 142 pages. ISBN B000OJ5ZLQ
Source copy: Own
The Summer of the Swans is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Door in the Wall by Marquerite de Angeli

Natasha Maw — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:00:52 +0000

Written in 1949, The Door in the Wall by Marquerite de Angeli won the 1950 Newbery Medal. To tell you the truth, I don’t have much to say about the book except that I read it. And I liked it. I found it entertaining and authentic.

From the back cover:

Ever since he can remember, Robin, child of Sir John de Bureford, has been told what is expected of him as the son of a nobleman. He must learn the ways of knighthood. but Robin’s destiny is changed suddenly when he falls ill and loses the use of his legs. Fearing a plague, his servants abandon him and Robin is left alone.

A monk named Brother Luke rescues Robin and takes him to the hospice of St. Marks, where he is taught woodcarving and – much harder – patience and strength. Says Brother Luke, “Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.”

Robin learns soon enough what Brother Luke means. And when the great castle of Lindsay is in danger, it is Robin, who cannon mount a horse and ride to battle, who saves the townspeople and discovers that there is more than one way to serve his king.

Shortest book review ever. But really, not much else to say. Noteworthy in the aspect that I don’t often read books set in the Middle Ages. A perfectly fine book.

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Historical Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Yearling. July 1990 later printing. Original publication date 1949.
Paperback, 128 pages. ISBN 0440402832
Source copy: Own
The Door in the Wall is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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All Alone by Claire Huchet Bishop

Natasha Maw — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:55:04 +0000

All Alone by Claire Huchet Bishop is the 1954 Newbery Honor. Ten-year-old Marcel is entrusted with his family’s cows for the entire summer on the high French Alp mountain tops. Entirely alone. He has always been taught that it’s best to keep to oneself. In fact, his entire village all keep to themselves. Nobody is friendly with each other and nobody helps each other. It has always been each man for himself.

As he leaves for the mountain tops his father tells him, “You keep the cows on the Little Giant pasture, and don’t talk to anyone – to anyone, do you hear me? And you have nothing to do with other cows but your own. That brings trouble. Don’t visit, don’t interfere; keep to yourself, mind you own business. That’s the best way to stay out of mischief . . . suppose a cow gets hurt. You don’t want to give anybody a chance to say that it was your fault,, do you? So the best way is to keep to yourself and pay no attention to anything else except your own animals. That way you have nobody to blame, and nobody can blame you.”

Of course, All Alone is about what happens when Marcel does exactly the opposite of his father’s wishes. It’s always interesting to read a children’s book from fifty years back. I suspect that most children wouldn’t find this book relevant to them but the beauty of a book like this is traveling to a different time and place. It feels very nostalgic. Not my favorite Newbery by any means but I liked it just fine.

Links of interest: More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Scholastic. 1983 later printing. Originally published 1953.
Paperback, 95 pages. ISBN 0590457071
Source copy: Own
All Alone is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Natasha Maw — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 06:15:20 +0000

After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson is a beautiful book. Woodson continues to not disappoint me. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but I’m a Woodson fan girl.

At the heart of this story is the bond of three twelve-year-old girls. Our unnamed narrator and Neeka are forever changed when D enters their Queens neighborhood and quickly becomes their inseparable third. But while Neeka and our narrator have grown up with each other and know everything about each other, D has a shroud of mystery about her. And in addition to D literally walking into Neeka’s and the narrators life, Neeka’s older brother Tash is in jail for being in he wrong place at the wrong time and her mother is learning to accept that he was gay.

While the girls define their own growing identities and friendships, they latch onto the life and lyrics of hip hop artist Tupac. Tupac’s music gives the girls something to relate too. To be able to take their life experiences and hear them expressed right back to them. Music can speak volumes about the world.

It was hard to read anything about Tupac dying and not think about D. Seems D was right – you listen to Tupac’s songs and you know he’s singing about people like D, about all the kids whose mamas went away, about all the injustice. Brenda throwing away her baby, the cops beating some brother down, the hungry kids, sad skids, kids who got big dreams nobody’s listening to. Like over all that tie and distance he looked right across the bridge into Queens, New York – right into Desiree’s eyes. Strange how he saw her.

He saw her.

There was one thing that had me really surprised and that was the community, the girls and the mother all dismissed Tupac’s unethical actions as unimportant. He was a fantastic role model. Now I have no idea if he was a role model or not. I will thoroughly admit that reading After Tupac and D Foster is my first introduction to Tupac. I know nothing of him, in fact, had never heard of him. So I only know what has been shared in the plot narrative of the book.

But when Tupac is thrown in jail and then later killed, the mother never discussed with her daughter why he was in jail. She dismissed it all to the “system.” Not once did anybody ever question his actions. Was he a victim of the system, not at fault? It felt obvious from reading the book that he wasn’t golden but he was truly golden in the eyes of these girls. What happens when our role models, although they may speak volumes to us in their words, aren’t the best people and are not the role models we should be following? I would have liked to see a bit of exploration in that area.

I found this to be a a parallel to Neeka’s brother, Tash, who was a victim to the system. He was a fantastic role model for these girls. He was trying to find his way in an unjust world and that unjust world put him in jail. Did the girls never question Tupac’s actions simply because their only experience with the system had taught them that good people go to jail? If you’ve read the book, I’d love your insight on this line of thought.

What was outstanding about this novel is the relationship between the three friends. Loved it. The narrators voice was perfect. So true and believable. All these characters were real, breathing people to me. And I love it when that happens. Jacqueline Woodson continues to be at the top of her game and Tupac and D Foster is one in her bibliography that you shouldn’t miss.

Links of interest: Maw Books reviews of Hush, I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This, Show Way, Feathers, If You Come Softly, Behind You, Peace Locomotion, Locomotion, and Miracle’s Boys. My experience meeting Woodson at LA Times Festival of Books. More book blogger reviews.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: Putnam Young Adult. January 10, 2008
Hardcover, 160 pages. ISBN 0399246541
Source copy: library
After Tupac & D Foster is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

Natasha Maw — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:29:12 +0000

Do you know who Claudette Colvin is? You do know that Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to refuse to give up her bus seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama, don’t you? Read Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose and you will discover this unsung civil rights hero.

In full honesty, I believe it was only last year when I read Freedom Walkers, The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman that I realized that there were others before Rosa Park who were arrested after refusing to give up their bus seat. I know that civil rights leaders were looking for the perfect person to give voice to the injustices that they faced. And although Claudette Colvin was one such person who fought against injustice it was Rosa Parks who rose to visibility while Claudette Colvin not only faded into obscurity but was often shunned and seen as an unfit role model. And this was in despite of the fact that it was the lawsuit and testimony in court that Claudette and others brought against the city of Montgomery that ultimately desegregated the bus system.

In this biography of Claudette Colvin, Phillip Hoose has spent countless hours researching and interviewing Claudette and her family to bring us her story. This is the most complete story and direct quotes that we have from Claudette Colvin and is well worth checking out.

Claudette Colvin was only 15 when she was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman. A great reminder that is ordinary people doing extraordinary things who make all the difference.And while her name may have almost been lost in history, it was her actions that had a direct effect on the civil rights movement that changed the south for everybody forever.

Hear from Claudette herself in this video and then check out this informative book which will have you questioning whether or not you would have had her courage:

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice is part of my themed reading for the month of February which celebrates Black History Month. Join me this month as I explore books that celebrate the history of African-Americans.
>Links of interest: Phillip Hoose website, book blogger reviews.
Genre: Young Adult Non-Fiction
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. January 20, 2009.
Hardcover, 144 pages. ISBN 0374313229
Claudette Colvin Twice Towards Justice is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Breaking News: ALA Announces 2010 Youth Media Awards Including Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz

Natasha Maw — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:16:15 +0000

Yes, I’m the crazy one who woke up at 5:30 in the morning to listen to the awards announcements! Can we say excited?!!! Glad I’m not the only one who woke up crazy. Twitter was full of excitement.

The American Library Association (ALA) made it’s announcement of the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults -including the Caldecott, King, Newbery, and Printz Awards this morning. And the winners are:

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:

Newbery Medal winner:

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (my review)

Newbery Medal honors:

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
Claudette Colvin : Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:

Caldecott Medal winner:

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Caldecott Medal honors:

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, Illustrated by Marla Frazee (my review)
Red Sings from Treetops : A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults:

Printz Award winner:

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Printz Award honors:

Charles and Emma : The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Punkzilla by Adam Rapp
Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes

These were the awards I was most curious about. The remaining awards from the ALA website:

2011 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture

Lois Lowry

Batchelder Award

“A Faraway Island” written by Annika Thor, translated by Linda Schenck, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books

Batchelder Honor Books

“Big Wolf and Little Wolf” written by Nadine Brun-Cosme, illustrated by Olivier Tallee, translated by Claudia Bedrick, published by Enchanted Lion Books

“Eidi” written by Bodil Bredsdorff, translated by Kathryn Mahaffy, published by Farrar Straus Giroux

“Moritito II: Guardian of the Darkness” Written by Nahoko Uehashi, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, translated by Cathy Hirano, published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Belpre (Illustrator) Award

“Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day; Celebremos El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros” illustrated by Rafael Lopez, written by Pat Mora, published by Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Belpre (Illustrator) Honor Books

“Diego: Bigger Than Life” illustrated by David Diaz, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, published by Marshall Cavendish Children

“My Abuelita” illustrated by Yuyi Morales, written by Tony Johnston, published by Harcourt Children’s Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

“Gracia Thanks” illustrated by John Parra, written Pat Mora, published by Lee and Low Books Inc.

Belpre (Author) Award

“Return to Sender” written by Julie Alvarez, published by Alfred A. Knopf

Belpre (Author) Honor Books

“Diego: Bigger Than Life” written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, illustrated by David Diaz, published by Marshall Cavendish Children

“Federico Garcia Lorca” written by Georgina Lazaro, illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro, published by Lectorum Publications Inc.

Carnegie Award

“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” produced by Paul R. Gagne, Weston Woods Studios, and Mo Willems

Geisel Award

“Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!” written and illustrated by Geoffrey Hayes, published by ToON BOOKS, a division of RAW Junior, LLC

Geisel Honor Books

“I Spy Fly Guy!” written and illustrated by Tedd Arnold, published by Scholastic Inc.

“Little Mouse Gets Ready” written and illustrated by Jeff Smith, published by published by ToON BOOKS, a division of RAW Junior, LLC

“Mouse and Mole: Fine Feathered Friends” written and illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

“Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day” written by Kate McMullan, illustrated by R.W. Alley, published by Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group

Odyssey Award

“Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken” produced by Live Oak Media

Odyssey Honor Audio Books

“In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber” produced by Listen & Live Audio, Inc.

“Peace, Locomotion” produced by Brilliance Audio

“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball” produced by Brilliance Audio

Sibert Medal

“Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream” written by Tanya Lee Stone, published by Candlewick Press

Sibert Honor Books

“The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors” written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani, published by Charlesbridge

“Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11″ written and illustrated by Brian Floca, published by Richard Jackson/Atheneum Books for Young Readers

“Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice” written by Phillip Hoose, published by Melanie Kroupa Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults

“Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal,” written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, published by Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

One King Author Honor Book was selected: “Mare’s War” by tanita s. davis and published by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award

“My People,” illustrated by Charles R. Smith Jr., is the King Illustrator Book winner. The book was written by Langston Hughes and published by ginee seo books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

One King Illustrator Honor Book was selected: “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” illustrated by E. B. Lewis, written by Langston Hughes and published by Disney – Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.

Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

“The Rock and the River,” written by kekla magoon, is the Steptoe winner. The book is published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

Walter Dean Myers is the winner of this first-ever Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Myers’ books include: “Amiri & Odette: A Love Story,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “Fallen Angels,” published by Scholastic Press; “Monster,” published by Amistad and HarperTeen, imprints of HarperCollins Publishers; and “Sunrise Over Fallujah,” published by Scholastic Press.

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience

“Django” written and illustrated by Bonnie Christensen and published by Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press, wins the award for best young children ages 0 to 10.

“Anything but Typical” written by Nora Raleigh Baskin and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13).

The teen (ages 13-18) award winner is “Marcelo in the Real World,” written by Francisco X. Stork and published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

William C. Morris Award honors a book written by a first-time author for young adults

“Flash Burnout,” written by L.K. Madigan, is the Morris Award winner. The book is published by Houghton Mifflin, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults

Jim Murphy is the 2010 Edwards Award winner. His books include: “An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793,” published by Clarion Books; “Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “The Great Fire,” published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic; “The Long Road to Gettysburg,” published by Clarion Books; and “A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy,” published by Clarion Books.

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States

“A Faraway Island” is the 2010 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Swedish in 1996 as “En ö i havet,” the book was written by Annika Thor, translated by Linda Schenck, and published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

Three Batchelder Honor Books also were selected: “Big Wolf and Little Wolf,” written by Nadine Brun-Cosme, illustrated by Olivier Tallec, translated by Claudia Bedrick and published by Enchanted Lion Books; “Eidi,” written by Bodil Bredsdorff, translated by Kathryn Mahaffy and published by Farrar Straus Giroux; and “Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness,” written by Nahoko Uehashi, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, translated by Cathy Hirano and published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences

“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope” by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

“The Bride’s Farewell” by Meg Rosoff, published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group

“Everything Matters!” by Ron Currie, Jr., published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group

“The Good Soldiers” by David Finkel, published by Sarah Crichton Books, an imprint of Farrar, Straus and Giroux

“The Kids Are All Right: A Memoir” by Diana Welch and Liz Welch with Amanda Welch and Dan Welch, published by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House

“The Magicians,” by Lev Grossman, published by Viking Penguin, a member of Penguin Group

“My Abandonment” by Peter Rock, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

“Soulless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel,” by Gail Carriger, published by Orbit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group

“Stitches: A Memoir” by David Small, published by W.W. Norton & Company

“Tunneling to the Center of the Earth” by Kevin Wilson, published by Harper Perennial, an imprint of HarperCollins

May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award recognizing an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site.

Lois Lowry

Information taken from this ALA press release.

So what do you think?! No surprises for When You Reach Me. I did enjoy that one. I haven’t read any of the honors.I haven’t even heard of The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick . I LOVED All the World. My favorite picture book for 2009. Loved it! Excited for that one. No surprise for The Lion and the Mouse. I have to admit, that it’s not my absolute favorite but the illustrations were amazing. We shortlisted both for the Cybils.

I haven’t read any of the Printz books. I’m feeling pretty lame. As far as the others, I’ve reviewed Gracia Thanks, Peace, Locomotion, Anything but Typical. I’ve read both The Negro Speaks of Rivers and My People which I’m holding back reviews for Black History Month. Both excellent books. And both Langston Hughes text as well. I do have several other books already checked out from the library but not read yet including Claudette Colvin and The Rock and the River and The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate.

Who else just put like 20 more books on hold at the library? I officially feel like the most unread person ever.

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When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Natasha Maw — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:51:51 +0000

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is the perfect realistic fiction book with a fantasy twist. It’s a mystery too. As well as a coming of age, friendship book. In fact, When You Reach Me dabbles a little in many genres. In a short 197 pages, this book packs a punch! From what I’ve read about the book it’s also getting a lot of Newbery buzz. Which I wouldn’t mind one little bit if it received Newbery recognition. It’s also on all of the Best of 2009 lists and deservedly so. Long story short: worth the read!

So I really don’t want to say to much about the book because I didn’t know a single thing about it when I read it, so the little twist at the end was a really nice surprise. It’s also the type of book that as soon as you close the very last page, you want to open the first one again and start all over again. I borrowed this one from the library but it’s a keeper that I’d like to add to my library and I think would also make a great read-a-loud as a family.

A perfect compain book to When You Reach Me is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (which by the way I hated! Previous link is my review). Our main charater in When You Reach Me, Miranda, has this FAVORITE book which she reads over and over again. When she first mentions the plot but without mentioning the title (not given till much later – so the comparison between the two books may go over some people’s heads), I thought to myself – ugh, that sounds like it’s SO not my type of book. At the next book reference I realized that her favorite book was A Wrinkle in Time and yep – so not my type of book!

But When You Reach Me IS my type of book. One that I would wholeheartedly recommend even if I didn’t tell you anything about it.

Links of interest: Rebecca Stead website and blog, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books. July 14, 2009.
Hardcover, 208 pages. ISBN 0385737424
When You Reach Me is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry

Natasha Maw — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:23:18 +0000

Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry is the 1940 Newbery Medal winner. Set in the Polynesian Islands before the traders and missionaries first came to the South Seas, it is the story of Mafatu who is known as The Boy Who Was Afraid. What was it that he was so afraid of? The ocean. In a culture where the ocean is the sustaining life force and where children are raised from infancy in its sight, it is simply unheard of to be scared of the ocean. Mafatu is teased relentlessly and he has no friends. The name Mafatu means Stout Heart and his wish is to live up to the proclamation “A brave name for a brave boy!” given from his father who is also the Great Chief. Mafatu has good reason to be scared of the ocean – at the age of three, his mother and himself were caught out in the ocean during a hurricane. While he survived, his mother did not.

Determined to prove his bravery, he decides to face his fear by confronting it directly. His journey will take him to a remote and desolated island where he must use his skill to find his way home. Will he return home not only a hero but also conquering the ocean itself?

Call it Courage is a survival story. A story of surviving on the ocean and alone on a deserted island using skill and a bit of luck to endure. It’s ultimately a story of Mafatu fighting against nature and also himself. I enjoyed the culture of the story. However, the book is very short and I’m afraid that if it was any longer I easily would have set it down. Luckily, I was able to read it in a single sitting. Younger readers may find themselves bored stiff but those who like more introspective stories may find it interesting. Not one of my favorite Newbery books but I’m thrilled to cross another one off of my list in my ongoing project to read them all.

Do you like reading survivor stories? Man vs. nature stories? Any favorites?

I read Call it Courage as part of Banned Books Week (which ended Friday). Although I found this book on more than one banned books list, my searches for exactly why came up empty. If I were to guess it would be because during a storm, Mafatu loses all of his clothes and he arrives on the island naked and it’s not until much later that he finally makes himself some new clothes. Although the book mentions his nudity, not once does Mafatu ever think about his nudity. It’s not even important except for the thought of what would it be like to try to survive without even a shirt on your back.

Links of interest: Armstrong Sperry resource website, more book blogger reviews.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Simon Pulse. January 2008. (Originally published 1940 – the copy that I read published 1963 by Scholastic)
Paperback, 128 pages. ISBN 141695368X
Call It Courage is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon.

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The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

Natasha Maw — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:46:34 +0000

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson, a 1979 Newbery Honor, is such a sweet book with wonderfully sweet characters. Gilly Hopkins is going to stay with me for a long time. Gilly’s transformation that takes place between the opening and closing pages of this book is bittersweet. I felt happy and sad for her at the same time. Stories about foster children always tug at the heartstrings and this one was no exception.

Gilly has been bouncing around in foster care homes for as long as she can remember. She has a rough exterior and she won’t allow herself to get close to anybody. Because what’s the point? She’ll just be gone soon anyways. But she’s smart and bright. She does well in school just to prove everybody wrong and at the height of her success she purposely stops trying. She feeds off of being able to control her surroundings and being able to manipulate those around her.

Gilly is in yet another new home. One that she obviously will not tolerate. How could she with Maime Trotter, her obese foster mother, her new brother William Ernest who cowers at the slightest look in his direction, and the blind man next door who loves poetry – but that’s not the worst of it – he’s black too. Gilly carries around a photo of her mother Courtney and knows that one day she will come and get her. But when she finds herself beginning to care about her new family, she realizes that she better abandon them before they abandon her and she devises her own escape.

Gilly begins as a little girl with many prejudices and a rough exterior that she won’t let anybody through, as well as a heart that doesn’t want to be broken again. She only wants one thing and that’s to be wanted. But it’s the one person that she wants the most that doesn’t want her in return. And when the chance comes will she realize that she was only chasing a dream?

A beautiful story about breaking through walls and the softening of the heart. I highly recommend it.

I read The Great Gilly Hopkins as part of Banned Books Week (I’m reading one banned book a day) and it was in the top 25 of most often challenged books from 1990-2000. And to tell you the truth, it felt pretty obvious while I was reading what some parents would find offense about. This includes Gilly’s language particularly the use of the words “damn” and “hell.” But she is always reprimanded for it, she knows it’s wrong and the language is specifically used to illustrate the background that Gilly came from and how she changes. Her character simply wouldn’t be the same without it. Another reason is that Gilly is prejudice against her black school teacher and her black next-door neighbor Mr. Randolph. Although Gilly doesn’t think much of them, both characters are portrayed in nothing but the best light. At the end of the book, both are people who Gilly love dearly. It’s an example of how prejudices are overcome once you actually get to know somebody. And really, that’s something that is supposed to be wrong? Hmmm . . . she also steals money. So that could be another reason. A ridiculous one at that. (Edited to add – I found it ridiculous because she was made to return the amount and pay it off by doing chores). SmallWorld Reads has some great commentary over at her blog about Gilly’s language that is worth checking out.

All valid reasons for having a parent know what their children are reading so they can discuss things like how words can effect people or prejudices are wrong. I think it’s sad that somebody would rather try to remove it from a library’s collection instead of using the opportunity to engage their child with meaningful dialogue and teachable moments.

Links of interest: Katherine Paterson website. Other Paterson books reviewed by Maw Books: A Midnight Clear, Selected Christmas Stories, Bridge to Terabithia (often challenged as well).
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher: Harper Collins. June 1987. (Copy I read and cover shown here is from Scholastic reprint 1995)
Paperback, 160 pages. ISBN 0064402010
The Great Gilly Hopkins is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, and Amazon

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