Newbery Medal Award Book Club

[Tuly]

Here are the 2014 winners. I have enjoyed Kate DiCamillo's books in the past so this should be interesting.

The Caldecott Medal went to "Locomotive," written and illustrated by Brian Floca. The book follows family and crew traveling together on America's new transcontinental railroad in the summer of 1869.

The Newbery Medal was awarded to "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures," written by Kate DiCamillo, who also wrote "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "The Tale of Despereaux," and illustrated by K.G. Campbell. It's the story of a young comic book enthusiast and cynic, Flora, and a superhero squirrel named Ulysses who helps Flora against her greatest enemy.

[Angela]

clearly DiCamillo has worked out her formula, the animal helps save the main human's problem. I actually, didn't care for the Winn-Dixie book. I did enjoy reading Despereaux.

One of the Newbery honor books is Doll Bones. I'm so tired of the horror books for children.

[Tuly]

I just read Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures written by Kate DiCamillo. You are right Angela as in most if not all Disney movies, animals are the heroes and in this case a superhero squirrel. Flora, our heroine goes through a hero's journey - "to return home", back to her dysfunctional family. The story tries to be tender but in my opinion since somethings don't get resolved by the end of the story, I felt sad for Flora. Is that the path for current children's books? So we all belong to dysfunctional families? we should glorify this in literature? doesn't the media do that for us enough?...Ugh.

[Steve]

This is not so far removed from not discussing marriage in a family ward because there are single men and women in the congregation. Sometimes we're afraid to discuss the ideal for fear of hurting the feelings of those who feel distant from that ideal. And sometimes we don't feel like the ideal is realistic, which makes it somehow irrelevant to our human state.

I, for one, don't feel that a happy ending strips me of my ability to cope with the struggles of life. But maybe I'm just being idealistic.

[Tuly]

Thanks for your thoughts Steve. When I was 11-years-old and my father died, I don't remember trying to find books that would identify with my situation as a fatherless child. Instead I turned to books with happy, complete families like the All-of A Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. These books gave me so much hope about the kind of family I wanted when I grew up. And indeed my life reflects the core of these books.

http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/taylor-sidney

In All-of-a-Kind Family, Mama and Papa love their girls dearly and teach them to be good to one another, to their parents, to their neighbors and friends, and to their faith. Taylor gently integrates the rich traditions and heritage of Judaism into this family’s life: The reader learns about the celebration of Purim, Passover, Sukkot, and Hanukka not as an aside but as a central part of religious Jewish life. Such activities as attending shul, making a sukka, and celebrating the weekly Sabbath are interspersed with all of the kitchen activities typical of an Orthodox Jewish household—rolling dough for teyglekh, making gefilte fish, baking hallah. When the family moves uptown to the Bronx into a predominantly gentile community, Papa and Mama remind their daughters that America promises an opportunity to advance as well as the freedom to retain one’s Jewish roots. If this attention to heritage and learning sounds plodding, Taylor enlivens it always with generosity of spirit and humor. Mama reassures the family by telling them, “You don’t have to worry. … We’ll still be able to buy bagel and lox for Sunday morning breakfast.”

A contemporary reader may approach these books about this kind and gentle family with skepticism. The characters act with predictable innocence and goodness, there is little character development, and stereotypical family roles predominate. World events, including World War I, intrude only slightly into this sunny home. Mama’s place is still in the kitchen, while Papa goes out to work. The birth of a long-awaited son somewhat eclipses the importance of the family’s five energetic, engaging daughters. Even modern trends, such as the entry of women into the work force, cannot change the importance of family. The eldest sister, Ella, who is the focus of the final book in the series, ultimately chooses family over a career, believing that “there’s a kind of contentment in such homely tasks [as washing dishes].” What stands the test of time is Taylor’s magical evocation of a past age when spirituality was a central part of life. We may even grieve that this era is no more

.

[Tuly]

Happy Groundhog's Day!! - Here are the 2015 winners. -

John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children's literature

"The Crossover" written by Kwame Alexander - a story about family and brotherhood told through verse by 12-year-old twin basketball players Josh and Jordan Bell.

Honor books:

"El Deafo" written and illustrated by Cece Bell

"Brown Girl Dreaming" written by Jacqueline Woodson



Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children

"The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend" illustrated and written by Dan Santat

Honor books:

"Nana in the City" illustrated and written by Lauren Castillo

"The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky's Abstract Art" illustrated by Mary GrandPré and written by Barb Rosenstock

"Sam and Dave Dig a Hole" illustrated by Jon Klassen

"Viva Frida" illustrated and written by Yuyi Morales

"The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus" written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

"This One Summer" illustrated by Jillian Tamaki and written by Mariko Tamaki

[Tuly]

I finished this very quick read - The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Although it was difficult to read At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald at the same time I was reading The Crossover,( because the MacDonald book is an incredible story and The Crossover was an adequate in story) I will give The Crossover a fair chance; The Crossover is about a mom and dad and twin boys who love basketball (hence the term crossover) the story is written in verse form. The story deals with family relationships and junior high life and of course basketball.

[Tuly]

Here are the Newbery and Caldecott winners for 2016 - The Newbery winner is actually a picture book, noticed it also received a Caldecott Honor award.

John Newbery Medal

"Last Stop on Market Street,” written by Matt de la Peña, iIllustrated by Christian Robinson and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Books (USA) LLC

Newbery Honor Books

"The War that Saved My Life," written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Books (USA) LLC

“Roller Girl,” written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Books (USA) LLC

“Echo,” written by Pam Muñoz Ryan and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.

Randolph Caldecott Medal

"Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear," illustrated by Sophie Blackall, written by Lindsay Mattick and published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Caldecott Honor Books

"Trombone Shorty," illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Troy Andrews and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS

“Waiting,” illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes, published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

“Voice of Freedom Fannie Lou Hamer Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement,” illustrated by Ekua Holmes, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Candlewick Press

“Last Stop on Market Street,” illustrated by Christian Robinson, written by Matt de le Peña and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Books (USA) LLC

[John]

I'm afraid I was not impressed with this year's Newbury winner.

[Ian]

agreed, the newbery medal is for "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children," and the caldecott medal is for "most distinguished American picture book for children." this year's newbery medal was awarded to a picture book for children. it's not even a great picture book.

[Tuly]

I liked it.

[Angela]

I didn't like the book, the story or the illustrations. I am so tired of sub-par illustrations. STOP trying to be Ezra Jack Keats!!!

[Tuly]

I still liked it. Any one with a last name of Pena, is okay in my book.

[Steve]

I admit to liking the book as well, though I don't know if I would go so far as to say it deserved the awards it received.

[Tuly]

I received a kind email from Barbara Paciotti whose website I used in this thread. Barbara has an updated website - Do check it out.
https://sites.google.com/site/barupa/ac ... discussion