Newbery 1984

Dear Mr. Henshaw
Author: Beverly Cleary
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: Leigh writes to his favorite author about the problems in his life.
Verdict: Extremely witty
My rating; 4 stars


The Sign of the Beaver
Author: Elizabeth George Speare
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Matt is rescued by Native Americans after he is left to tend his family's new house by himself in the wilderness.
Verdict: Interesting story of survival
My rating: 4 stars


A Solitary Blue
Author: Cynthia Voigt
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: A parallel novel/sequel telling the story of Jeff, and his interesting childhood.
Verdict: I don't like Jeff's mother
My rating: 4 stars


Sugaring Time
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot: A narrative nonfiction about a family harvesting sap for maple syrup
Verdict: Interesting process
My rating: 3 stars


The Wish Giver: Three Tales of Coven Tree
Author: Bill Britt
Genre: Fantasy
Plot: Three children and a shopkeeper buy wishes which go terribly wrong.
Verdict: Be careful what you wish for
My rating: 3 stars

I was happy to finally cross 1984 off my list.  It's the year I was born so I was interested to see what books were awarded that year.  There were some really good books this year and several frequent Newbery authors.

First, we have Beverly Cleary, who is well known for her Ramona books, two of which have Newbery honors.  Her medal winning book this year, Dear Mr. Henshaw, is not related to Ramona but is told entirely in letters that Leigh writes to Mr. Henshaw, his favorite author.  I never read this book as a child (because I thought the cover looked boring) but I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult.  It is extremely witty.

Our next perennial author is Elizabeth George Speare, who is in the "two medal" club for her previous books The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow.  This is another great historical fiction book about a boy, Matt, who is left alone at his family's new house while his father goes to get his mother and sisters.  Things don't go well for Matt and he ends up being rescued by Native Americans.  This book gets a lot of flack for not being culturally relevant.  I didn't think it presented his "Indian" rescuers in a poor light.  I found it to be a great story about becoming friends with someone who is totally different.  Still, it may not be a bad idea to see what has been said about its authenticity (just make sure it's a credible source).  Even if it has issues, there are other books on the Newbery list that are far far worse.

Our third repeat author is Cynthia Voigt for the third book in the Tillerman Cycle, A Solitary Blue.  I actually enjoyed this book more than her first two books which focused on Dicey's family.  It's a sort of parallel novel/sequel because it shows Jeff's childhood (which takes place long before book 2, Dicey's Song) but ends after the events of Dicey's Song.  I really despised Jeff's mother and I know someone in my life who is much like her.  I felt sorry for his dad at times who really didn't know how to be a father but I was happy to see him grow into the role and finally develop a good relationship. 

Sugaring Time is kind of the odd duck for this year.  It's a short nonfiction book about harvesting maple syrup.  It was interesting but it doesn't seem to stack up to the other books from this year.  It would be a nice book to pair with Miracles on Maple Hill if you wanted to look closer at harvesting maple trees.

The last book on this list was kind of creepy.  The Wish Giver is a cautionary tale about three kids and a shopkeeper who buy wishes at a fair.  When the children begin to make their wishes, things get really really bad.  I was not surprised to find it on the challenged list because of its "devil association."  Still, it's not a bad book (the moral of which is be careful what you wish for).

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. 

Newbery 1990

Number the Stars
Author: Lois Lowry
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Annemarie and her family hide Ellen, who is a Jew, in WWII Denmark.
Verdict: Not my favorite Lowry book
My rating: 3 stars


Afternoon of the Elves
Author: Janet Taylor Lisle
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: Hilary gets involved with her strange neighbor Sara-Kate and her "elf" village.
Verdict: Not what it seems to be
My rating: 2 stars


Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind
Author:
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: Shabanu and her family raise camels and prepare for her sister's wedding
Verdict: A bit graphic in parts
My rating: 3 stars


The Winter Room
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: Eldon passes the winter by listening to his uncle's stories.
Verdict: Short and sweet
My rating: 3 stars

None of the books from this year really stand out for me.  I love Lois Lowry's writing but Number the Stars is actually not one of my favorites from her.  I can see why it won the medal because of it's ties to the Holocaust and everything but in my opinion, she's written better.  She is one of the few, two-time medal winners, winning again in 1994 for The Giver (which is my favorite book).

Afternoon of the Elves sets itself up to be like Bridge to Terebithia with a potential door to another world which never appears.  What is actually going on with Sara-Kate is really dark and does not come out until the very end.  Shabanu is also very dark.  I was very surprised that is not on the challenged list because parts of it are a bit graphic for a children's book (there's an attempted rape).  It is one of the few books that deals with Islam in more than a passing sense on the Newbery list.  I read that it has been criticized by Muslims for not being an accurate portrayal of modern marriage customs.   I put off reading The Winter Room because I am not a fan of Gary Paulsen but this book was not bad.  It is extremely short. 

Newbery 2001

A Year Down Yonder
Author: Richard Peck
Genre: Historical fiction
Plot: Mary Alice must stay with her grandmother for a year.
Verdict: I love the grandmother
My rating: 4 stars


Hope Was Here
Author: Joan Bauer
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: Hope and her aunt move to Wisconsin to help with a diner and become involved in a mayoral race.
Verdict: A study in waitressing and politics
My rating: 3 stars


Because of Winn-Dixie
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: A story about a girl and her dog who struggles with the fact that her mother left her.
Verdict: DiCamillo's first is a keeper
My rating: 3 stars


Joey Pigza Loses Control
Author: Jack Gantos
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: Joey goes to live with his dad for the summer.
Verdict: Surprisingly gritty
My rating: 3 stars


The Wanderer
Author: Sharon Creech
Genre: Realistic fiction
Plot: Sophie, her three uncles and two cousins travel the Atlantic on a boat to visit their ailing Bompie in England.
Verdict: A bit flat
My rating: 2 stars

This year was a lot of contemporary realistic fiction, with the exception of A Year Down Yonder, which is historical fiction. 

A Year Down Yonder is a continuation of the 1999 Honor Book A Long Way from Chicago.  This time it's only Mary Alice staying with her crazy grandmother.  It's a great sequel and very deserving of the medal.  Hope Was Here is an interesting mix of politics and waitressing, told in first person. Because of Winn-Dixie is not my favorite Kate DiCamillo book but it deserves special mention.  DiCamillo tried many times to get a book published and this was the first one that anyone would take (obviously, this was in the days before self-publication became easier).  Not many first time authors get on the Newbery list straight out of the gate.  Joey Pigza Loses Control was a very interesting read.  A lot of crazy stuff takes place but parts of it are very disturbing.  Joey's father thinks he can quit being ADHD by going cold turkey on his medication.  Finally, we have The Wanderer.  I liked the fact that this book is told through the journals of two separate characters and also the fact that one of the characters is adopted but I thought the plot fell a little flat.  It's sad because I like a lot of Sharon Creech's other books.

Newbery 1989

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices
Author: Paul Fleichman
Genre: Poetry
Plot: This is a collection of animal poems designed to be read by two people
Verdict: Great fun
My rating: 4 stars


In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Genre: Folk Fantasy
Plot: This is a collection of creation stories from different cultures.
Verdict: Interesting read
My rating: 3 stars


Scorpions
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Plot: Jamal's brother Randy is in jail and Jamal is not sure if he should join the Scorpions gang.
Verdict: Not my type of read
My rating: 2 stars

The first two books from this year are excellent for a teacher to have in his or her classroom.  Joyful Noise would make an awesome addition to a poetry unit or for reader's theater.  In the Beginning would work well in a folk tale unit and provides the students and opportunity to compare and contrast different stories about the same subject (the creation of the world/man). 

Scorpions was a bit of a disappointment for me.  I had heard great things about Walter Dean Myers but I just couldn't get into the plot.  It's probably a cultural thing but I really don't like literature with gangs and such.  I will definitely try reading another of Myers' books because the writing itself was excellent but this plot really didn't appeal to me.

Newbery 1977

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry
Author: Mildred D. Taylor
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Cassie and her family face racism because they are black and own their own land.
Verdict: Intense
My rating: 4 stars


Abel's Island
Author: William Steig
Genre: Animal Fantasy
Plot: Abel, a mouse, gets marooned on an island after he is swept away in a storm.
Verdict: Love the ending
My rating: 3 stars


A String in the Harp
Author: Nancy Bond
Genre: Fantasy
Plot: Peter finds a key that shows him Taliesen.
Verdict: Too whiney
My rating: 1 star

First, we have Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, which often finds itself on banned book list because it dares to talk about racism.  It seems that if you use the "n" word in a book, it automatically gets the book banned.  It was a very intense portrait of the effects of racism in the deep South.  I could not put the book down.  It was also very readable, which was a plus.  It would be interesting to pair it with Sounder.

Second, there's Abel's Island by William Steig, who is one of the few authors to get honored on both the Caldecott and Newbery sides.  This is actually a novella but it has frequent illustrations.  It is a very cute story about a gentleman mouse who is swept off while retrieving his wife's scarf and ends up on an island from which he cannot escape.

Finally, we have A String in the Harp which I did not like at all.  I thought Peter was too whiney and the bit with the key was a bit convoluted. 

Newbery 2005

Kira-Kira
Author: Cynthia Kadohata
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Katie and her family move to the south and her sister Lynn is sick.
Verdict: A bit ploddy
My rating: 2 starso


Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Moose must look after his Autistic sister Natalie after his family moves to Alcatraz Island.
Verdict: Darker than expected
My rating: 3 stars


The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marion Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights
Author: Russell Freedman
Genre: Nonfiction
Plot: Marion Anderson was a famous African American contralto who struggled with the Jim Crowe laws.
Verdict: Interesting bit of history I didn't know about
My rating: 4 stars


Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Turner moves to Maine when his father becomes the new pastor and stirs up trouble when he befriends Lizzie of Malaga Island.
Verdict: So sad at the end
My rating: 3 stars

Four different aspects of history were explored this year. Kira-Kira did not impress me that much.  Al Capone Does My Shirts, however, was a bit of surprise.  The title is a it witty so I thought the book would be more humorous.  However, it is extremely serious and we had a bit of a discussion in my book group about whether or not the mother was right in expecting Moose to look after Natalie.  I found that I did not know as much as I thought I did about the Civil Rights Movement when I read The Voice that Challenged a Nation.  Marion Anderson was a famous African American singer who faced problems when singing in the South due to the Jim Crowe laws and segratation.  I am glad that Freedman decided to write this book.  Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy starts a bit slow.  Much of what happens to Turner is definitely tongue and cheek but the ending is very sad.  It is a story set within actual historical events.