Comments on: Washington Post Article http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/ A Mock Newbery Blog Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:12:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Vicki http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1659 Vicki Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:57:52 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1659 It's a very heady decision, really. I was personally disappointed with this year's selection, as I was rooting for another book to take the main prize. I just didn't feel anything about "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!" It does what it sets out to do, and it does it well. It's very informative and would make an excellent addition to any cirriculum dealing with life in the Middle Ages. However, I didn't think it deserved this prestigious award. The Higher Power of Lucky missed the mark, too, in my opinion. I applaud the idea of thrusting great books that are usually in the shadows of popular books into the limelight. However, I felt that there are much better books that do more to promote literacy that could have been picked. I hope this year's pick inspires me to ask children to embrace it, rather than inspires me to ask children to look at the books that ALMOST made it. It’s a very heady decision, really. I was personally disappointed with this year’s selection, as I was rooting for another book to take the main prize. I just didn’t feel anything about “Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!” It does what it sets out to do, and it does it well. It’s very informative and would make an excellent addition to any cirriculum dealing with life in the Middle Ages. However, I didn’t think it deserved this prestigious award. The Higher Power of Lucky missed the mark, too, in my opinion. I applaud the idea of thrusting great books that are usually in the shadows of popular books into the limelight. However, I felt that there are much better books that do more to promote literacy that could have been picked. I hope this year’s pick inspires me to ask children to embrace it, rather than inspires me to ask children to look at the books that ALMOST made it.

]]> By: children's librarian http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1660 children's librarian Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:05:18 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1660 I agree with Roger: I think a re-examining of the award criteria is essential at this point. I also think a re-examining of how committee members are appointed and who gets on the committee is also essential. I am going to be starting on an award committee next year and I'm the only one on the committee who is a) a newbie, and b) from a smaller library. If the criteria is examined and the committee is more balanced between children's librarians who are not high-level managers doing mostly administrative work and those who are, I think it may help the situation. But in no way will the criticism ever go away-- it's just the nature of awards. Look at the Oscars, for example! I agree with Roger: I think a re-examining of the award criteria is essential at this point. I also think a re-examining of how committee members are appointed and who gets on the committee is also essential. I am going to be starting on an award committee next year and I’m the only one on the committee who is a) a newbie, and b) from a smaller library. If the criteria is examined and the committee is more balanced between children’s librarians who are not high-level managers doing mostly administrative work and those who are, I think it may help the situation. But in no way will the criticism ever go away– it’s just the nature of awards. Look at the Oscars, for example!

]]> By: Roger Sutton http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1661 Roger Sutton Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:02:26 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1661 While I share with you all the dismay at the cluelessness of the article, it (and Silvey's original argument) does bring up the question of the continuing relevance of the award: if the perception persists that the Newbery is out of touch with what children actually read, is it worth giving? We can say over and over that the award is for a book that meets a very particular group of criteria, but if those criteria aren't perceived to be relevant, maybe they need to be changed. I don't actually think recent Newberys are any more or less kid-friendly than those of previous eras (and it's dishonest to suggest that this is the first time the question of reader-appeal has come up--read your old copies of SLJ and Top of the News) but we are in a different era of how "expertise" is received, much as that may dismay us experts! While I share with you all the dismay at the cluelessness of the article, it (and Silvey’s original argument) does bring up the question of the continuing relevance of the award: if the perception persists that the Newbery is out of touch with what children actually read, is it worth giving? We can say over and over that the award is for a book that meets a very particular group of criteria, but if those criteria aren’t perceived to be relevant, maybe they need to be changed. I don’t actually think recent Newberys are any more or less kid-friendly than those of previous eras (and it’s dishonest to suggest that this is the first time the question of reader-appeal has come up–read your old copies of SLJ and Top of the News) but we are in a different era of how “expertise” is received, much as that may dismay us experts!

]]> By: Monica Edinger http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1662 Monica Edinger Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:51:18 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1662 Seems to me reading instruction in this time of NCLB, endless testing and testing prep, adult and child aliteracy, other attractive ways of receiving information and story (film, games, music, etc),and a very low regard for educators are all far greater factors in this debate than any book award, be it a children's choice award or the Newbery. Sadly, it appears to be a lot easier to blame the Newbery books (and those of us who select them) than to take a hard look at what is going on in our culture, homes, classrooms, and policy-making venues around the issue of child reading. Seems to me reading instruction in this time of NCLB, endless testing and testing prep, adult and child aliteracy, other attractive ways of receiving information and story (film, games, music, etc),and a very low regard for educators are all far greater factors in this debate than any book award, be it a children’s choice award or the Newbery. Sadly, it appears to be a lot easier to blame the Newbery books (and those of us who select them) than to take a hard look at what is going on in our culture, homes, classrooms, and policy-making venues around the issue of child reading.

]]> By: Wendy http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1663 Wendy Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:25:04 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2008/12/18/washington-post-article-2/#comment-1663 I've posted frustrated responses to blog posts about this here and there. I'm so annoyed with how much everyone LOVES this angle; as I've said before, I'm sure it's because it makes people feel smart. The kid's quote is good, and it's annoying that it would be taken out of context and/or misapplied in that way. He's pretty clear: kids don't like assigned reading. Whether it's Newbery or not. While that's not necessarily universal, I'd say it IS extremely common.<br><br>I don't know that there's any PR campaign that could be successful. No one's going to come up with something that people love to read about as much as they love this topic. It makes them feel better for not loving the Newbery winners (except for The Giver!!1!). I am probably lucky and unusual in that when my elementary school librarian heard some of us complaining about Lincoln: A Photobiography's selection, she planned and taught a lesson about how the Newbery was chosen and what its purpose was. I’ve posted frustrated responses to blog posts about this here and there. I’m so annoyed with how much everyone LOVES this angle; as I’ve said before, I’m sure it’s because it makes people feel smart. The kid’s quote is good, and it’s annoying that it would be taken out of context and/or misapplied in that way. He’s pretty clear: kids don’t like assigned reading. Whether it’s Newbery or not. While that’s not necessarily universal, I’d say it IS extremely common.

I don’t know that there’s any PR campaign that could be successful. No one’s going to come up with something that people love to read about as much as they love this topic. It makes them feel better for not loving the Newbery winners (except for The Giver!!1!).

I am probably lucky and unusual in that when my elementary school librarian heard some of us complaining about Lincoln: A Photobiography’s selection, she planned and taught a lesson about how the Newbery was chosen and what its purpose was.

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