From: Wendy Burton <burtonwl>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 07:00:08 -0800 (PST)

Although I read--I don't know, dozens of books that were eligible for the Newbery--I wasn't ever able to get to The Graveyard Book, because the hold list at the library was too long. But I've ordered it recently (it's a rare thing for me to buy a book I haven't already read) and I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

I, too, was glad to see the honor for The Underneath. There were aspects of this book I didn't think worked as well as others--mostly the ending, which didn't ring true for me--but I was mesmerized throughout the reading by the rhythm and poetry of the words. The book is unique and so creative and effective.

I didn't read The Surrender Tree until after the announcements, but it is SERIOUSLY compelling. I don't usually care for novels-in-verse, but this really worked for me. I felt when I was done that I understood the Spanish-American War (and Cuba itself, of course) better than I ever had, but it isn't a didactic book. Sometimes we toss off "will mostly be used in the classroom" as a vague insult, and that's probably true here--as far as children are concerned--but this is exactly the kind of book many kids are going to be surprised and thrilled with when they have to read it for school.

I wrote a long post about my personal reaction to After Tupac and D Foster on my blog, if anyone is interested: http://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.com/2009/01/after-tupac-and-d-foster-homophobia-and.html

I was disappointed that Erdrich's The Porcupine Year didn't make the list, and Savvy wasn't one of my favorite books of the year (though I don't really have much to say about it), but I think the list this year is great, and very satisfying.

Wendy burtonwl at yahoo.com http://sixboxesofbooks.blogspot.com


      
Received on Sat 14 Feb 2009 09:00:08 AM CST