What an interesting exercise to read Charlotte’s Web again, which I think I probably haven’t done since fourth grade… even though I feel I “know” it from the movies and numerous cultural references.   I found it distinguished in characterization and in language…though somewhat flawed in narrative.   White’s characters are instantly compelling and complex—even side [...]

I can’t wait to hear what everyone else has to say about the 1953 Newbery Award.  As I talked about in this previous post, over Thanksgiving I read Secret of the Andes and re-read Charlotte’s Web, both with Newbery Criteria in mind, in order to discuss here why Secret of the Andes might have been [...]

When Nina made a post not too long ago requesting any titles we may have missed we had several people respond with the suggestion of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  I wanted to take a minute to both address my feelings on the book as well as to offer an opportunity to its supporters for [...]

It is a challenge to be on an award committee if you have a small living space. My stints have at least scourged the under-the-bed of dust bunnies, dragging boxes in and out.  Newbery committee members can technically do as they please with the "complimentary" books the publishers send them. Many wind up in the members’ local libraries [...]