CCBC-Net Archives
Lost message from Christine Hill on Newbery Honor book
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Lindsay <linds_na>
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 10:22:09 -0800 (PST)
On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Kay Weisman wrote:
I'm glad that Kay pointed this out about the boy's relationship with his grandmother being defined by the summer trips. I thought Peck did a surprising and subtle job of highlighting this relationship by the form of the novel. Many of us probably had relatives we saw only once a year, and there is something funny about such a relationship: each time, we've changed so much, and there's always that first day of stiffness, but then something comes back --an ease of being together-- something intact that we've carried with us through the year. By focussing on the story (and each story was wonderfully structured and hilarious and touching by itself), the relationship seems to come to the reader on his/her own, as slowly crescendoing background music. And then: the wonderful "scherzo" at the very end when his sister says something that sounds exactly like their grandmother. She's the real surprise, because the brother only notices at the end that it's their realtionship that has changed too (that they've become closed), and that it's because of the relationship they shared with their grandmother.
Actually, now that I've introducted the music metaphor, I'll carry it out a little further. I too was surprised that the committee found this
"distinguished," but I realized what an understated masterpiece it is. It reminds of many of Beethoven's "scherzo" movements ("Scherzo" is a musical term referring to the tone of a piece (as "allegro" "andante" or
"vivace") and means something like "little joke") -- simple, and clever, plenty of rests (or "white space") to give the notes room to expand and resonate ... pleasant to listen to, parts that make you laugh out loud
.... and when it ends, you're so surprised to find that you've just listened to something very human and heartfelt --so much more than a
"little joke"-- something with a sense of humor for the mixed?g of life.
Nina
Nina Lindsay, Children's Librarian Melrose Branch, Oakland Public Library 4805 Foothill Boulevard Oakland, CA 94601
(510)535V23 linds_na at oak2.ci.oakland.ca.us
Received on Sat 27 Feb 1999 12:22:09 PM CST
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 10:22:09 -0800 (PST)
On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Kay Weisman wrote:
I'm glad that Kay pointed this out about the boy's relationship with his grandmother being defined by the summer trips. I thought Peck did a surprising and subtle job of highlighting this relationship by the form of the novel. Many of us probably had relatives we saw only once a year, and there is something funny about such a relationship: each time, we've changed so much, and there's always that first day of stiffness, but then something comes back --an ease of being together-- something intact that we've carried with us through the year. By focussing on the story (and each story was wonderfully structured and hilarious and touching by itself), the relationship seems to come to the reader on his/her own, as slowly crescendoing background music. And then: the wonderful "scherzo" at the very end when his sister says something that sounds exactly like their grandmother. She's the real surprise, because the brother only notices at the end that it's their realtionship that has changed too (that they've become closed), and that it's because of the relationship they shared with their grandmother.
Actually, now that I've introducted the music metaphor, I'll carry it out a little further. I too was surprised that the committee found this
"distinguished," but I realized what an understated masterpiece it is. It reminds of many of Beethoven's "scherzo" movements ("Scherzo" is a musical term referring to the tone of a piece (as "allegro" "andante" or
"vivace") and means something like "little joke") -- simple, and clever, plenty of rests (or "white space") to give the notes room to expand and resonate ... pleasant to listen to, parts that make you laugh out loud
.... and when it ends, you're so surprised to find that you've just listened to something very human and heartfelt --so much more than a
"little joke"-- something with a sense of humor for the mixed?g of life.
Nina
Nina Lindsay, Children's Librarian Melrose Branch, Oakland Public Library 4805 Foothill Boulevard Oakland, CA 94601
(510)535V23 linds_na at oak2.ci.oakland.ca.us
Received on Sat 27 Feb 1999 12:22:09 PM CST
