Showing posts with label newbery award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newbery award. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Newbery 2010 Book Review: When You Reach Me


Title:  When You Reach Me
Author:  Rebecca Stead
Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books, 2009
210 pp.
Ages 9-12


When You Reach Me  was the Newbery Award winner for 2010. The book group I lead at the library, Young @ Heart <3, read it for our meeting last week. It was a re-read for me, I read it in 2011, and I loved it just as much as I loved it then. I recall reading it the first time and saying it was on par with The Giver for extraordinary children's books IMO. When You Reach Me has a ton of references to A Wrinkle in Time, which I was obsessed with when I was a kid. I actually listened to A Wrinkle in Time  on audiobook while reading When You Reach Me. Interesting book coupling there. :)

My Rating: ***** (still)

Summary from Goodreads:

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper: 

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.
The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Newbery Award Book Review: The One and Only Ivan

Title:  The One and Only Ivan
Author:  Katherine Applegate
Publisher:  HarperCollins Children's Books
Ages:  8-12



The one and only Ivan is a gifted artist and silverback gorilla who has spent most of his life living with his human owner, Mack.  He is the star attraction at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade off of I-95.  He lives with an older elephant, Stella, and a stray dog, Bob, who rents out napping space on Ivan's great belly.  Their world changes dramatically when a new baby elephant, Ruby, joins the group,  and tragedy strikes.  Ivan makes a promise to Stella that he must keep, and hatches a plan to execute it through his artwork and a little help from his artist friend, Julia.

This story is told through short entries from Ivan's perspective.  The occasional illustrations add a nice visual element to the already heavily descriptive story.  This Newbery Award winning book will appeal to children ages 8 and up, and animal lovers of all ages.