Before I can start in on these challenges, I needed to work my way through the piles of books I’ve had checked out or on hold already. A personal challenge for this year was to catch up on older Newbery winners and honors. One of the tasks for the Library’s summer reading program is to read an award winning book and I wanted to feel better prepared for those questions this summer. There is a lot of reading aloud in our schools and I find that the kids are already really familiar with the newer award books. I’ve read Johnny Tremain, My Brother Sam is Dead, Up a Road Slowly, Adam of the Road, The Matchlock Gun, and Calico Bush. So far Adam of the Road has been the big hit. It was a joy to watch one girl’s face light up at the mention of a minstrel. After a pretty obvious bias towards historical fiction this year, I suppose next year I should focus on all the animal books that have won the Newbery – that will be more of a chore for me. Sounds like one to read in anticipation of the upcoming Newbery is Underneath by Kathi Appelt. If it wins it will flow nicely into a year of animal Newberys.
