I love Kevin Henkes's picture books and I loved this novel! Not surprisingly it won a Newbery Honor a few years ago and it was quite an impressive from an author best known for Lily Purple Plastic Purse! This was also one of my choices for the Triple 8 Challenge.
Martha and her family are preparing to go on their yearly summer beach vacation to her grandmother's house, when the mother of a deceased classmate shows up at Martha's door. Olive passed away several months ago after being struck by a car and though Martha felt terrible, she barely knew Olive. The girl's mother hands Martha a page out of Olive's diary, professing Olive's want of being friends with Martha. This turns Martha's summer upside down, leading her to realize that if Olive can die, so can anyone.
Martha's summer consists of making sure her grandmother is not dying and getting the attention of Jimmy, one of the brothers from the beach that her family has known for years. Jimmy helps Martha keep her mind off dying, until he takes advantage of her crush on him and turns what should be a great moment in Martha's young life into one of the most humiliating experiences she has ever faced. Martha then proceeds to almost drown, which really solidifies her thoughts that anyone can die at any moment and it looks like her entire summer will be completely ruined until her grandmother, and a boy named Tate turn everything from rotten, to perfect.
This was a very enjoyable novel, one that I believe any 12 year old girl could relate to and love. I hope Kevin Henkes continues writing novels! Another challenge book down!
Feathers
G.P. Putnam, 2007
This was the only Newbery book (winner and honors included) that I hadn't read before the big annoucement a few weeks ago. So I bought it and read it last night.
Here's my take:
It's a beautifully written book about a young girl named Frannie. She is learning to think for herself and question her friends prejudices. When a new boy comes to their school, everyone calls him "the Jesus boy" because he reminds them of Jesus. He's white, but insists he's not. Frannie wants to get to know him a little better, even though her friends have many reasons why she shouldn't. It makes a quiet, but effective statement about how we all make assumptions about others that we shouldn't make.
Frannie's momma has had several miscarriages and lost a newborn baby too. She feels like Frannie and her older brother Sean, who is also deaf, are her gifts from heaven. Woodson deals with her Frannie's family so openly and honestly. She doesn't gloss over the reality of the emotions of depression and hope that invade her family. I appreciated Woodson's handling of this matter. Frannie talks openly about death and how her family feels about death, babies, sadness, etc.
As someone who has been personally through some of the same things that Frannie's momma went through, this book was honest, authentic, and deeply touching. But I know that sometimes the Newbery awarded books get branded as ones that are more meaningful to adults but not as kid-friendly. Feathers really does see the whole situation through the eyes of a child. Frannie is honest and open, and shares her kid feelings.
A wonderful choice by the Newbery committee.
I was so excited this morning about the ALA awards. I'm truly a book nerd. People roll their eyes at me. It's okay, I'm proud to be a book nerd.
Here of some of the award and honor winners that I have previously reviewed:
Caldecott Honor Books:
Henry's Freedom Box (and I'm very excited--I'll get to see Kadir Nelson at the Virginia State Reading Association Conference in March)
First the Egg (also received a Geisel honor award)
I'm not sure how I managed not to review Knuffle Bunny Too, but I really did like the book. It made the Cybils fiction picture book shortlist.
Caldecott Winner:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner:
Let it Shine
Schneider Family Book Award, Middle Grades Category:
Reaching for the Sun (my review is in The Edge of the Forest)
Pura Bulpre Award, Author Recipient
The Poet Slave of Cuba: A biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
I'm pretty pleased that I had reviews in many categories. While I read a lot of middle grade fiction, I don't always review it (I don't know why...). It was one of my New Year's Resolutions to review more middle grade fiction. I read the Newbery winner and two of the three honor books. I really liked the ones I read, but I didn't review them this year.
And the winners are:
Caldecott Honor books:
Henry's Freedom Box
First the Egg
The Wall
Knuffle Bunny Too
Caldecott Winner:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Newbery Honor:
Elijah of Buxton
Wednesday Wars
Feathers
Newbery Medal:
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!
Many thanks to Goddess of YA Literature for her live blogging! You can see all of the winners at her site. I was watching the live webcast with my kids at school and right after Wednesday Wars, it stopped! Stopped I tell you!!!! And I couldn't get it back. I don't know why! I don't know if it was my end or ALA's. I was going crazy! Then I jumped to the Goddess's website and she put me out of my anxiety ridden moment.
What I'm excited about...I've read ALL of these books except for Feathers. This is the first time ever for me that has happened. And you know who I credit? Why the kidlitosphere of course! The kid lit bloggers are out there posting on all of these good books all year.
What else I'm excited about...The Invention of Hugo Cabret!!! All year long I have been bragging about this book to everyone I know. It is one of the best books ever. And all of the naysayers were saying that this book wouldn't get any big awards because what category is it in? Well, yippee ka yay! It won! Congratulations Mr. Selznick!
I love Kevin Henkes's picture books and I loved this novel! Not surprisingly it won a Newbery Honor a few years ago and it was quite an impressive from an author best known for Lily Purple Plastic Purse! This was also one of my choices for the Triple 8 Challenge.
So glad KB2 is on the Cybils shortlist. So glad. ;^)
I listened to the live webcast too, and it was more fun than I should even admit. I was acting like normal people act when watching football. What a book nerd.