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Newbery Award
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:44:51 -0600
It's time to turn our attention on CCBC-Net to the Newbery Award winner, Holes, by Louis Sachar (Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus Giroux), and the Newbery honor book, A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories, by Richard Peck (Dial).
Let's begin our discussion on the Newbery by talking about Holes. This book has already been the focus of quite a bit of discussion on CCBC-Net. In 1998 it came up as we talked about nonlinear narratives, and also when we were talking about our favorite books of the year. So even before the Newbery was announced, it was a book that was being talked about! When Holes was announced as the winner of the Newbery Award at the American Library Association press conference on February 1 in Philadelphia, there was an exclamation of appreciation that went through the crowd in the room--it seemed to be many people's personal choice.
On February 2, the New York Times article announcing the Newbery winner (and other ALA award winners) was headlined "Darkly Comic Adventure Wins Newbery Medal." This headline struck me, because I don't think of Holes as "dark," despite the obvious darkness of some of its less morally appealing characters and the forces of fate against which both Stanley and Zero seem pitted. Indeed, one of the thing that I find so amazing about this book that is outside the bounds of reality on the one hand is that at its core are two very real kids with good, kind hearts, and their story--and the humor--ultimately is uplifting. Dark humor ususally doesn't leave me feeling good, but Holes did.
What do others think about the humor in Holes--or about any aspect of this intricately but boldly plotted novel?
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison 608&2?03 schliesman at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu
Received on Tue 16 Feb 1999 09:44:51 AM CST
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 09:44:51 -0600
It's time to turn our attention on CCBC-Net to the Newbery Award winner, Holes, by Louis Sachar (Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus Giroux), and the Newbery honor book, A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories, by Richard Peck (Dial).
Let's begin our discussion on the Newbery by talking about Holes. This book has already been the focus of quite a bit of discussion on CCBC-Net. In 1998 it came up as we talked about nonlinear narratives, and also when we were talking about our favorite books of the year. So even before the Newbery was announced, it was a book that was being talked about! When Holes was announced as the winner of the Newbery Award at the American Library Association press conference on February 1 in Philadelphia, there was an exclamation of appreciation that went through the crowd in the room--it seemed to be many people's personal choice.
On February 2, the New York Times article announcing the Newbery winner (and other ALA award winners) was headlined "Darkly Comic Adventure Wins Newbery Medal." This headline struck me, because I don't think of Holes as "dark," despite the obvious darkness of some of its less morally appealing characters and the forces of fate against which both Stanley and Zero seem pitted. Indeed, one of the thing that I find so amazing about this book that is outside the bounds of reality on the one hand is that at its core are two very real kids with good, kind hearts, and their story--and the humor--ultimately is uplifting. Dark humor ususally doesn't leave me feeling good, but Holes did.
What do others think about the humor in Holes--or about any aspect of this intricately but boldly plotted novel?
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison 608&2?03 schliesman at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu
Received on Tue 16 Feb 1999 09:44:51 AM CST
