Newbery
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.06, 2012, under Historical Fiction, Newbery, Sam's Reviews, War
Who would like this book? Anyone (grade 4 and up) who is interested in the experiences of a refugee from the Vietnam War in 1975 will want to read this moving book.
Why? Hà begins narrating her story when she is 10 years old, living in Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. As Saigon falls to the Communists, Hà, her mother, and her three older brothers jostle their way onto a ship. In a journal told in free verse, Hà relates her experiences and feelings as she leaves her life in Vietnam. Readers will relate to her honest reactions to the crowded boat, the indignities of the refugee camp in Guam, and the uncertainty of having her family be adopted by an American sponsor. She includes many details about what she faces: struggles learning English, bullying by classmates, and strange customs that are totally new to her. Based on the author’s own experiences as a refugee from Vietnam, the story is a must-read for anyone seeking a perspective on this period of history and/or the experience of a refugee. It will break your heart as it informs your mind. It’s a Newbery Honor Book for 2012.
The details: 262 pp. 2011
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.18, 2012, under Historical Fiction, Mystery, Newbery, ORCA, Sam's Reviews, War
Who would like this book? Serious readers, grades 5 and up, who are looking for a fantastic book with history, a family mystery, and a main character who will captivate your heart, will love this book. The style of writing and word choice will also please!
Why? It’s the summer of 1936, and Abilene Tucker is not happy that her father, Gideon, has sent her away to live with an old friend in the small town of Manifest, Kansas. Abilene, who never knew her mother, has always lived on the road with her father, hopping trains, and she doesn’t understand why turning 12 should bring an end to this freedom. Abilene’s voice is humorous and salty as she narrates her story about settling in with “Pastor” (and bartender) Shady, meeting the strange Hungarian “diviner” Miss Sadie, and making a couple of friends. When she finds a box of keepsakes and letters from 1917, a parallel story begins. This story is artfully told through the letters, the stories told by Miss Sadie, and newspaper columns from the time. Abilene needs to find out who her father is, and she needs to discover the identity of the mysterious “Rattler” mentioned in the letters. The two stories intertwine as she seeks answers to these questions, building lots of suspense and keeping the reader guessing right up to the very satisfying ending. This book is excellent in every way. Through an engaging plot and wonderfully drawn characters, the book offers a unique view of two historical eras and brings up many relevant questions about identity, family, and community. It’s an added plus that Vanderpool’s use of language is rich and refreshing. It’s not a surprise that Moon Over Manifest won the Newbery Award in 2011. Anyone looking for good historical fiction will want to consider this book.
The details: 351 pp. 2010 Review by Samrarian
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.17, 2012, under Adventure, Classic, Environment, Newbery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? People interested in wilderness survival would love this book, as would people looking for an adventure classic.
Why? Sam Gribley hates living in his family’s cramped apartment in New York City. He loves his parents and his brothers and sisters, but he longs to live in the wilderness. The book opens with him accomplishing this feat, weathering a winter squall from the safety of his house in a hollowed-out tree. Once the reader knows that Sam will succeed in his plan to run away and live off the land, Sam doubles back in time to New York City and his preparations for running away. The first person narrative from Sam’s point of view is the best part of the book. His voice is curious and honest, effectively carrying Sam’s intelligent and innovative mind. Interspersed with the narrative are Sam’s journal entries, adding a different perspective that deepens our understanding of Sam. Written in 1959 when the pace of life was slower, the book might be a challenge to readers who are used to today’s fast-moving plots. Excitement in Sam’s life might be meeting The Baron, his neighbor weasel, or training Frightful, his pet falcon. For readers looking for a captivating story of living in nature, this book is the one to grab!
The details: 177 pp. 1959 (originally published) Review by Samrarian
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.05, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2012-2013, Newbery, Real life, Sam's Reviews, Science Fiction
Who would like this book? Fans of science fiction and fantasy everywhere.
Why? This year is the 50th Anniversary of the publication of A Wrinkle in Time, a classic that won the Newbery Award in 1962. Being about time and time travel is fitting because the book was way ahead of its time. Meg Murray is a young woman plagued by faults – stubbornness, a quick temper, and an inferiority complex. She also happens to be a math genius and the big sister of the brilliant young Charles Wallace and the normal, well-adjusted twins, Sandy and Dennys. Their mother, a scientist, cooks dinner in her lab. Their father has been missing after pursuing a secret mission for the government. Charles Wallace, Meg, their neighbor Calvin (whose perspective on Meg is quite different from how she sees herself) are summoned to rescue their father, but because he is on a dark planet on the other side of a universe, they must travel through a tesseract, a wrinkle in time. Three eccentric old women, who are actually supernatural beings, help them get to the planet but cannot help them once they arrive. The three children must rely on themselves as they face impossible dangers. Everything about this book works so well – the characters, the plot, the ideas. It’s a moving and powerful classic.
The details: 245 pp. 1962 Review by Samrarian
Claudette Colvin: Twice toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.28, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2012-2013, Biography or Autobigraphy, Bullying, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone with an interest in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, especially the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Rosa Parks, definitely needs to read this book. It would also be great for anyone looking for the life story of a courageous teenager who stood up for her beliefs.
Why? Do you think that one person – one teenager – can’t make a difference? Read this book and think again. Claudette Colvin grew up in the segregated South in the 1950s. Raised by her great aunt and uncle in a poor area of Montgomery, Alabama, she was intelligent and proud. She hated the unjust treatment that the people of her color suffered, and she could not figure out why the adults put up with it. The bus system of Montgomery was especially unfair; when she was 15 (in 1955), she had reached her limit. She refused to give up her seat to a white woman and was arrested and taken to jail. Nine months later, Rosa Parks did the same action and sparked the bus boycott that eventually ended segregation on the buses. Claudette also played a crucial role in this ending: the landmark court case, Browder v. Gayle, that made segregation illegal got much of its punch from the courageous testimony of Claudette and three other women. Before this book, her role in these events had been unrecognized. Phillip Hoose waited a long time for Claudette to be ready to share her story. She finally did, and he masterfully combined her moving narrative with historical background presented through text, photos, and documents. This book won the 2009 National Book Award and was a 2010 Newbery Honor Book, underlining its value and significance. It’s a powerful 150 pages!
The details: 150 pp. 2009 Review by Samrarian
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.26, 2012, under Historical Fiction, Humorous, Newbery, ORCA, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Fans of entertaining historical fiction told from 1st person.
Why? Life in 1935 is hard, and Turtle’s mother is happy when she lands a job as a live-in housekeeper in New Jersey. Usually, Turtle goes with her mom as part of the package, but this employer hates children, so Turtle must travel to Key West, Florida to stay with her Aunt Minnie and sons Buddy, Beans, and Kermit. Their life is short on comforts but long on crazy schemes and shenanigans. Turtle fits right in, matching insult for insult and adding her own hilarious take on Key West life. The dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny, and the plot twists are sometimes wildly entertaining and sometimes heartbreaking. In the afterword, Holms explains that the novel is based on the stories of her great –grandmother, making the book as meaningful historically as it is entertaining. It was a Newbery Honor Book in 2011 and is an ORCA nominee for 2013.
The details: 191 pp. 2010 Review by Samrarian
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jul.05, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2012-2013, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Newbery, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone grades 6 and up who likes historical fiction and/or stories that focus on siblings, in this case a brother and his older sister with autism.
Why? Moose Flanagan, 12 years old in 1935, narrates the story of what happens when his family moves to Alcatraz Island so that his father can work as an electrician and prison guard. Things do not go well for Moose on Alcatraz, where about 50 families live. Moose’s mother is obsessed with the plight of his autistic sister Natalie. His mother believes that Natalie will have a chance in life if only she can attend the Esther P. Marinoff School in San Francisco. When the first attempt to enroll Natalie in the school fails, Moose must help out with Natalie, which causes him to miss playing baseball and to lose his new friend. In addition, the daughter of the prison warden, manipulative and irresistible, seems bent on getting him into trouble. Moose’s story brings Alcatraz to life, with historically accurate references to Al Capone and his mother, the prison warden, the activities of daily life, and the pursuits of kids on the island. Many engaging minor characters move the story forward with humor and personality quirks. What makes this book really worthwhile is the relationship between Moose and Natalie. It made me cry at the end!
228 pp. 2004 Review by Samrarian
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Feb.01, 2012, under Historical Fiction, Humorous, Newbery, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? People, 10 and up, who want to know what life might have been like in a small town in 1962 and who like to laugh.
Why? Jack Gantos, the author, spent some time in his youth in the town of Norvelt, an experiment in social planning by Eleanor Roosevelt. Gantos uses himself (or at least his own name) as the inspiration for the main character in this humorous look at his 12th summer. While trying to follow his father’s directions by mowing down a field of corn, Jack angers his mother, who had planted the corn to help feed needy people. She grounds Jack for the entire summer, except for when he helps an eccentric elderly neighbor who needs him to type up the obituaries of Norvelt’s longtime residents. Though Jack detests this task at first, he quickly warms to the opportunity of driving a car and collaborating with a partner. When one death involves a drunken Hells Angel and when the older residents begin dying off faster than would be expected from natural causes, Jack must face the possibility that a murderer is trying to bring down Norvelt. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, this book is a great read but it is not for people who like a lot of action and a strong ending.
The details: 341 pp. 2011 Review by Samrarian
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.17, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2011-2012, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Newbery, ORCA, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? Fiction lovers who enjoy books with detailed plots.
Why? The suspense in this book builds up perfectly. It is a very well thought out book. I have never once in my life ever thought about whether time travel could be possible or not, but this book almost makes you believe it is. I love the characters in this book because they are all so unique and I can also relate to them. The main character, Miranda is receiving notes telling her about things that are going to happen. She is very confused and scared but can’t tell any one because the note said that if she did, something bad would happen. Is she ever going to find out the truth about the notes?
The details: 199 pp. 2009 Review by Zoe
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jan.08, 2012, under Battle of the Books 2011-2012, Bullying, Mystery, Newbery, Student Reviews
Who would like this book? 2011-2012 OBOB Book. If you’ve read A Wrinkle In Time, you will like this time travel book.
Why? he laughing man sits on the corner every day. Some say he is waiting. Waiting for what? Miranda and Sal used to be friends until he gets punched by a kid on the street. Miranda’s mother gets invited to the 20,000 dollar pyramid game show. Miranda is confused about time travel like in the book A Wrinkle in Time. Then the house key is stolen and a mysterious note arrives: “I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.” Miranda doesn’t know what to do. What can she do? Wait. Coincidence? Were these events preplanned or even maybe even post-planned? Read this interesting, 2009 Newberry Award book. (Just make someone change the horrible cover.)
The details: 199 pp. 2009 Review by Mason
