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From: Jonathan Hunt <jhunt24>
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 18:49:23 PST
DAVE AT NIGHT by Gail Carson Levine is my favorite novel for intermediate students, and I'd love to see it win the Newbery. Levine proves herself equally adept at historical fiction while maintaining the wonderful humor of her first novel. Great plot, setting, and characters.
FRENCHTOWN SUMMER by Robert Cormier just has to win something, doesn't it? It's every bit the equal of Out of the Dust, and that won the Newbery. And, as many reviewers have already noted, this book takes on added significance when viewed in context of Cormier's entire body of work.
I read ALIDA'S SONG by Gary Paulsen shortly before my own grandmother passed away. How can you not like this book? I don't care if Paulsen *did* write it in a day; I think it's beautiful, tender, and touching. In reference to the earlier child_lit discussion on rereading, I'm not a big rereader, but I do love to turn to this book and its companion, THE COOKCAMP, just to take a luxurious bath in Paulsen's wonderful language.
Paul Fleischman's books are hit or miss with me, but I absolutely loved MIND'S EYE, even if some of the cultural allusions might aleniate some teen readers. The whole escape-via-the-imagination theme recalled the lyrics of a favorite Broadway musical, Kiss of the Spiderwoman: "You've got to learn how not to be . . . Where You Are!"
Another one that I really enjoyed, but haven't seen mentioned is CRUSADER by Edward Bloor. I didn't like it quite as much as TANGERINE, and it took me awhile to get into it, but once I was in--I was *completely* engrossed, in spite of the fact that it drudged up all those unwanted mall memories from my own teenhood.
Fantasy is my favorite genre, and I think the two best novels (aside from the terrific Harry Potter books) are obviously KING OF SHADOWS by Susan Cooper and THE FOLK KEEPER by Franny Billingsley. I'm anxious to see if either will make noise come award time.
Now for several books that have been well received among my fifth grade class (that is, other than the Harry Potter books which win hands down--nothing else even comes close in terms of popularity) . . .
I have a handful of students that religiously read every single SAMMY KEYES book, and another handful who have tried at least one of them. These appealing mysteries are a must for any intermediate or middle grade classroom.
THE LANDRY NEWS by Andrew Clements is a great intermediate grade novel. We read FRINDLE as a class (it's a California Young Reader Medal nominee!), and many have gone on to read this as well. My colleague also really liked it, and thought the teaching possibilities were actually stronger with this book.
Jonathan :-)
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Received on Mon 13 Dec 1999 08:49:23 PM CST
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 18:49:23 PST
DAVE AT NIGHT by Gail Carson Levine is my favorite novel for intermediate students, and I'd love to see it win the Newbery. Levine proves herself equally adept at historical fiction while maintaining the wonderful humor of her first novel. Great plot, setting, and characters.
FRENCHTOWN SUMMER by Robert Cormier just has to win something, doesn't it? It's every bit the equal of Out of the Dust, and that won the Newbery. And, as many reviewers have already noted, this book takes on added significance when viewed in context of Cormier's entire body of work.
I read ALIDA'S SONG by Gary Paulsen shortly before my own grandmother passed away. How can you not like this book? I don't care if Paulsen *did* write it in a day; I think it's beautiful, tender, and touching. In reference to the earlier child_lit discussion on rereading, I'm not a big rereader, but I do love to turn to this book and its companion, THE COOKCAMP, just to take a luxurious bath in Paulsen's wonderful language.
Paul Fleischman's books are hit or miss with me, but I absolutely loved MIND'S EYE, even if some of the cultural allusions might aleniate some teen readers. The whole escape-via-the-imagination theme recalled the lyrics of a favorite Broadway musical, Kiss of the Spiderwoman: "You've got to learn how not to be . . . Where You Are!"
Another one that I really enjoyed, but haven't seen mentioned is CRUSADER by Edward Bloor. I didn't like it quite as much as TANGERINE, and it took me awhile to get into it, but once I was in--I was *completely* engrossed, in spite of the fact that it drudged up all those unwanted mall memories from my own teenhood.
Fantasy is my favorite genre, and I think the two best novels (aside from the terrific Harry Potter books) are obviously KING OF SHADOWS by Susan Cooper and THE FOLK KEEPER by Franny Billingsley. I'm anxious to see if either will make noise come award time.
Now for several books that have been well received among my fifth grade class (that is, other than the Harry Potter books which win hands down--nothing else even comes close in terms of popularity) . . .
I have a handful of students that religiously read every single SAMMY KEYES book, and another handful who have tried at least one of them. These appealing mysteries are a must for any intermediate or middle grade classroom.
THE LANDRY NEWS by Andrew Clements is a great intermediate grade novel. We read FRINDLE as a class (it's a California Young Reader Medal nominee!), and many have gone on to read this as well. My colleague also really liked it, and thought the teaching possibilities were actually stronger with this book.
Jonathan :-)
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Received on Mon 13 Dec 1999 08:49:23 PM CST
