1946 - Strawberry Girl

Dates read: Oct 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 194 pp.
Rating: ●●●○○

I was impressed by this book mainly because of the strength of some of the characters. Mrs. Boyer was an accepting and forgiving individual who overlooked the apparent weaknesses of her neighbors. She was able to give them the benefit of the doubt that perhaps their situations or certain influences in their lives caused them to act and react the way they did. Just today I read President Monson's October 2009 address on anger. He testifies that we are able to control our anger even when the supposed cause of our emotions are out of our control. I felt that the book "resolved" itself a bit too quickly and that the resolution was not terribly believable. But that is OK, the actual story was enjoyable and hopefully we can see it as timeless.

1998 - Out of the Dust

Dates read: Aug 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 240 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

This was another book that I had avoided reading because of the poetry. It turned out to be very good. I finished it in the tent on the camping trip. (That says something because, for various reasons, I think that reading in a tent is a pain.)

One of the strong points of Out of the Dust, among others, was the establishment of setting. I have heard of the Oklahoma dust bowls, but knew little or nothing about them. As I read this book, I saw, felt, smelled and tasted the dust everywhere. Despite all her intense hardships and deep challenges, Billie Jo comes to realize the value of home.

1984 - Dear Mr. Henshaw

Dates read: Aug 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 134 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

I read this book a couple times in (many) years past. I didn't like it then. I thought it was cheesy or a bit flat (everything was wrong in the kid's life and no one lives like that). I wonder if it was because the theme of divorce (not that that is the only theme in the book) seemed to be discussed frequently. Fortunately, it wasn't something I had to deal with.

This reading was different. Now, the book does appear to be written for the 9-12 crowd, but with that in mind, I really enjoyed it. Leigh dealt with real problems and concerns - some of which I, even as an adult, can relate to and many others that my life experiences have helped me to understand second hand.

It was written for a young audience and perhaps that is refreshing for a Newbery since it seems that so many of them are being written for older (even adult) audiences under the mask of children's or young adult literature.

1989 - Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman

Dates read: Aug 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 44 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

I am not a "poetry person" (whatever that means). I am not sure what my expectations were. But, honestly, it was delightful. The book is written in two columns. It is meant to be read aloud by two people - each reading a column, "the two parts meshing as in a musical duet". If I taught 5th or 6th grade, this would be a wonderful exercise in poetry performance.

My favorite poem was probably Water Striders. I was fascinated with water skeeters growing up so I didn't have any problems hearing the bugs telling me of their experiences.

I thought that Honeybees was a great contrast in the jobs and roles of the different bees in the colonies. Could this evolve into a discussion on classes in our society?

I got dizzy just reading Whirligig Beetles.

I never realized that the word "cricket" is a type of onomatopoeia for the sound a cricket makes until I read this. (I must admit I read it silently - in about 15 minutes, no less - and I could still hear the crickets in my head.)

1980 - A Gathering of Days: A New England Journal, 1830-1832

Dates read: August 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 144 pp.
●●●○○

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't until the last half that I really got into it. The first half dragged a bit but it was enough to keep me going.

A few things I enjoyed:

• I liked the 19th century language - "'tis this and 'tis that". Any time I am reading a different dialect it takes a bit of getting used to, but it really added to the authenticity.
• On the back of the book, I found the following quote from the School Library Journal:

"Her characters are truly of their times, not the 1970s' sensibilities masquerading in 1830s' homespun, and old-fashioned in the best sense of the word--principaled."

I found it true that the principals of the characters appeared very authentic to their time period. Oftentimes we read of characters with modern qualities thrown into the historical time period.

• "Thus it now appears to me that trust, and not submission, defines obedience. (p. 139)" In a gospel sense, we are more blessed for trusting the Lord - that His commandments are for our good - than just complying (often resentfully).
  

2010 - When You Reach Me

Dates read: Jan 2010/Feb 2010
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 208 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

This is a great book. The twist at the end was unexpected, but pretty ingenious.

I loved the way Rebecca Stead treated a common adolescent theme - friendship. At the beginning of the book, Miranda finds her lifelong best friend distancing himself from her. By the end of the book, she has found out why he distanced himself from her (which was not the reason she had "known" to be the case). She realized that reconciliation wasn't necessary, just time. In the mean time, Miranda formed several other valuable friendships and learned the value of stepping outside of her comfortable circle of friends.

1971 - Summer of the Swans

Dates read: January 2010
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 128 pp.
●●●○○

This was a fine book. It read quickly, but seemed to cover the same themes that a large percentage of other adolescent books cover: low self esteem, becoming friends with the least likely and that family always triumphs. These are all important but so overwritten that I feel that it takes a very wonderful book make it work.

As a parent, though, when I read about a young person who makes her friends more important than her family, I think, "Hmm, that sounds like me at that age." and "Oh, how I wish they understood." They will come to understand the importance of family. (Friends are great, too.) I hope that my kids don't have to go through that particular identity crisis. How do we do it? I don't know but we'll do our best.

2009 - The Graveyard Book

Dates read: Dec 2009/Jan 2010
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 320 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

This was a great book. It took me a bit to get into it. (I actually started it a few months ago without finishing it, but then when I got an MP3 player for Christmas, this was what I found at the library to download--as my first audiobook on the player.)

There really are a lot of messages and themes in this book. Most come out strongly in the end. Here are two thoughts from early in the book:

The main character starts out without a name. He is given the name of Nobody Owens. This comes about as all the "ghosts" in the graveyard talk about who he looks like. Finally, his adoptive mother (I believe) says something like, "He looks like nobody but himself." His name will be Nobody. He goes by Bod. What irony! He is named Nobody, but that comes about because he is viewed as his own unique person.

I also enjoyed the part where Bod meets the witch, Eliza Hemstock. He is counseled to not befriend her because she is "not our kind". This is a typical message shared in books directed to children and young adults - that oftentimes our best friends and those we learn much from are those that we view as different. Eliza does not have a headstone and comments that everyone deserves to be remembered.

As the book ends, it is obvious that the main message of the book is the need for Bod to truly live his life instead of staying in the graveyard. I agree with this, but I love the message of connecting with our past as well. Those who went before us paved a way for our happiness and success. Similarly to things they did for Bod, I believe that there are those on the other side who are currently involved in our lives and perhaps even have ways of protecting us. I am reminded of a time when Grandpa Nielsen very emotionally pleaded for us as his posterity to not forget his grandparents (or was it great-grandparents) who are buried in a location that no one really knows about. In fact, I think I'll call grandma right now and ask her about it.