GINGER PYE

Eleanor Estes
Genre: Children's Fiction

Published: 1951

Personal Rating: 2.25/5

Yearly Count: 13

The Pye children purchase a puppy that they name Ginger. Soon after Ginger becomes one of the family, he goes missing.

While the prospect of getting a new pet is exciting and losing a pet is devastating, the book was actually boring. There is action and mystery involved, but I couldn't get past the repetition and irritating sentence structure. Unfortunately, it's another Newbery winner that I didn't find impressive. It's time for me to shake it off and move on.

CALL IT COURAGE

Armstrong Sperry

Genre: Children's Fiction

Published: 1940

Personal Rating: 2.25/5

Yearly Count: 11

Call It Courage is about a young Polynesian boy that has a fear of the sea. After being branded a coward, he decides to prove that he is courageous and ventures out into the deep blue.

This book won the 1941 Newbery Award. I didn't find it worthy, but apparently someone did. Maybe there wasn't much competition that year.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND
Elizabeth George Speare ~ BOiPod

Personal Rating: 3.75/5

Yearly Count: 95

This is another children's book that I've always had an interest in and finally had the opportunity to squeeze it into the line-up. Listening to books on my iPod has really broadened my ability to get to more books on my TBR list. I accomplish tasks and cross books off my list . . . love it!

Due to Kit's dire circumstances, she travels from Barbados to Connecticut, 1867, to live with relatives that she's never met. As she's adjusting to an unfamiliar lifestyle, Kit befriends a woman who the community believes to be a witch.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery) & By the Decades Challenge ~ 70's (1976)

ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY
Mildred D. Taylor ~ BOiPod
Personal Rating: 4.5/5

Yearly Count: 93

A portion of America’s history is brutally told through the lives of Cassie and her family who live in rural Mississippi. It is filled with the tragedy of racial injustice, yet also the perseverance and love of a devoted family. This was a very realistic and powerful book.

At this present stage in my life, I found this book to be fascinating and extremely well-written for children and adults, alike. It most definitely deserves the Newbery Award.

AND . . . I just discovered that this is the first in a trilogy! I will be reading or listening to the rest of them.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

CADDIE WOODLAWN

Carol Ryrie Brink ~ BOiPod

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Yearly Count: 91

Caddie is a wild-running tomboy who lives on a Wisconsin farm with her parents and 6 siblings. We experience her life through schoolhouse antics, neighborhood Indians, sibling adventures, farm visitors, storytelling pastimes, etc.

I enjoyed the escapades and life of this family; however, many of the chapters reminded me of the television episodes of Little House on the Prairie more than a pleasant flow a book can deliver. Children, especially girls, who enjoy reading about the pioneer lifestyle, would be thrilled with this one.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY

Susan Patron

Personal Rating: 3/5

Yearly Count: 86

Lucky is a 10-year-old that lives in a trailer in Hard Pan, California with her French guardian, Brigitte. As she seeks out her "higher power", she convinces herself that Brigitte wants to return to France, which causes her to develop a plan of her own.

As I was reading, I enjoyed the character of the unpredictable Lucky and thought that young girls may relate to her; however, I didn't care too much for the storyline. It was just okay.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

NUMBER THE STARS

Lois Lowry

Personal Rating: 4.25/5

Yearly Count: 85

This story is told through the eyes of Annemarie, a 10-year-old Danish girl. She lives in a town that has been occupied by the Nazis and must learn how to cope with them invading her life and the lives of those in her community. It reads as a book about friendship, but is filled with so much more.

Lois Lowry does a fabulous job of realistically portraying this time period from the eyes of a child. At the end of the book, she shares what parts of the story are fiction and non-fiction, which was very informative and pertinent to the book.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS

Scott O'Dell ~ BOiPod

Personal Rating: 4/5

Yearly Count: 82

Now, this was a good one! Karana, a young Indian girl, has to depend upon herself for survival on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. She perseveres through the struggles with a determined mindset and she learns about herself along the way. Karana's life on the island is also educational as she goes about getting food, clothing and shelter. I enjoyed the storyline and the educational value from this 1961 Newbery winner.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

MANIAC MAGEE

Jerry Spinelli ~ BOiPod

Personal Rating: 2.25/5

Yearly Count: 81

I have seen this author's name on many, many books, but never picked one up to read. This particular title fit the challenge and my desire to read a Spinelli book. It's just too bad I didn't like it.

Jeffrey Lionel Magee (aka Maniac Magee) is an orphan who tries to make his way in the world at the age of eight. On the streets, he encounters what life has to offer . . . some good - some bad. There were many issues addressed, some of which could provoke great discussion in children, so the book is not a total loss. Some topics of discussion might include: racism, abandonment, friendship, self-esteem, family, etc.

Maybe if I were a young male I would have been a little more impressed by this one, but I'm not and I wasn't. Onward . . .

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

FROM THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER
E. L. Konigsburg ~ BOiPod
Personal Rating: 4/5
Yearly Count: 80

Siblings, 12-year-old Claudia and her younger brother Jamie, decide to run away from home and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As they are settling into their new "home", they discover an important statue that Claudia hopes will change her life.

This 1967 adventure of runaway siblings continues to be a fun story even for today's times.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

WALK TWO MOONS

Sharon Creech

Personal Rating: 3/5

Yearly Count: 75

This young adult book had many, many themes and an interesting way of telling a story. It was told by Salamanca (Sal), a 13-year-old girl, on a journey from Ohio to Idaho with her grandparents. During the trip she shares stories of her friendship with Phoebe. Sal keeps Gram and Gramps entertained as we experience some of the growing pains of adolescence through those stories. I'm not sure what was missing or why I didn't like it more, but I came away with just an okay feeling.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

THE WHIPPING BOY
Sid Fleischman
Personal Rating: 3.25/5
Yearly Count: 72

This is a tale of a prince and his whipping boy (someone who suffers the punishments due to the prince’s misbehavior). It is filled with unique characters, suspense, and chase. There’s also a touch of humor and the discovery of friendship. This would make a great book choice for upper elementary children's book clubs. It would elicit good conversation, especially from boys.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

DEAR MR. HENSHAW

Beverly Cleary

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Yearly Count: 69

Leigh Botts, for the majority of the book, is a sixth grade boy of divorced parents. His first letter to his favorite author is sent in the second grade and over the years develops a bit of a relationship with him. The book reveals Leigh's life during the sixth grade via letters to Mr. Henshaw and to his diary.

I loved the beginning of this book, enjoyed the middle, and disappointedly so, felt it lost its punch at the end.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL

Patricia MacLachlan

Personal Rating: 3.5/5

Yearly Count: 62

I thought this was a sweet, short book for young children. It would be a great prelude to the LITTLE HOUSE (Wilder) series.

Sarah, who just happens to be "plain and tall" answers an ad in the newspaper from a man who is looking for a wife due to his wife's death during childbirth. While other attempts had failed, the father continues to seek companionship and help in raising his children. What a blessing it is when Sarah responds.

Book Awards Reading Challenge (Newbery)

I'm posting my list for yet another challenge, but I am not sure if I will be able to follow through. I've been wanting to read these books and this challenge helps to motivate me, yet I don't want to feel any pressure; therefore, I give myself the permission to read what I want, when I want and if I want. If I complete it...great! If I don't, that's okay too. I will certainly give it a good try.

I LOVED IT! :)

COMPLETED ON: 10-9-07

Sponsored By: 3M

July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008

All my choices are Newbery Medal Winners:

(awarded for best American book for children)

*1. Walk Two Moons (Creech) ~ 1995
Finished on 8-18-07


*2. Maniac Magee (Spinelli) ~ 1991

Finished on 9-10-07


*3. Number the Stars (Lowry) ~ 1990
Finished on 9-16-07


*4. The Whipping Boy (Fleischman) ~ 1987

Finished on 8-14-07


*5. Sarah, Plain and Tall (MacLachlan) ~ 1986

Finished on 7-25-07


*6. Dear Mr. Henshaw (Cleary) ~ 1984

Finished on 8-8-07


*7. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Taylor) ~ 1977

Finished on 10-3-07


8. Julie of the Wolves (George) ~ 1973
Reshelved


9. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (O'Brien) ~ 1972


*10. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Konigsburg) ~ 1968

Finished on 9-7-07


*11. Island of the Blue Dolphins (O'Dell) ~ 1961

Finished on 9-11-07


*12. The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Speare) ~ 1959

Finished on 10-9-07



ALTERNATES:

*1. The Higher Power of Lucky (Patron) ~ 2007
Finished on 9-17-07

2. Ginger Pye (Estes) ~ 1952


3. The Twenty-One Balloons (Pene du Bois) ~ 1948


*4. Caddie Woodlawn (Brink) ~ 1936

Finished on 9-30-07