HIT: What's Your Favorite Newbery and Why

[Judy Freeman <BKWSSF@AOL.COM>]

Hi Folks--
Last week I posted a message asking for:
1. The Newberies that are your all-time favorites
2. The books that you wanted to win the Newbery that didn't. Here are the
responses, which should get you thinking about your own favorite books.

Judy Freeman--Librarian
Van Holten School
Bridgewater, NJ 08807

RESPONSES:

Even limiting "favorite" book to Newberys is like asking for my favorite
child.  Among the ones I've read as an adult I love "The Giver" and "Maniac
Magee," Dicey's Song, and A Wrinkle in Time.  The ones I loved as a kid are
Johnny Tremain and Caddie Woodlawn.  I think I would have picked Ella
Enchanted over Out of the Dust for '98, but it would have been close, and I
still think Jane Yolen's "Devil's Arithmetic" was a better book than Number
the Stars the same year.  The one comment I have that I've also heard from
others is that the reading/maturity level of so many Newbery's is too old to
be considered "Children's" and are more YA.
Hope this helps.

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As a high school librarian I didn't do much with Newberrys (gosh, I'd be glad
if I could have gotten the kids to read ANY fiction -- other than V C
Andrews!) so I don't remember if Paddle to the Sea was a Newbery or a
Caldecott, but it was my favorite childhood book, and one I purchase for kids
whenever I need a gift for a young reader.

Joyce Conklin       jconkli@ed.co.sanmateo.ca.us
San Mateo Union High School District librarian (ret.)
San Mateo, CA

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Of the ones that have won the award in the past few years, my favorite is THE
GIVER, though it's to hard for many of the kids (k-5) at my school.  But what
book- the ending hit me like a ton of bricks and I love the fact that it's
ambigious (sp!) which can lead to some great discussions- in fact we had one
about it on LM-NET some years back.

The dud award goes to this years winner- free verse does not cut it at this
school.
Guusje Moore
Librarian
Housman Elem. School
Houston, TX

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It is wonderful when a book wins the Newbery that students enjoy reading.  I
know that isn't a criteria but if we are trying to get kids to READ  it might
be well to consider i.e. Shiloh.
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Hi
I think Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry and The Giver would have to be my favorite
winners of the Newbery Medal. I would like to have seen Hatchet and True
Confessions of Charlotte Doyle be winners, but they did get Honors. I'll be
interested to see what favorites others name.

Mary Lawson, Librarian
Iles School
Springfield, IL 62703
mlawson@springfield.k12.il.us

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 Bridge to Teribithia by katherine Paterson.

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Hi Judy,

I can't remember a Newberry book that I enjoyed more that "Ella Enchanted" by
Levine which recieved the silver medal this past year.  I have reccommended it
many times with rave reviews from second grade and up. We did a
mother/daughter book club reading "Ella" with exceptional results and I will
be planning it again.  Our media center also recommended it to middle school
girls for a literature group facilitated by their English teacher class. Once
again, they loved it! I am also taking a "Strong Girls in Literature" graduate
class and I'm planning "Ella" as my final class project.

A child in our third grade returned form England last year with "Harry Potter"
in her hand a created quite a sensation.  The entire class made it a project
to contact a bookstore in London and order a classroom set. They had to do
geography, figure out the money exchange, write the letters, organize delivery
etc.  What a great experience! They donated four copies to our library.
Children love it and it's too bad that it doesn't qualify.

Where can I get a list of this year's contenders,  I would love to get started
reading?

Jo Ann Loberg - Media Generalist
Breck School
Minneapolis, MN
joloberg@bitstream.net

(NOTE: THERE IS NO LIST OF NEWBERY CONTENDERS--AT LEAST NOT FOR PUBLIC
KNOWLEDGE.)

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My all time favorite Newbery winner is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, although
The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a close favorite.  I read both to my 5th grade
classes when I was still teaching in the classroom and the kids really liked
them both as well. :)



Amy Shankles

Media Specialist

Flat Rock School

Flat Rock, Alabama

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I think Catherine Called Birdy should have won!  It is so unique, so
enjoyable, so refreshing.  I honestly tell my kids that some years, I have no
idea why a book was chosen for the award because I feel there were better
candidates. My favorite Newbery winner is Number the Stars, or The Giver
jonie fitz
Mountainside Elementary
Ft. Carson, CO

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Judy - Reading your message brings everal titles to mind.  First I loved
Missing May and The View from Saturday. Second I thought Pullman's The Golden
Compass was Newbery bound and also Belle Prater's Boy.  You can guess I am at
home and therefore only recent titles are popping into my mind. One other
thought is that I have often wondered about the Newbery award being given to
children's books that adults really like but often they don't seem to be the
favorites of the kids.  Just some late night rambling I thoughy I'd share.
Good luck.

Melinda Miller-Widrick, LMS K-12
Colton-Pierrepont Central School
Colton, NY 13625
miller-w@northnet.org

 (NOTE: AS WONDERFUL AS PULLMAN'S BOOKS ARE, HE'S BRITISH, AND SO INELIGIBLE
FOR THE NEWBERY.)

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There are so many favorites among the Newberys that I am
having a hard time choosing. My 15 year old son says "A wrinkle in time".  I
loved "The ear, the eye, and the arm", "Sarah, plain and tall", "The hero and
the crown", and "Island of the blue dolphins". As a child I loved "Secret of
the Andes", "King of the wind", and "The white stag". I believe these books
make you grow and change you into something better. I'm not sure there is one
best forever, but instead something that speaks to you at a particular point
in your life.
Jennifer Lyons
Librarian
St. Paul's Academy
Oswego, NY

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When I was eleven years old my aunt gave me a copy of Elizabeth Enright's
Thimble summer. The heroine was also eleven. I am now 51 years old and I have
read that book every summer since then. It was the first book I had read, up
to that point in my life, that put me inside the head and thoughts of a
character. She was someone I wished I could know "in real time." The book was
set in the thirties and, as one of her adventures involved going to a circus,
it was fascinating to think of circuses lit with oil lamps! Beautiful
descriptions of plants, flowers and the changing light in the day suffused the
story with atmosphere. Depictions of farm machinery and processes were not
boring. Descriptions of characters were aptly and lovingly done. I don't think
Thimble Summer was ever made into a movie. That's okay--I like the one I play
in my mind, whenever I read the book, better.
Susan Loiselle

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Judy, I loved, "The Watsons go to Birmingham". The humor reminds me so much of
one of my all-time favorite movies, A Christmas Story.        Judi

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What a neat idea for your speech!!  A top contender for the best Newbery ever
has to be Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia.  I can't wait to see what kind of
responses you get to these two fascinating questions!!!
Pat Bennett, Librarian
East Muskingum Middle School
New Concord, Ohio
pben@clover.net

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I have just retired from a K-5 school. My favorite Newbery is a four-way tie
between:
Wrinkle in Time
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Number the Stars
Shiloh

These are the four I have enjoyed the most and so have the children in my
school.  They have truly endured. I think the worst blunder was 1953 when
Charlotte's Web should have won instead of Secret of the Andes.

I would like to see ALA change to a list of top books for the year rather than
just one medalled queen.  Books have so many reasons for being good - or bad,
and are therefore hard to judge one against the other.

  Joan Kimball

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I will NEVER forget reading _Walk Two Moons_ because, when I finished it,  I
closed the book, put down my head and cried so hard.  Pure emotional reaction
to this wonderful novel -- and I was glad I was alone in the house and had
time to compose myself before my family came home!  It even inspired me to
design a needlepoint pillow, which I have at last finished.

Gretchen Baldauf
Gbaldauf@aol.com
Hamilton Elementary School
44 Westfall Drive
Tonawanda, NY  14150

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My favorite(s) probably change from year to year, but the first book that
popped into my mind today was "The Giver".  I like it because it makes the
reader think -- and because there is no definite ending.  One can continue the
story mentally for hours.   It seems to me to be a really unique story and,
unlike some of the Newbery books, interests students as well as the adults who
vote for the winners.

Gail Faughn, Media Specialist
Astoria Park Elementary School
2465 Atlas Road
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850)488-4673
faughng@mail.astoriapark.leon.k12.fl.us

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The View From Saturday has to be one of my alltime favorite books, let alone
Newbery!  I love it because of its perspective, from all the kids points of
views and also because I live in Florida and loved the parts about the sea
turtles.  E.L. Konigsberg is also an awesome speaker.

Sherry Wilk, Media Specialist
Frank C. Martin Elementary
Miami, Fl.
swilk11554@aol.com

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I loved Shiloh.  I know that the Newbery doesn't have to be a popular read
with young folks, but I like it so much more when it is.  After all, I am
really just interested in motivating them to read for the whole rest of their
lives, and manytimes "unique and quality literature" just won't do that.
But--Shiloh is loved by all, and motivates many children to "read the rest"!
Whether they are really readers or not.

Connie Welch, Librarian         cwelch@freenet.columbus.oh.us
O.L.P.H. School
Grove City, Oh 43123

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