Newbery 1986

Sarah, Plain and Tall
Author: Patricia MacLachlin
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Sarah comes to live with Caleb, Anna and their father to see if she wants to be his new wife.
Verdict: Short and Sweet
My rating: 4 stars


Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun
Author: Rhoda Blumberg
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot: The true story of Commodore Perry coming to isolated Japan to make a trade agreement. 
Verdict: Interesting details
My rating: 3 stars


Dogsong
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: An Eskimo boy goes off to live in the wilderness with a team of dogs.
Verdict: Not my kind of book
My rating: 2 stars

I remember reading Sarah, Plain and Tall in fifth grade and watching the movie because my fifth grade teacher loved it but I didn't love it at the time.  Now that I have reread it as an adult, I like it more because I understand what it is to come in as the stepmother (granted, my stepchildren were a lot older).  It is a very short read. 

I did not know a lot about isolationist Japan, but Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun definitely did a good job of explaining why they were isolated and how they treated outsiders.  There are lots of drawings from the time period to help explain how people looked.  It would be a good idea to read this at the same time as Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus, which was a 2011 Newbery Honor Book.

Thankfully for me, this is the last Gary Paulsen book on the Newbery list so it is the last one I have to read.  I really am not a fan.  His writing is definitely aimed at boys (which is not a bad thing, but I am a girl, sorry, Gary) and I think you might actually enjoy Dogsong if you enjoy Eskimos and sled dogs.  The ending sealed my two star rating.