1987 - The Whipping Boy

Dates read: June 2008
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 89 pp.
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Here is how it was for me: First 60 pages took me several days to get through. The characters seemed flat although I thought the story idea was fabulous! (I thought about giving this a rating of 2 out of 5, but it takes a lot for me to do that because it is a Newbery and I want to assume there are a lot of strengths.) I sat down tonight determined to finish the last 29 pages and, lo and behold, they went really quickly. Prince Brat had changed and his "newness" was believable because of the dialogue and action he was involved in. Jemmy was still skeptical of his change but, little by little, he came to realize that perhaps the change was for real. In a nutshell, I struggled to get through the first 60 pages even though I really wanted to love it. I did love the last 30 pages!

1949 - King of the Wind

Dates read: June 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 176 pp.
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Nice book. I remember way back when at BYU, my children's lit professor (Dr. Tunnell) giving us some names of authors and series that treated specific topics that may be of interest to young readers. He mentioned Marguerite Henry as the horse author and this is the first of her books that I've read.

I need to stop listening to these books and start reading them again. I think there is so much more engagement with a book when it is read. Obviously, if I am listening to it I am doing something else as well. But I suppose that is what I have time for right now!

Anyway, I enjoyed the book. It is an account, romanticized certainly, of the Godolphin Arabian Sham (early 18th century) who was born in Morocco and then moved to Paris and England. He is a direct ancestor of many of the finest racing horses throughout history. The book chronicles the unfortunate events of Sham's life accompanied by his mute horse boy, Agba. Sham's talents go unrecognized until his sons show proficiency in racing. This is a very nice historical fiction showing the unappreciated horse and his boy triumph over adversity and come out on top!

1970 - Sounder

Dates read: June 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 128 pp.
Rating: ●●●●●

Another boy and his dog story...but not really.

This is a very moving story. Unfortunately, it deals with issues in our culture and history that we'd like to forget. Namely, the unjust treatment of African-Americans. The boy in the book is unnamed. This reminded me that his experiences could've happened to so many African-American individuals over such a long period of time. The melancholic language of the book added to the tragedy of the story. Fortunately, the boy shows resilience and fortitude to overcome in face of the adversity. I really loved this book.

1937 - Roller Skates

Dates read: June 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 184 pp.
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I will admit that I wasn't very interested in this book until the end. It is the account of 10-year-old Lucinda Wyman whose parents have left to Italy for the year and Lucinda becomes an "orphan" staying with Miss Peters and Miss Nettie. I felt, during a big part of the book that it was a collection of short stories about this spunky little girl. The stories were amusing and her antics were cute, but I hadn't sensed how the book would all come together.

The last third or so of the book was the answer. One of Lucinda's closest allies was her Uncle Earl (husband of mean Aunt Emily). He introduced her to Shakespeare. At the beginning they read comedies together, but at a certain point he felt she was ready for the tragedies. He explained to her that the tragedies had inevitable sadnesses with underlying beauty. Lucinda's life seemed to parallel the Shakespearean plays she was reading. First, happy go lucky and then hardships that she was able to learn and grow from. Like other reviewers that I read I was confused by one unexplained death in the book, but perhaps that was one of the lessons Lucinda learned--that many things in life are not explained.

Lucinda is a delightful character. The book was cute and touching. There are a few inappropriate cultural and racial stereotypes typical for the 1930s (perhaps a lesson in the history of civil rights and prejudice for young readers when discussed with an adult).

1952 - Ginger Pye

Dates read: May/Jun 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 320 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

Another boy and his dog story...

Again, I liked it. (That's 2 for 2 - I am surprised. But I did decide to return Winn-Dixie to the library when I realized that it wasn't a Newbery--Just a Newbery Honor--because, although I am sure it is great, we'll hold off on dog stories for a bit!)

In this story, set in Connecticut in the 1920s, Jerry Pye and his sister have picked out a dog one of the neighbors is selling that they just have to have. Through a small miracle they are able to earn the money to buy the dog. This "intelligent" dog, however, is stolen just a couple months later and Jerry and Rachel search for clues on the whereabouts of the dog. It comes as no surprise that the dog is miraculously returned by the end of the book.

The story was nice. Even more so, the language was great. Throughout the book (which is written in the third person), different experiences are told from the point of view of either Rachel or Jerry. As the story is told, it will "remind" them of stories from the past which are then shared. I thought it was a lot of fun...it reminds me of the ways children's (and adults') minds behave--lots of remembrances and tangents.