As I had posted before I have been trying to read the Newberry award winning books as well as the honorary books. There has been one award a year since 1922 and sometimes up to four honorary. I thought I might share my newest reading.
MY ACCOMPLISHMENT TO DATE ( I have been working on this for 4 months) 84 Newberry award winning books I have read 30 , 275 honorary I have read 10.
Here are my thoughts on some of the recent books.
2004 Medal Winner:
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, (Candlewick Press)
One thing that is great about these award-winning books is that many of them are on tape. This allows me to listen to books while I work. This was a great one. The actor did wonderful voices. I tend to like anything that deals with little things, mice, people, etc. So this book intrigued me but I have to say I enjoyed it more for the acting than anything else. I often find myself repeating the actors voice in a French accent “my little mice baby.”
1991 winner 1991 Medal Winner:
Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli (Little, Brown)
I just finished last night. I loved the story, the adventure and mania Magee. Though to my surprise many of these children’s books portray horrible circumstances, it was a pleasure to meet maniac who put such a positive and uplifting spin on what he came across in life.
1990 honorary .The Winter Room
by Gary Paulsen (Jackson/Orchard).
This was the first children’s book that made me laugh right out loud! The boys antics were so much fun. I also found that the writer could make me feel like I was there, in the cold in the winter room. It was a fun book.
1984 Medal Winner: Dear Mr. Henshaw
by Beverly Cleary (Morrow)
Honor Books:
There was such a twist in the presentation of this book. Written as a young boy writing to the author of a book and then in his own diary. Any book that portrays a child’s love of reading and also writing is number one on my list.
1981 Medal Winner: Jacob Have I Loved
by Katherine Paterson (Crowell)
What can you say about Mss Paterson? Her writing is the best. I can see why so many writers want to meet her and be like her. The title of the book totally threw me. I kept looking for Jacob through the entire book, when would this boy named Jacob come into the story. Yes, it just threw me.
1973 honorary
.The Witches of Worm
by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Atheneum)
I wasn’t sure what to make of this cat or this girl. This story was good, I hope children reading the book realized what actually happened. I find myself walking around talking to my black cat asking him if he is evil. But, not too often, or not as often as I say Good cat!
1932 Medal Winner:
Waterless Mountain by
Laura Adams Armer (Longmans)
I always love Indian history. Add to that a shaman and Indian folklore it was a good combination. I found the book quite enticing.
1931 Medal Winner:
The Cat Who Went to Heaven
by Elizabeth Coatsworth (Macmillan)
Wow, what a twist on telling a story.
Thats it for now, of course I just ordered a bunch more from the library and have 2 audio's besides me waiting for a long run of sculpting time. Even my apprentice is getting into these books on tape!
