Thanks to all the readers who read, summarized and commented this fall on the many fantastic books we shared! The TRA Mock Newbery pick for 2009 is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Our Honor Book, or runner-up, is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. We also particularly liked Bird Lake Moon by Kevin Henkes, Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell, and The Seer of Shadows by Avi. I had a great time reading and sharing with all of you. I see now that three months is really not enough time to read as many books as we would like, so I invite all of you (and new readers too!) to join me as we get reading right away for the 2010 Mock Newbery pick. I will be circulating books as soon as reviews let me know what looks good so far in 2009! |
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In case we've all forgotten, the Newbery Award is actually for children's literature, not necessarily Young Adults. While some of the books we've been reading are pretty sophisticated, this contender brings us back to the more elementary end.
The Willoughbys
is an "old fashioned" tale: a silly, nonsensical fairy-tale-like story that seemed to be one part Unfortunate Events and one part Nanny McPhee. The four Willoughby children, who hate and are in turn hated by their parents, long to be orphaned. They finally get their wish, and are left in the care of the dowdy-but-we-grow-to-love-her Nanny, who miraculously falls in love with a man so rich and lonely that he loves and takes care of them all. I'm not sure why so many great reviews for this slim book. I did not like it. Can you tell? |
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Conor Broekhart was born to fly. There is a legend that says he was born flying. He explores the castle with the king's daughter Isabella. When he discovers a deadly conspiracy against the king and tries to intervene and gets thrown in jail. There the prisoners are forced to mine dimonds in inhumane conditions. There is only one way to escape. Which is to fly. Will he make it? Set in the 1890s this book is thrilling. I think it has a shot at winnning the award. |
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I know, you've got homework, volleyball, movies to see, places to go... but we only have about 8 weeks until the Newbery Award will be announced. We need to kick the reading into high gear. I'll try to get a list of available books to all of you by Tuesday, December 9. We have about 15 titles circulating right now, and I'll pick up a few more promising possibilities this weekend. Also, get online and make your comments! The more you say, the more we'll have to talk about when we get together in January. Keep reading!
Mrs. H. |
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This book, "Well Witched" by Frances Hardinge, is an excellent book. It is about 3 children and a wishing well. Ryan and his friends stole from the wishing well and have to serve a witch that lives in the well. Ryan, the main character, is a interesting boy. He helps people throughout this story. He and his friends have to grant wishes that people wished for. So his friends and he grant wishes for people and make them happy, or so they thought... My favorite character is Ryan. He likes to help people and is friendly. I would recomend this book to people who like fantasy and mystery. I think this book has an acceptable chance to win the Newbery honor. |
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In the future Katniss Everdeen is chosen to participate in the annual hunger games. The hunger games started when the districts attacked the capital. When her name is called, that is when the interesting parts start to happen. Her skills are tested when the games begin. Her task is to kill 23 other kids that are around her age. Will she be able to complete the task? During the games she has to find her own food and shelter. When she loses her partner will she be able to survive on her own? This book is very interesting. I suggest this book to middle schoolers. This book does have some muture parts to it but it is still excellent. |
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Mitch Sinclair moves with his mother to live at Bird Lake, Wisconsin, with his grandparents. His parents had just split up, and he starts to claim the long abandoned house in his sorrow and confusion. Then the house's owners return. Mitch is angry at "the intruders" and tries to scare them away by "haunting" the house. Eventually, he becomes friends with the kids, Spencer and Lolly Stone. He learns that their older brother, Matty, had drowned there 8 years ago. Spencer thought that Mitch's antics were the work of Matty's ghost. After a while, the Stone kids learn it was Mitch. The trio spend every day together, and the companionship helps each in their troubles. But nothing lasts forever... This was an okay book. Not horrible, but not a serious contender for the award. I'm not saying that you shouldn't read it, for it's a cute story. I guess you'll have to decide for yourself. |
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This fascinating book tells a story in a setting that is so foreign to me, I was completely drawn in. The story takes place in London in the 1780s, from the point of view of Catherine "Cat" Royal, an orphan who has been raised literally within the maze of rooms behind the scenes at the Drury Lane Theater. As an orphan, Cat is just about as low as London society gets, yet through through the theater she rubs elbows with the rich and famous. As a result of this upbringing, she can sort of fit in anywhere in the whole city, though at times, like any young teen, she feels she doesn't fit in at all. In this book, Cat overhears a secret conversation that sparks her curiosity, and soon has her spying and sneaking around her own home. I was totally fascinated by Cat's colorful descriptions of London life. I ignored my family all day to read this book. Newbery worthy? I think the reading level is a little high (though a glossary in the back helps), but maybe. I am eager to hear a student's perspective on this one! |
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This book, Nick of Time by Ted Bell is a very good book. Nick McIver is the main character. He is brave, fearless (at times in battle), and he never gives up. Nick McIver tries to find his dog who has been captured. He helps a lot of people through out the story. Even his little sister goes on an adventure. I was being pulled in by the book. I never wanted to stop. At first it was okay...Then all of a sudden it got a LOT more interesting. I would suggest this book to people who like adventure, fantasy, and yee old history. This book has some parts with graphic vilolence. This book has good chances to win the Newbery Award. |
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This book is about a girl named Omakayas who lives with her mother, father, brother. When Omakayes was young she was found in a village by one of the elders named Old Tallow. As their family makes thier way north she has to deal with becoming a woman and dealing with one of the vilagers death. I liked this book but I fell that it has no chance in winning because I just did not connect with the main character. |
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Fourteen year old Horace Carptine is a photographer's apprentice in 1872 New York City. Everything is normal until a rich woman comes and asks him and his master to take pictures of her in her home to place on her deceased daughter's grave. You know, to comfort her spirit. Her servant, Pegg, says otherwise. Faces appear, things happen, and poor Horace - who was raised to believe in rationality alone - is thrown into a world of restless spirits, uncertainty, and peril. He becomes the Seer of the Shadows. This was a great book, and even though I spent a couple nights freaked out with the lights on, it was worth it. I'd say this book has 76-89% chance of winning the Newbery. |
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The Graveyard Book was a real thriller. It all started when a man by the name of Jack was sent to kill all of the members of a family. He succeeds in getting rid of all of them except the 1 year old toddler who manages to get out of his crib and walk to a graveyard where he is adopted and protected by a family of ghosts. As he gets older he manages to survive in the world of the living with the help of a freind named Silas. I think this book is a two thumbs up and has a good chance. |
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Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell is a fast-paced, short novel that holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. The protagonist, Jamie Dexter, is a twelve-year-old Army brat in the 1960's and believes in the necessity of war without question. Her father is a high-ranking Army officer, and Jamie and her older brother, TJ, have been brought up under the Colonel's strict guidance. Now TJ has joined the Army and has been deployed to Vietnam. Jamie is thrilled that her brother is part of the war effort, but strangely enough, her father is not happy. Jamie's world continues to be shaken as she begins to receive not letters from her brother but photographs he has taken while in Vietnam. Slowly, she starts to see war in a different light. |
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Summary by Mrs. Hodkinson: This book is the sequel to The Penderwicks, which came out in 2006. These books share the adventures of the Penderwick sisters, four girls ages 4 to almost-13, who live with their father. In this installment, the girls are shocked when Aunt Claire shows up with a letter written by their mother before her death 4 years ago, in which she urges Mr. Penderwick to start dating again. The sisters team up and enact the "Save Daddy Plan" in an effort to stop this disaster. The story is kind of mild and predictable, but the girls are what make this work special. These are real girls! Rosiland is sensitive and ready to fall in love. Skye is athletic, but known for losing her temper on the soccer field and pounding her opponents. Jane's all about drama. They make some bad choices, often for what seem to them like good reasons, and then help each other pick up the pieces. Do I think this has a Newbery chance? Probably not, but it's still a nice read. |
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There will be a meeting of the Mock Newbery Club next Wednesday, October 8, in the Reading Room from 3-4:00. Anyone interested in reading for Mock Newbery should try to attend. You must be an avid, and I mean, over-the-top reader, willing to read at least one book per week above and beyond school work, to join. If you're interested, come talk with me that afternoon and we'll get reading! If you're interested but can't make the meeting, see Mrs. Hodkinson for more information. |
Welcome to the TRA Mock Newbery Blog! On this site, members of our Mock Newbery Club will share short reviews and opinions of well reviewed books that are in competition to win the prestigious Newbery Award for children's fiction in January 2009. All of the books reviewed were published in 2008, and all were very favorably reviewed by professionals. Now we'll see what real readers in grades 4-8, and adult readers too, think of the same titles! If you've read one of the books, please join in by adding comments to our discussion. All are welcome! |