Mock Newbery Review 2018 Part I

In case you missed it in my last post, I am participating in a Mock Newbery book club through my local library. This year we were given 95 days to read through 20 children’s and teen’s chapter books, fiction (yay!) and non-fiction (not so yay!).

According to the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) website, in order for a book to win a Newbery, it must have been published in English in the United States during the previous year (the Newbery Award is presented in January so for this year, we will be reading books published in 2017), and the author must be a citizen of the United States. The award is presented to “the author of the most distinguished contribution to American Literature for Children” (1).  There is a Newbery Committee that reads the books that fit the award requirements and then votes on a winner. It is a prestigious honor to be part of the Newbery Committee, and it is therefore very hard to become a committee member.

Personally, I don’t know that I would want the pressure of being on the actual Newbery Committee. There are several (and I do mean several several) books that make it onto the ballot each year. As much as I love reading, sometimes the books on the list aren’t ones I would pick up and read on my own, which makes reading them that much more challenging. Throw in the fact that we’re talking about at least a hundred or so books (but probably more) and then judging them to pick the best one? I don’t know how well I would actually do!

I’m that person who usually gives decent reviews and hates being mean, even on Goodreads! (Ugh, somehow, reviews even feel like confrontation). It’s not that I’m not honest about my reviews. It’s just really, really hard for a book to get a 1.

I am looking forward to participating in my first Mock Newbery Book Club though! Here are some of my thoughts on the books I’ve read so far:

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

Target Audience: Middle Grade                   Genre:   Graphic Novel / Memoir               Stars: 4/5

Shannon has had the same best friend for as long as she can remember, but once middle school starts, her best friend Adrienne starts hanging out with a new girl who isn’t always the nicest to Shannon. This is a great story about growing up and learning who your real friends are. In the story we see Shannon struggle with losing old friends, making new ones as she struggles to ride the ever changing ebb and flow of social status in middle school. We also see how her older sister struggles with social pressures as well. While Shannon is always surrounded by people her own age, her sister is constantly shunned. Neither girl really has a solid set of “real” friends until they turn to one another for help several years later. It was a very heart-warming read and it really struck a chord with me as a reader because it can be hard to watch your friends make new friends without feeling left out or behind!

I actually read this book back in June because I love graphic novels and the premise sounded like a good book for book talks. There are a few religious moments where Shannon turns to Jesus to help her understand what is going on in her life. I try not to book talk books with a lot of religion in them because I don’t know my audiences well enough to know their religious practices, but it should be fairly safe to talk about with the parochial kids.

Stormy Seas by Mary Beth Leatherdale

Target Audience: Upper Elementary / Middle Grade            Genre:  Non-Fiction       Stars: 5/5

First of all, I love the images and graphics in this book. They are stunning and very powerful, as are the stories. As you can tell from the title, this is a book about children that are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other countries. Their stories are terrifying and heartbreaking, even if they all have "happy" endings. The horrors these defenseless children have to endure to find safety sometimes by themselves, sometimes with family and friends, is enough to make you want to weep. The book is a record of different refugees' stories about how they came to be where they are and the rough trials they had to overcome to get there. The author is very sensitive about the topic, but does not pull any punches or sugar coat the stories.

One haunting story that thoroughly shocked me stated, "I was setting on deck talking with a friend when a man I know from Breslau came running out of the bathroom, his wrists dripping with blood, threw himself overboard into the harbor. A sailor jumped in to save him. But the man didn't want to be saved. When he was back on deck, the man was trying to pull his arteries out. He was in the concentration camp and would rather die than go back to Germany". I was surprised to see such a graphic and horrifying statement in a book made for children, but it served its purpose well--it deeply disturbed me and made me want to do something about the predicament so many refugees fall victim to. I know this happened long ago, but it doesn't make it right, and as the book progresses, the author's point is clearly displayed without being overly aggressive in its presentation: time has not eased any of the horrors or burdens placed on people running for their lives. These are people that are being taken advantage of when all they really need is a helping hand. There are several statistics and facts listed among the stories that really help to put all of the stories into perspective. You get to read one account and then see how many other people were affected or treated in the same manner. It's really an eye opening and heart wrenching read.

I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischeivious Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris

Target Audience: Elementary                      Genre: Non-Fiction                                Stars: 3/5

And Other Nonsense is right :) These poems are wacky. Not all of them are great. Some are pleasantly tricky and make you stop and think, but the best one by far is the last one that asks you to come back and read the book again in 25 years. These poems (at least most of them, but certainly not all of them) are very cleverly written and are fun to read. I think kiddos will really get a kick out of this book if we can find a clever way to lure them in to reading poetry! (A lot of the kiddos in my area don't pick up poetry books for fun by choice.) There are some poems that have the same humor as B. J. Novak's The Book with No Pictures.

Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers

Target Audience: Lower Elementary                       Genre: Non-Fiction                   Stars: 5/5

This book is so eye opening! Did you know that the Statue of Liberty's right foot has a raised heel? She's on the move and this book does a wonderful job of explaining why! I absolutely LOVE the message. The art work is also interesting. I think for the parts that talk specifically about her heel being raised that I would rather see actual photographs instead of having to look to the index. This book has great audience awareness and talks directly to the intended audience in a fun and very informational manner. I think kids will really enjoy this one.

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

Target Audience:  Middle Grade               Genre: Graphic Novel / Realistic Fiction       Stars: 5/5

Imogene has been homeschooled all of her life, but as she turns 11 she decides that she wants to go to public school for the first time. To make matters more difficult, Imogene’s parents have very unique jobs-- they are Renaissance re-enactors. To nerds, this is a dream come true (and Imogene is no exception as she prepares for her first real part in the Faire), but for a girl just trying to fit in at school, such a different life style makes it hard to fit in at first. This is a great story about learning to accept yourself and making a name for yourself as you come of age. I love the artwork and all of the characters. There were so many scenes where I connected with Imogene and the struggles she faces as she grows up. There is a scene where the girls at school have a scandalous book and Imogene writes her questions about sex and sexuality in a book (an important part of growing up!), otherwise the content is very “safe” as far as conservative parents might be concerned (which I realize is hardly a problem for the Newbery Award, this is more of a personal note to self about why I can’t book talk this book).

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Target Audience: Middle Grade                      Genre: Realistic Fiction              Stars: 5/5

Amina has a beautiful voice but is far too stage shy to become the star her friends and family know she is. Starting middle school is hard. Her best friend Soojin is getting sworn in as an American Citizen and is considering changing her name. Soojin is also making friends with people who weren’t always nice to her and Amina in the past. Plus, Amina’s uncle is coming to visit from Pakistan. This book touches on the prejudices of belonging to a different religion, not being a natural borne citizen, and trying to assimilate into the American Culture without losing your identity. This book is beautifully written and very powerful. I love all of Amina’s insights and the positive support of her community after someone desecrates the local Mosque.

The Warden’s Daughter by Jerry Spinelli

Target Audience: Middle Grade                  Genre:  Realistic / Historical Fiction     Stars: 5/5

This book is very touching and heart wrenching all at the same time. Cammie is a 12 year-old girl whose mother died when she was a baby. She died saving Cammie’s life.  Cammie’s father is the warden for a prison and they both live above the very prison where he works. Cammie struggles with being motherless, the transition from childhood to adulthood, and the suicide of a close friend (one of the inmates in her father’s prison). To help her find her center, she focuses on convincing her father’s maid that she wants to be Cammie’s mother. When that doesn’t work, Cammie reacts violently, finally losing her patients with the world. Little does she know, the maid she tries to trick into being her mother also grew up motherless and knows that what Cammie needs isn’t a new mother, but to connect with the mother she never knew and heal her soul by confronting all of the emotions she has locked away for so long. This is a very powerful and heart wrenching book.

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Target Audience: Middle Grade                       Genre: Fantasy                                Stars: 4/5

This book is very interesting and told from the perspective of an old wise tree named Red. Now, trees aren't supposed to talk to humans, but this rule can be hard to follow when you're old and have lots of stories to tell. A lovely book about diversity and the importance of immigration and friendship. The book also touches on the hard topic of death and one’s mortality. I gave it a 4 out of 5 because it was a bit hard to get into. I really did appreciate that the creative talent and ingenuity required to write from a tree’s perspective. I just found it slightly difficult to connect with Red because he was constantly telling us how different trees and animals are from humans. If I struggled to connect with a tree, I think children might as well.

Alright! 8 down, 12 more to go! Here’s hoping I make it! (There is a really long Teen Non-Fiction book about the Van Gogh brothers that I am desperately hoping is more interesting than it sounds…) Wish me luck!

If you have read any of these books, I would love to hear your opinions! Did I miss something crucial about one of the books that you think could change my opinion on whether or not it should win our Mock Newbery contest? Have your read something I haven’t listed yet that deserves to be on the list?

Let me know! I love hearing from you!

--Larkynn

Sources:

(1)    “Newbery Medal Terms and Criteria”. Association for Library Service to Children. Web: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberyterms/newberyterms

(2) -Goodreads-Used for book cover photos.