Newbery Award Winning Books
The Tale of Despereaux
Author: DiCamillo, Kate Illustrator: Ering, Timothy Basil
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2003
Genre: Fiction (Fairy Tale/Fantasy) Age Level: Ages 7-12
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2003
Genre: Fiction (Fairy Tale/Fantasy) Age Level: Ages 7-12
Plot summary:
This book delves into the story of 3 characters, a mouse named Despereaux, a rat named Roscuro, and a girl named Miggery Sow. These 3 characters all have very different plans for their lives and each of their plans involves the princess of the castle in which they live. Depereaux falls in love with the princess. Roscuro wants revenge against the princess. Miggery Sow wants to be the princess. Near the end, as their plans come in direct opposition with each other, all 3 of these very different characters come together in a surprising way.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The author writes in a such a way as to draw the reader in to the story. She openly addresses the reader regularly, coaxing the reader to imagine what a certain event might have felt like or to look up a word in the dictionary. It gives the story a very intimate feeling, especially since the characters and story are not ones the reader is likely to ever encounter. It also gives the reader a sense of his or her own importance, and showcases how a story is just a story until someone picks it up and begins to read.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses anthropomorphism beautifully. Each of the animal characters has a full and deep set of human characteristics with which the reader can easily identify . There are many places where the reader can see himself or herself in the characters. There are also examples of characteristics of the human race evident in the characters. This can be seen in the scenes with the Mouse Council judging Despereaux because he is different. He refuses to renounce his love for the princess and the mice all chant for his death. We see that even Despereaux's father cannot rise above the mob to stand up for his son. He goes along with the wishes of the crowd without thinking of the consequences.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are in pencil. They are very soft and show key parts of the story. There are quite a few illustrations thrown in, and this helps the reader to get a feel for the characters in the story.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " Dear reader, light your lamp and listen to the tale of Despereaux, the last mouse born of Antoinette. Born with his eyes open and ears much too large, Despereaux seems destined for early death. A true Renaissance mouse, he can hear honey, read words, and appreciate fine music. But he cannot conform to the strictures of the mouse world. Rodents and humans don’t mix, yet he falls in love with the Princess Pea, earning the wrath of all the mice in the castle. The melodramatic voice of the narrator glides through DiCamillo’s entirely pleasing tale, at times addressing the reader directly, at others, moving the reader back and forward in time. Never does she abandon the reader in the dungeon with Despereaux, the dark-hearted rats, or the guard and fellow inmate, Gregory. And so unwinds a tale with twists and turns, full of forbidden soup and ladles, rats lusting for mouse blood, a servant who wishes to be a princess, a knight in shining—or, at least, furry—armor, and all the ingredients of an old-fashioned drama."
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a unit on bullying and peer pressure. You could use Despereaux's situation with the other mice to talk about how we are all different and each have different strengths and interests. It is important to honor the differences in each other, just as Despereaux's father came to understand later in the story. Miggery Sow gave in to peer pressure because she wanted something so badly and she didn't take time to think about what that would mean for herself and for others around her.
This book delves into the story of 3 characters, a mouse named Despereaux, a rat named Roscuro, and a girl named Miggery Sow. These 3 characters all have very different plans for their lives and each of their plans involves the princess of the castle in which they live. Depereaux falls in love with the princess. Roscuro wants revenge against the princess. Miggery Sow wants to be the princess. Near the end, as their plans come in direct opposition with each other, all 3 of these very different characters come together in a surprising way.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
The author writes in a such a way as to draw the reader in to the story. She openly addresses the reader regularly, coaxing the reader to imagine what a certain event might have felt like or to look up a word in the dictionary. It gives the story a very intimate feeling, especially since the characters and story are not ones the reader is likely to ever encounter. It also gives the reader a sense of his or her own importance, and showcases how a story is just a story until someone picks it up and begins to read.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses anthropomorphism beautifully. Each of the animal characters has a full and deep set of human characteristics with which the reader can easily identify . There are many places where the reader can see himself or herself in the characters. There are also examples of characteristics of the human race evident in the characters. This can be seen in the scenes with the Mouse Council judging Despereaux because he is different. He refuses to renounce his love for the princess and the mice all chant for his death. We see that even Despereaux's father cannot rise above the mob to stand up for his son. He goes along with the wishes of the crowd without thinking of the consequences.
Illustrations:
The illustrations in the book are in pencil. They are very soft and show key parts of the story. There are quite a few illustrations thrown in, and this helps the reader to get a feel for the characters in the story.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " Dear reader, light your lamp and listen to the tale of Despereaux, the last mouse born of Antoinette. Born with his eyes open and ears much too large, Despereaux seems destined for early death. A true Renaissance mouse, he can hear honey, read words, and appreciate fine music. But he cannot conform to the strictures of the mouse world. Rodents and humans don’t mix, yet he falls in love with the Princess Pea, earning the wrath of all the mice in the castle. The melodramatic voice of the narrator glides through DiCamillo’s entirely pleasing tale, at times addressing the reader directly, at others, moving the reader back and forward in time. Never does she abandon the reader in the dungeon with Despereaux, the dark-hearted rats, or the guard and fellow inmate, Gregory. And so unwinds a tale with twists and turns, full of forbidden soup and ladles, rats lusting for mouse blood, a servant who wishes to be a princess, a knight in shining—or, at least, furry—armor, and all the ingredients of an old-fashioned drama."
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a unit on bullying and peer pressure. You could use Despereaux's situation with the other mice to talk about how we are all different and each have different strengths and interests. It is important to honor the differences in each other, just as Despereaux's father came to understand later in the story. Miggery Sow gave in to peer pressure because she wanted something so badly and she didn't take time to think about what that would mean for herself and for others around her.
Inside Out & Back Again
Author: Lai, Thanhha Illustrator: None
Publisher: Harper, 2011
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Grades 3-6
Publisher: Harper, 2011
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Grades 3-6
Plot summary:
This story is about a young girl living in South Vietnam in the year 1975. She lives with her mother and brothers. Her father is missing in action and the family doesn't know if he is alive or dead. As the year progresses, the family decides to move to America. The Vietnam War is raging and the family is concerned about a communist takeover of South Vietnam. The family finally escapes to America and has to learn to live and thrive in a country with such foreign customs. They face prejudice and fear and find solace in each other.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I like books that tell the story of another culture. I enjoy learning about new places and how people live and think differently as a result of where they live. This book provided that experience for me. The book itself is beautifully and poignantly written. I did not like the writing style of the book, however. It was written in verse and while the imagery and emotion was very well written, I never felt as if I could really get in touch with the book's characters. I liked the book but came away feeling distant and dissatisfied.
Memorable literary element:
This book was written in verse and recalls the days of a young girl named Ha. Each entry has a title, a poem about the events, and a date. Some of the days have multiple entries because several significant events happened in that day. Other events must feel eternal to Ha, because instead of a date at the end of the entry, she writes "Every day". Ha also intersperses Vietnamese words in with the English. She does not define the word, and the reader must learn what it means in context. "We get out/ in front of an open market./ We push our way to/ a banh cuon stand./ I love watching/ the spread of rice flour on cloth,/ stretched over a steaming pot./"
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in this book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Hornbook) "Recounting events that resemble her own family's 1975 flight from Saigon and first months in the United States, Lai pens a novel in vividly imagined verse. Each brief poem encapsulates a mood and experience of that year. As the Vietnam War nears its end in April, ten-year-old Ha's "Birthday Wishes" include "Wish Mother would stop / chiding me to stay calm / which makes it worse" and that "Father [who's missing in action] would come home." Registering for school in Alabama in August, Ha encounters "a woman who / pats my head / while shaking her own. / I step back, / hating pity, /...the pity giver / feels better, / never the pity receiver." Such condescension is new to Ha and her brothers, all excellent students, as is being daunted by challenges like the urgent need to master idiosyncratic English. Meanwhile, Brother Vu takes odd jobs; Quang (who once said, "One cannot justify war / unless each side / flaunts its own / blind conviction") repairs cars. Many neighbors and classmates, with their own blind convictions, are cruelly antagonistic, but Ha soon finds allies at school and in English-tutor Ms. Washington. Lai's spare language captures the sensory disorientation of changing cultures as well as a refugee's complex emotions and kaleidoscopic loyalties. That Ms. Washington's son died in Vietnam underlines the disparity between nations' quarrels and their citizens' humanity, suggesting this as a provocative companion to Katherine Paterson's Park's Quest."
Promotion idea:
This book would be a great way to teach students about prejudice and tolerance. Reading about Ha's experiences in a new country could really help students develop empathy about how it feels to be different. It could also specifically be used in a school where there are a lot of ESL students. Students could tell each other stories about times when they felt different or unwanted and could share cultural stories about their families. Students could also write journal entries, as Ha did.
This story is about a young girl living in South Vietnam in the year 1975. She lives with her mother and brothers. Her father is missing in action and the family doesn't know if he is alive or dead. As the year progresses, the family decides to move to America. The Vietnam War is raging and the family is concerned about a communist takeover of South Vietnam. The family finally escapes to America and has to learn to live and thrive in a country with such foreign customs. They face prejudice and fear and find solace in each other.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I like books that tell the story of another culture. I enjoy learning about new places and how people live and think differently as a result of where they live. This book provided that experience for me. The book itself is beautifully and poignantly written. I did not like the writing style of the book, however. It was written in verse and while the imagery and emotion was very well written, I never felt as if I could really get in touch with the book's characters. I liked the book but came away feeling distant and dissatisfied.
Memorable literary element:
This book was written in verse and recalls the days of a young girl named Ha. Each entry has a title, a poem about the events, and a date. Some of the days have multiple entries because several significant events happened in that day. Other events must feel eternal to Ha, because instead of a date at the end of the entry, she writes "Every day". Ha also intersperses Vietnamese words in with the English. She does not define the word, and the reader must learn what it means in context. "We get out/ in front of an open market./ We push our way to/ a banh cuon stand./ I love watching/ the spread of rice flour on cloth,/ stretched over a steaming pot./"
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in this book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Hornbook) "Recounting events that resemble her own family's 1975 flight from Saigon and first months in the United States, Lai pens a novel in vividly imagined verse. Each brief poem encapsulates a mood and experience of that year. As the Vietnam War nears its end in April, ten-year-old Ha's "Birthday Wishes" include "Wish Mother would stop / chiding me to stay calm / which makes it worse" and that "Father [who's missing in action] would come home." Registering for school in Alabama in August, Ha encounters "a woman who / pats my head / while shaking her own. / I step back, / hating pity, /...the pity giver / feels better, / never the pity receiver." Such condescension is new to Ha and her brothers, all excellent students, as is being daunted by challenges like the urgent need to master idiosyncratic English. Meanwhile, Brother Vu takes odd jobs; Quang (who once said, "One cannot justify war / unless each side / flaunts its own / blind conviction") repairs cars. Many neighbors and classmates, with their own blind convictions, are cruelly antagonistic, but Ha soon finds allies at school and in English-tutor Ms. Washington. Lai's spare language captures the sensory disorientation of changing cultures as well as a refugee's complex emotions and kaleidoscopic loyalties. That Ms. Washington's son died in Vietnam underlines the disparity between nations' quarrels and their citizens' humanity, suggesting this as a provocative companion to Katherine Paterson's Park's Quest."
Promotion idea:
This book would be a great way to teach students about prejudice and tolerance. Reading about Ha's experiences in a new country could really help students develop empathy about how it feels to be different. It could also specifically be used in a school where there are a lot of ESL students. Students could tell each other stories about times when they felt different or unwanted and could share cultural stories about their families. Students could also write journal entries, as Ha did.
The Giver
Author: Lowry, Lois Illustrator: None
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1993
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Ages 10-14
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1993
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Ages 10-14
Plot summary:
This story is about a utopian society where everything is controlled and perfect. Each person's life is mapped out in such a way as to benefit the whole society and to capitalize on that person's strengths and interests. Nothing unpleasant or out of the ordinary ever happens. This is the world in which Jonas lives. Jonas is content in his life and knows of nothing else until he is given his job assignment at the ceremony of the Twelves. Instead of getting a typical job assignment, Jonas is chosen for the job of Receiver. No one knows what this job is. It is secretive and important. Jonas goes to see the Giver each day for his training, and there he comes to understand the difficulty of his job. The Giver is the one who holds the collective memories of the ages and keeps the people "safe" in their world of no pain. As Jonas learns more and more about the painful and beautiful memories of the past, he realizes that his world isn't as perfect as it once seemed.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I loved this book. It is written so beautifully. Lowry slowly eases the reader into the story, so that he or she learns everything just as Jonas is learning. Nothing is presented in stark right or wrong. The reader is left pondering, just as both Jonas and the Giver do, if it is preferable to be safe in a controlled world or if the people should be given the joys and pains of a true life. It left me wanting more of the characters and their world and wondering what might have happened after the finish the book.
Memorable literary element:
The most powerful literary element in this book is the use of theme. This book studies some major themes very subtly, allowing the reader to explore these themes in the back the mind while the main story is taking place. Some of the themes explored are the relationship between the individual and the whole, the question of whether it is preferable to feel no pain (and conversely, no love), and the role that emotion plays in a the satisfaction of a life. We can see this clearly when Jonas starts to receive the memories. He sees life so much differently, and wonders how he was ever satisfied with his family or his life without love. He begins to understand that even though he is enduring terrible pain and anguish through the memories, the memories of love and family are just as powerful and beautiful. He begins to wish for more, for himself and for the people.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in this book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "In a radical departure from her realistic fiction and comic chronicles of Anastasia, Lowry creates a chilling, tightly controlled future society where all controversy, pain, and choice have been expunged, each childhood year has its privileges and responsibilities, and family members are selected for compatibility. As Jonas approaches the "Ceremony of Twelve," he wonders what his adult "Assignment" will be. Father, a "Nurturer," cares for "newchildren"; Mother works in the "Department of Justice"; but Jonas's admitted talents suggest no particular calling. In the event, he is named "Receiver," to replace an Elder with a unique function: holding the community's memories--painful, troubling, or prone to lead (like love) to disorder; the Elder ("The Giver") now begins to transfer these memories to Jonas. The process is deeply disturbing; for the first time, Jonas learns about ordinary things like color, the sun, snow, and mountains, as well as love, war, and death: the ceremony known as "release" is revealed to be murder. Horrified, Jonas plots escape to "Elsewhere," a step he believes will return the memories to all the people, but his timing is upset by a decision to release a newchild he has come to love. Ill-equipped, Jonas sets out with the baby on a desperate journey whose enigmatic conclusion resonates with allegory: Jonas may be a Christ figure, but the contrasts here with Christian symbols are also intriguing. Wrought with admirable skill--the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel.
Promotion idea:
This book would fit well in a lesson on government and the role that government does and should play in the lives of citizens of a country. As we gain more understanding and advances in science, where do we draw the line in how much control our government has over us?
This story is about a utopian society where everything is controlled and perfect. Each person's life is mapped out in such a way as to benefit the whole society and to capitalize on that person's strengths and interests. Nothing unpleasant or out of the ordinary ever happens. This is the world in which Jonas lives. Jonas is content in his life and knows of nothing else until he is given his job assignment at the ceremony of the Twelves. Instead of getting a typical job assignment, Jonas is chosen for the job of Receiver. No one knows what this job is. It is secretive and important. Jonas goes to see the Giver each day for his training, and there he comes to understand the difficulty of his job. The Giver is the one who holds the collective memories of the ages and keeps the people "safe" in their world of no pain. As Jonas learns more and more about the painful and beautiful memories of the past, he realizes that his world isn't as perfect as it once seemed.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I loved this book. It is written so beautifully. Lowry slowly eases the reader into the story, so that he or she learns everything just as Jonas is learning. Nothing is presented in stark right or wrong. The reader is left pondering, just as both Jonas and the Giver do, if it is preferable to be safe in a controlled world or if the people should be given the joys and pains of a true life. It left me wanting more of the characters and their world and wondering what might have happened after the finish the book.
Memorable literary element:
The most powerful literary element in this book is the use of theme. This book studies some major themes very subtly, allowing the reader to explore these themes in the back the mind while the main story is taking place. Some of the themes explored are the relationship between the individual and the whole, the question of whether it is preferable to feel no pain (and conversely, no love), and the role that emotion plays in a the satisfaction of a life. We can see this clearly when Jonas starts to receive the memories. He sees life so much differently, and wonders how he was ever satisfied with his family or his life without love. He begins to understand that even though he is enduring terrible pain and anguish through the memories, the memories of love and family are just as powerful and beautiful. He begins to wish for more, for himself and for the people.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in this book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "In a radical departure from her realistic fiction and comic chronicles of Anastasia, Lowry creates a chilling, tightly controlled future society where all controversy, pain, and choice have been expunged, each childhood year has its privileges and responsibilities, and family members are selected for compatibility. As Jonas approaches the "Ceremony of Twelve," he wonders what his adult "Assignment" will be. Father, a "Nurturer," cares for "newchildren"; Mother works in the "Department of Justice"; but Jonas's admitted talents suggest no particular calling. In the event, he is named "Receiver," to replace an Elder with a unique function: holding the community's memories--painful, troubling, or prone to lead (like love) to disorder; the Elder ("The Giver") now begins to transfer these memories to Jonas. The process is deeply disturbing; for the first time, Jonas learns about ordinary things like color, the sun, snow, and mountains, as well as love, war, and death: the ceremony known as "release" is revealed to be murder. Horrified, Jonas plots escape to "Elsewhere," a step he believes will return the memories to all the people, but his timing is upset by a decision to release a newchild he has come to love. Ill-equipped, Jonas sets out with the baby on a desperate journey whose enigmatic conclusion resonates with allegory: Jonas may be a Christ figure, but the contrasts here with Christian symbols are also intriguing. Wrought with admirable skill--the emptiness and menace underlying this Utopia emerge step by inexorable step: a richly provocative novel.
Promotion idea:
This book would fit well in a lesson on government and the role that government does and should play in the lives of citizens of a country. As we gain more understanding and advances in science, where do we draw the line in how much control our government has over us?
Hatchet
Author: Paulsen, Gary Illustrator: None
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 1987
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Grades 5+
Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 1987
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Grades 5+
Plot summary:
In the book, Brian is on his way to visit his dad for the first time since his parents divorced. Brian's dad lives in Canada and Brian is taking a small two seat plane to see him. While on the plane, the pilot has a heart attack and dies, and Brian is left to fly the plane himself. He manages to fly the plane until it runs out of gas, but he doesn't know how to read the instrument panel or figure out where he is flying, and he crash lands the plane in the middle of an uninhabited woods. Luckily Brian's mom had given him a hatchet as a present before he left. Slowly Brian learns to take care of himself as the days after his crash stretch on and he is not rescued. He has many catastrophes and triumphs during his 54 days alone in the woods. Through them, he gains a deeper understanding of the world around him and an inner peace that will stay with him forever.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I can see why this book is so popular with Middle School students. It is very accessible and has lots of action to keep readers interested. This was not a book that I would have chosen to read for myself, however it was well written, and I enjoyed it overall.
Memorable literary element:
The most memorable literary element in this book is irony. There are many instances of irony. The first is that Brian's mother gives him a hatchet before he leaves for his trip. This turns out to be such an important survival tool for Brian. It may have been the one thing that allowed him to live as long as he did. Another example of irony is that the tornado did not kill Brian, but it did bring the plane up out of the water so that Brian could get to it. A third example is that Brian finally got the survival kit from the plane, but was rescued before he had a chance to use any of its contents.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) " Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies. The plane drifts off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Miraculously Brian is able to swim free of the plane, arriving on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. The novel chronicles in gritty detail Brian's mistakes, setbacks, and small triumphs as, with the help of the hatchet, he manages to survive the 54 days alone in the wilderness. Paulsen effectively shows readers how Brian learns patience to watch, listen, and think before he acts as he attempts to build a fire, to fish and hunt, and to make his home under a rock overhang safe and comfortable. An epilogue discussing the lasting effects of Brian's stay in the wilderness and his dim chance of survival had winter come upon him before rescue adds credibility to the story. Paulsen tells a fine adventure story, but the sub-plot concerning Brian's preoccupation with his parents' divorce seems a bit forced and detracts from the book. As he did in Dogsong (Bradbury, 1985), Paulsen emphasizes character growth through a careful balancing of specific details of survival with the protagonist's thoughts and emotions"
Promotion idea:
This book could be used in conjunction with non fiction stories or biographies of people who survived different ordeals. The question of what survival ultimately means (besides just coming away alive) and what deeper understandings people who are survivors take away from their experiences can be explored.
In the book, Brian is on his way to visit his dad for the first time since his parents divorced. Brian's dad lives in Canada and Brian is taking a small two seat plane to see him. While on the plane, the pilot has a heart attack and dies, and Brian is left to fly the plane himself. He manages to fly the plane until it runs out of gas, but he doesn't know how to read the instrument panel or figure out where he is flying, and he crash lands the plane in the middle of an uninhabited woods. Luckily Brian's mom had given him a hatchet as a present before he left. Slowly Brian learns to take care of himself as the days after his crash stretch on and he is not rescued. He has many catastrophes and triumphs during his 54 days alone in the woods. Through them, he gains a deeper understanding of the world around him and an inner peace that will stay with him forever.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I can see why this book is so popular with Middle School students. It is very accessible and has lots of action to keep readers interested. This was not a book that I would have chosen to read for myself, however it was well written, and I enjoyed it overall.
Memorable literary element:
The most memorable literary element in this book is irony. There are many instances of irony. The first is that Brian's mother gives him a hatchet before he leaves for his trip. This turns out to be such an important survival tool for Brian. It may have been the one thing that allowed him to live as long as he did. Another example of irony is that the tornado did not kill Brian, but it did bring the plane up out of the water so that Brian could get to it. A third example is that Brian finally got the survival kit from the plane, but was rescued before he had a chance to use any of its contents.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) " Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies. The plane drifts off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Miraculously Brian is able to swim free of the plane, arriving on a sandy tree-lined shore with only his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present. The novel chronicles in gritty detail Brian's mistakes, setbacks, and small triumphs as, with the help of the hatchet, he manages to survive the 54 days alone in the wilderness. Paulsen effectively shows readers how Brian learns patience to watch, listen, and think before he acts as he attempts to build a fire, to fish and hunt, and to make his home under a rock overhang safe and comfortable. An epilogue discussing the lasting effects of Brian's stay in the wilderness and his dim chance of survival had winter come upon him before rescue adds credibility to the story. Paulsen tells a fine adventure story, but the sub-plot concerning Brian's preoccupation with his parents' divorce seems a bit forced and detracts from the book. As he did in Dogsong (Bradbury, 1985), Paulsen emphasizes character growth through a careful balancing of specific details of survival with the protagonist's thoughts and emotions"
Promotion idea:
This book could be used in conjunction with non fiction stories or biographies of people who survived different ordeals. The question of what survival ultimately means (besides just coming away alive) and what deeper understandings people who are survivors take away from their experiences can be explored.
The Wednesday Wars
Author: Schmidt, Gary D. Illustrator: None
Publisher: Sandpiper, 2007
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Ages 10-14
Publisher: Sandpiper, 2007
Genre: Fiction Age Level: Ages 10-14
Plot summary:
Holling Hoodhood is a typically teenager in an unusual school experience. Half of his class is Jewish and the other half is Catholic. On Wednesday afternoons during the school day, the Jewish students go to Hebrew School and the Catholic students go to Catechism. This leaves Holling, the only Presbyterian in 7th grade, alone in the classroom with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Together they navigate the school year and deal with the important things going on in the classroom, in their lives, and in the world. Although Holling is certain that Mrs. Baker hates him, the two come to form a relationship that ultimately helps them both.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed the book and felt like it was written in language that 7th graders would relate to well. I did have some concerns about how well students would relate to the story and to the characters. The book is set in the year 1967, and the problems that the characters face seem far away from the problems faced by students today. I also thought that while the story was nice, it was a bit of a slow read, overall. I assume that since the book won the Newbery Award my concerns about readers being able to relate to it are unfounded.
Memorable literary element:
This story uses allusion to Shakespeare as a constant theme in the book. Mrs. Baker assigns Holling many different works by Shakespeare to read and discuss. Holling then uses quotes and the ideas that he learned from Shakespeare's works as a way to relate to the world around him and the things that he learns during the school year. At first he uses the insults in The Tempest as a way of dealing with the frustrations of the world around him. As he matures, however, he begins to understand the themes on a deeper level, such as when Meryl Lee showed her father Holling's drawing of the architecture plans for the new school and he steals the ideas. As Holling comes to understand that life is not black and white, we see through his changes to the answers for his essay questions on Romeo and Juliet that he goes from feeling hurt and angry at Meryl Lee to understanding that people make mistakes, and that making a mistake does not make someone a bad person.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " It’s 1967, and on Wednesdays, every Jewish kid in Holling Hoodhood’s class goes to Hebrew School, and every Catholic kid goes to Catechism. Holling is Presbyterian, which means that he and Mrs. Baker are alone together every Wednesday—and she hates it just as much as he does. What unfolds is a year of Wednesday Shakespeare study, which, says Mrs. Baker, “is never boring to the true soul.” Holling is dubious, but trapped. Schmidt plaits world events into the drama being played out at Camillo Junior High School, as well as plenty of comedy, as Holling and Mrs. Baker work their way from open hostility to a sweetly realized friendship. Holling navigates the multitudinous snares set for seventh-graders—parental expectations, sisters, bullies, girls—with wry wit and the knowledge that the world will always be a step or two ahead of him. Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms. It’s another virtuoso turn by the author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2005)"
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a unit on Shakespeare, to give students some context to Shakespeare's works. It could also be tied in to a history unit on Vietnam to give students a personal story behind the dates and facts of war.
Holling Hoodhood is a typically teenager in an unusual school experience. Half of his class is Jewish and the other half is Catholic. On Wednesday afternoons during the school day, the Jewish students go to Hebrew School and the Catholic students go to Catechism. This leaves Holling, the only Presbyterian in 7th grade, alone in the classroom with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Together they navigate the school year and deal with the important things going on in the classroom, in their lives, and in the world. Although Holling is certain that Mrs. Baker hates him, the two come to form a relationship that ultimately helps them both.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed the book and felt like it was written in language that 7th graders would relate to well. I did have some concerns about how well students would relate to the story and to the characters. The book is set in the year 1967, and the problems that the characters face seem far away from the problems faced by students today. I also thought that while the story was nice, it was a bit of a slow read, overall. I assume that since the book won the Newbery Award my concerns about readers being able to relate to it are unfounded.
Memorable literary element:
This story uses allusion to Shakespeare as a constant theme in the book. Mrs. Baker assigns Holling many different works by Shakespeare to read and discuss. Holling then uses quotes and the ideas that he learned from Shakespeare's works as a way to relate to the world around him and the things that he learns during the school year. At first he uses the insults in The Tempest as a way of dealing with the frustrations of the world around him. As he matures, however, he begins to understand the themes on a deeper level, such as when Meryl Lee showed her father Holling's drawing of the architecture plans for the new school and he steals the ideas. As Holling comes to understand that life is not black and white, we see through his changes to the answers for his essay questions on Romeo and Juliet that he goes from feeling hurt and angry at Meryl Lee to understanding that people make mistakes, and that making a mistake does not make someone a bad person.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) " It’s 1967, and on Wednesdays, every Jewish kid in Holling Hoodhood’s class goes to Hebrew School, and every Catholic kid goes to Catechism. Holling is Presbyterian, which means that he and Mrs. Baker are alone together every Wednesday—and she hates it just as much as he does. What unfolds is a year of Wednesday Shakespeare study, which, says Mrs. Baker, “is never boring to the true soul.” Holling is dubious, but trapped. Schmidt plaits world events into the drama being played out at Camillo Junior High School, as well as plenty of comedy, as Holling and Mrs. Baker work their way from open hostility to a sweetly realized friendship. Holling navigates the multitudinous snares set for seventh-graders—parental expectations, sisters, bullies, girls—with wry wit and the knowledge that the world will always be a step or two ahead of him. Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms. It’s another virtuoso turn by the author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2005)"
Promotion idea:
This book could be tied in to a unit on Shakespeare, to give students some context to Shakespeare's works. It could also be tied in to a history unit on Vietnam to give students a personal story behind the dates and facts of war.