John Newbery: The Man Behind the Medal

Fourth grade is learning about the life of John Newbery!  Born to a farmer in England in 1713, Newbery would later learn the trade of a printer.  This experience would serve him well when, in 1744, he and his wife and five children moved to London so that he could start his own publishing business.  Newbery noticed the need for more books written for children in a style that would integrate education with play.  As such, his first book, A Pretty Little Pocketbook, was a big hit among parents and children alike.

Over the course of his lifetime, Newbery wrote and published hundreds of books for children and helped address a need for children's literature.  In 1921, Frederic Melcher named the Newbery Medal in honor of this man.  Today, the Newbery Medal, according to the American Library Association, is the "best known and most discussed children's book award in this country."

Visit http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/aboutnewbery/aboutnewbery to learn more about the medal and view a list of all Newbery Medal winning books since 1922.

See how many Newbery Medal books you've read and which ones you and your child would like to check out!

This year's winner is Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.

A Northern Light

I wanted to read a few books over Christmas break. There are so many library books that I haven't read. Unfortunately I only managed to read one book. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly is one of our newer additions to the Junior High Fiction section of the library. I am always drawn to historical fiction and this one looked especially promising because the fictional characters are intertwined with a real life turn of the century mystery.

Mattie Gokey is 16 when her mother dies and leaves her with the heavy burden of caring for her younger brothers and sisters and a father who perhaps relies on her a little too much. She struggles between embracing her dreams and putting them aside out of obligation to her family. Secretly she applies to Barnhard College and is accepted. At the same time she accepts the proposal of her handsome neighbor Royal Loomis even though it doesn't seem as if he truly loves her. While working at a hotel during the summer Mattie comes in contact with Grace Brown and her mysterious letters. The summer changes Mattie as she comes to realize she cannot live for others but must live for herself.

This is a great read for grades 7th and 8th. It is historical but the events  and growth Maddie experiences ring true for today's audience.

Los Gatos Black on Halloween

"Under October's luna, full and bright, the monsters are throwing a ball in the Haunted Hall. Las brujas come on their broomsticks. Los Muertos rise from their coffins to join the fun. Los Esqueletos rattle their bones as they dance though the door. And the scariest creatures of all? Wait until you see them!"

This book is a little bit Halloween and a little bit Day of the Dead but mostly it is a whole lot of fun! The narration  is poetic and the illustrations are haunting with a traditional Mexican flair. I enjoy reading this book to different classes for Halloween because of the mix of Spanish and English words. Perhaps the text is a bit redundant but it never seems to bother the children. I prefer having both the English and Spanish words because I am not very good with Spanish!

"At medianoche midnight strikes-
The witching hour the werewolf likes.
The bloodhounds bay, los perros howl.
Beware! The wolfman's on the prowl."

This book won the Pura Belpré Award for both illustration and text. The Pura Belpré award is given annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. I definitely agree Los Gatos Black on Halloween  has all that and more. The children love to see their favorite Halloween characters celebrating one of their favorite holidays.