Kristine’s Comments (group member since Apr 04, 2008)

Kristine’s comments from the Newbery Books group.

I have to apologize that I have been MIA for a month - can someone inform all sides of my family that I'm not available for every reunion (all five of them) next year? I am behind on reading!

As a result our book discussion for July has been extended into August -> and I've posted a new poll for the September read. Please go read and vote :-)

The Trumpeter of Krakow won our monthly poll, and while I have been out of town most of the month (5 family reunions in a row) I haven't gotten the discussion board up and running yet. So we'll extend reading and discussion for this book through the month of August.

Go ahead and post your thoughts as soon as you're done reading!

I have tried to start reading this two or three times. I don't know if it's the older format of the book (denser text, typeface, etc) or my busy summer schedule, but I'm having a hard time making it past the first chapter.

Time to start reading. Remember to add comments and join the discussion as soon as you are done.

There isn't a lot that happens in this book. It's built less on plot and more on characterization. I liked how the characters weren't one dimensional, the chapter that had the flashback of Ivan growing up with the zookeeper added a lot of depth. Plot wise it was basic and the art resolution a little cheesy, BUT the characters shined through.

While this book wasn't my favorite of the year, I was okay with it winning. I did feel that it was distinguished. After I finished reading it my first response was to marvel at what Applegate said in so few words. In a world where books are getting bigger and more long winded, I appreciated the conciseness. It isn't easy to tell a story in few words.

Excellent! Lets go ahead and start our one and only discussion now. I like the idea, too!

Dicey's Song won our poll for the month of June. Let's get reading and come back to discuss when we are done.

I have a question for everyone - would we rather have our discussion threads become open threads during the moth we are reading the book, or wait until the end and begin discussion the first of the next month. (This way if you haven't read the book you should not read the thread so you can avoid spoilers.)

Sometimes it can be hard to remember to come back for a discussion if you've finished a book a few weeks ago. It is easier to write your thoughts and discuss as soon as you finish reading.

Feedback?

The June 2013 poll winner was Dicey's Song.

The poll for July will be posted today and open thru June 10!

I finished this book last night, and I'm having the hardest time deciding how to rate it or how I feel.

One half of me wants to give it 2 stars because, well, it's a pretty verbose, boring book about everything to do with birds.

The other half of me wants to give it 4 stars because the author was able to capture the spirit of the bird, weave a beautiful metaphor about the humanity, create a beautiful setting that took us far, far away from everything we know, and teach me things I didn't know.

For instance, never once have I considered being a carrier pigeon during war from the perspective of the bird. But once it was presented, of course I accepted that Gay Neck has PTSD. And the narrator's response was what most of ours would be -- "get that bird some counseling/help." I love that help came in the form of a lama at a hindu temple and with his mate.

Some parts were compelling and some parts were boring.

The back story of the author and thinking of his role in American culture in the 1920s and his death is interesting to me, because to me so much of this book is the author - and I can't consider that without looking at our society and his place in it at the time.

It's another thread I posted in this 2013 BoM folder.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

I was wondering that, too. Does it's age make it outdated? I guess I would have to have L read it

I added the poll for our June read - it will be open from today through May 15. That will give us 2 weeks to get a hold of the book that is chosen. Don't forget to vote!

We'll have discussion on the 2013 Newbery Award Medal Winner beginning June 1.

Gay Neck: The Story of a Pigeon won our poll for the read for April. Let's get reading and ready for discussion starting May 1!

So what did everyone think? I feel this probably was the beginning of the development of "guidance counselor fiction." Divorce was the social drama of the day and a major enough issue to produce Leigh and his letters. I loved that when he was lost there was an adult who was always consistent. A pretty good lesson for our day. I liked this book, but wasn't blown away - and think it may be that I'm not as partial to realistic fiction, so I may be undervaluing it.

What did you think of the lunchbox? I saw another review that related this book an allegory of the Cold War and had to chuckle at the similarities.

What was your favorite part? Why or why didn't you like it and do you find it distinguished? Newbery worthy? Check out our other thread for some good discussion questions . . .

Just a reminder that discussion starts Monday - grab the book for a quick weekend read if you want to join in!

Kathy suggested that we could share with each other when we find great deals online for KidsLit. I know in the last year I was able to grab at least a half a dozen Newbery books (awards and mock reads) from the Kindle Daily Deal. So if you see something, feel free to post below!

That's a good idea, I think I'll start a thread that would give others a heads up when there are some good KidLit titles available. A few weeks ago I was able to get Splendors and Glooms for a steal as well. So they happen fairly regularly.

Linda wrote: "Should this shelf contain only books we've already read?"

Linda, before you join the challenge create your own shelf called "Newbery Medals" and place all 92 medal winners on that shelf. Then when you join the challenge it asks you to choose which shelf for them to use to calculate the books you read.

How GoodReads knows if you read the book is if on your book review page, below the review box, you have marked a "Date I finished this book" has to be filled in. Even if you have placed it on your read shelf, the challenge won't count it unless you have that date filled in between the years 1993-2033.

Then the challenge keeps track of all the medals, which you have read, and how many you have left to read.