What have been some of your favorites through the years?
Friday, January 18, 2013
Rereading Newbery Books
Sometimes, when a reader is stuck about what to read next, I suggest he or she go to the shelf of Newbery Medal books. And sometimes, I hesitate to make that suggestion. Not every medal winner has been delightful for me, and I worry that the readers may feel the same. So, I have begun rereading some titles I read many years ago in children's literature courses. On the top of the pile this weekend is the 1964 winner.
What have been some of your favorites through the years?
What have been some of your favorites through the years?
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I just checked the titles of the winning books and discovered that I really haven't read many of them...not so unusual for a high school English teacher, I guess. But I recall one recent book that I liked: 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).
ReplyDeleteYou must read some of the older ones, Kate. I will send you a note with a few of my favorites.
DeleteMoon Over Manifest and A Single Shard are my favorites during my time as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteWalk Two Moons and The Giver are my favorites from when I was a college student.
Jacob Have I Loved, The Westing Game, and The Whipping Boy are some of my favorites from when I was a young reader.
Fun to look back over the list Julie! :)
Good way to divide them! From my elementary school years, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The Cricket in Times Square were the favorites.
DeleteOh, I love those two also! :) It's quite difficult to choose only a couple. I don't know how the committee makes the final decision!
DeleteOh, so many favorites . . .
ReplyDeleteJoyful Noise, Out of the Dust, and Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!--because they are all vibrant poetry.
Sarah, Plain and Tall--because it spurred me to write for children.
When You Reach Me and Holes--because they are just such great stories.
I love that everyone has different favorites. We have never talked about this before, Joyce, and now I want to hear about your reasons.
DeleteI am anxious to hear what you think of When Your Reach Me!
ReplyDeleteWalk Two Moons, Out of the Dust, The Giver, Wheel on the School, Holes, Missing May, Shiloh, Number the Stars, Sarah Plain & Tall, Bridge to Terebithia, The Slave Dancer, Julie of the Wolves, Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of NIMH, Summer of the Swans, A Wrinkle in Time, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Rabbit Hill, Johnny Tremain. Then there are the honors: Charlotte's Web is an all time favorite. Because of Winn Dixie. Lizzie Bright & the Buckminster Boy. Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Madame Jewel, you didn't tell us your favorites! I'm now inspired to read some more! Look forward to corresponding with you...
ReplyDeleteMany of your favorites are mine, Rita. You bring up a whole other area: those Honor books! Many of them would have been my picks over the Medal books. I, too, loved LIZZIE BRIGHT. I love OUT OF THE DUST, WALK TWO MOONS, MRS. FRISBY, THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND, THE BRONZE BOW, BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, THE GOOD MASTER, DARK EMPEROR.
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