Newbery 1992

Shiloh
Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: Marty hides a dog from its abusive owner.
Verdict: A dog story
My rating: 3 stars


Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel
Author: Avi
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: Philip gets suspended for singing "The Star Spangled Banner" in school.
Verdict: Interesting novel format
My rating: 4 stars


The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane
Author: Russell Freedman
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot: The true story of how the Wright brothers invented the first airplane.
Verdict: Interesting history
My rating: 3 stars

Only three books on the list for this year, but two of the authors are regulars on the Newbery list.

First, we have Shiloh, which is a story about a boy who finds a dog who is being abused and hides him.  I think I may have read this book as a child in school as it seemed very familiar. 

Then, we have Avi.  Avi is one of the most diverse writers that I have ever read.  He writes across genres and there's a good reason why he has been honored by Newbery three times.  Nothing But the Truth is told through conversations, memos and letters which is a very interesting format. 

Then there is Russell Freedman, perennial nonfiction writer.  He has also been honored by Newbery several times.  His books are wonderful nonfiction narratives that are easy to follow and understand with lots of illustrations and are perfect for classroom use.  He definitely made the story of the Wright Brothers accessible.