Children's Books discussion
Newbery Archive
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The Honor books from 1946 - August 2016
Mod
is not in my library system, and I have no idea if I should hunt harder for it. Any recommendations?Ditto
or
, actually. Hmm.I'm only allowed two out-of-system requests at a time, so in any case I can't get all three of these.
But at least
is widely available. And it's a terrific book; I've enjoyed it several times already!
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Cheryl, I also am easily able to find Justin Morgan Had a Horse. Of the remaining books, I found one copy of The Moved-Outers in my entire library system so I have put in a request for that.
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Too bad about the Moved Outers, I have enjoyed other books by this author.
I've been curious about the Justin Morgan book. I own a Rand McNally edition (copyright 1954) which is 169 pages. However, the 1945 edition was published by Wilcox & Follett and is only 89 pages. I have never seen one (not that I've really hunted). Apparently the 1945 is 29 cm high while the 1954 is 25 cm. Has anyone found a copy of the original? I also see mention of a 1945 edition by Grosset and Dunlap which is 151 pages(??!) - though this date might be suspect. I understand the rationale: They wanted to bring this earlier title in line with how the other Marguerite Henry horse books were being published. But since all I have are these descriptions, I've got to wonder what was done to a Newbery honor book to make it 80 pages longer. Are those of us with the later edition truly reading the work that got the honor? See https://www.baumanrarebooks.com/rare-books/henry-marguerite/justin-morgan-had-a-horse-with-autograph-letter-signed/80775.aspx
and
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Justin-Morgan-Had-a-Horse-Marguerite-Henry-VTG-Kids-Famous-Horse-Stories-HCDJ-/311656102963
I own a copy of The Moved-Outers and will see if I can get to it next month.
I have access to two library systems where I live (a county system which I use most frequently and a city system...). Only Justin Morgan is available in either system. I can try ILL but probably will only do that if others highly recommend one or more of the titles...it tends to take a long time to get books and is a hassle to return them as they have to be returned to a specific branch. However, I will definitely read Justin Morgan. I have never read any Marguerite Henry books. They never appealed to me as a child.
message 8:
by
Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs
(last edited Jul 25, 2016 10:07AM)
(new)
Mod
It's a library book, in near mint condition. Interestingly, it does have a gift inscription, partially covered by library markings but I can make out that a great-grandmother gifted it in 2004.
Michael, where do you find the information that the first edition was only 89 pp? If that's inaccurate, mystery solved, right?
If it is accurate information: Was the first edition not illustrated (despite what your link reveals)? My book is copiously so, and has generous font size and margins. I can easily imagine this text being squeezed down to an 89 page book (though it would not have been appealing to read!).
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It does have appeal, being just the right size, and just the right number of illustrations, and the right size font, for the intended audience. (Unlike some of the epic biographies that have earned previous Newbery Honors!)
Mention of 89 pages for the 1945 Justin Morgan can be found in a number of library catalogs and online sales listings. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Justin-Morgan-Had-A-Horse-by-Marguerite-Henry-3rd-Print-1947-Illust-HC-/252126664953
That original edition was definitely illustrated but almost certainly with fewer illustrations.
I'll try to ILL a copy of it, just to put my mind at ease.
message 11:
by
Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs
(last edited Jul 25, 2016 01:55PM)
(new)
Mod
I now have in front of me both my 1966 seventh printing of the 1954 Rand McNally edition and a borrowed 1945 Junior Literary Guild/Wilcox & Follett edition (inscribed as received on February 6, 1946 and the stamped by the library on March 9, 1946). Unfortunately, the 1945 book no longer has its dust jacket.Both are beautiful, but these are definitely two different books. All illustrations are different (though there are some that are similar). The text is different as well. It's fascinating to see what was left out and put in. I haven't found a paragraph of any significant length that remained the same.
89 pages is correct for the 1945, as it is 44 leaves plus one extra page for an illustration printed on the verso of the rear free endpaper. 1945 edition has no color illustrations. It is 8.5 x 11 inches. You can see a couple of illustrations (including the final one) at https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11442739_m-henry-justin-morgan-had-a-horse-1945.
Illustrations are vignettes at start and end of chapters, full pages, half pages, and also partial pages serving as background for text. There are two 2-page spreads plus another two cleverly done ones where two facing pages each have illustrations mixed with text and the illustrations fit together.
1954 edition is 7 x 9.75 and has four color illustrations: front and rear endpapers (same image), p. 20, the pp. 80-81 spread, and p. 165. You can see a couple of these at http://www.oldchildrensbooks.com/books/justin-morgan-had-a-horse-5745.
I'll be doing a more detailed comparison in the future. My overall impression is that the 1945 is a book that could be read in one sitting, but the 1954 is not. If anyone would like more specific details, please contact me.
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I am reading this on my Kindle, and from the length, I am assuming that this is one of the more recent editions and not the 1945 one, but I am not sure. Does anyone know which edition was used for the Kindle? Personally, I have to wonder at the reasons why changes were made and whether they were made by Marguerite Henry herself or some editor (and also, who decided on the changes, she or the publisher). I think it is kind of interesting that for the Justin Morgan story, it seems as though there were episodes added in later editions, as more often, the opposite tends to happen, and later books have content removed or rewritten (especially content deemed no longer politically correct, deemed stereotypical and such).
After the successes of King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian and Misty Of Chincoteague, there were five more horse books by Henry and Dennis before 1954. All these were published by Rand McNally and all had a uniform look (and length). I don't know the ins and outs of how Rand McNally was able to pull Justin Morgan away from Wilcox & Follett and publish the new version in 1954 (I sure hope it did not involve a Godfather-like bed scene!). I am, however, sure the changes made were done by Henry (and Dennis) themselves. I suspect it was appealing for both the author and illustrator to put out a new book which already had excellent name recognition (from the Newbery Honor and other reviews/publicity). I do know that the original edition was reprinted in 1947 by Wilcox & Follett - remember that 1947 is when the very popular Misty, Henry's first horse book for Rand McNally, was published, so it seems likely that Wilcox & Follett were trying to capitalize on that success. From the 1954 (1966) dust jacket:
"Here is a superb new edition, with full-color illustration, of the first of Marguerite Henry's famous horse books for children. Completely rewritten and reillustrated, Justin Morgan Had a Horse now takes its place in the Rand McNally line alongside such other Henry favorites as Misty of Chincoteague, King of the Wind (Newbery Medal Winner), and Brighty of the Grand Canyon.
"Runner-up for the Newbery Award when it first appeared, this story of a famous horse in early Vermont becomes even more heart-warming and exciting in the new version. Marguerite Henry has uncovered fresh episodes in the life of "Little Bub," the pint-sized stallion who pulled logs that bigger horses couldn't even budge, who ran faster than the fleetest of face horses, who became the sire of an illustrious breed of American horses. And a new generation of children will find in Little Bub all the endearing qualities that have made Misty, Sea Star, and other Henry characters so well loved.
"Every illustration, including those in full color, is entirely new. And Wesley Dennis, whose pictures have been part and parcel of so many Marguerite Henry books, is at his best in these scenes of early Vermont."
It's common practice nowadays for recording artists to take their back catalog with them when they sign with a new record label. I don't know about authors or how that worked in 1950s publishing. I see no evidence that Henry's first book, A Boy and a Dog (published in 1944 by Wilcox & Follett) was ever reprinted by Rand McNally.
If your version begins with "The little reddish-brown colt stopped nibbling grass. He lifted his head high and sniffed the noonday wind," you are reading the 1954 edition. The 1945 edition begins: "The little reddish-brown colt stopped nibbling grass. He lifted his head and sniffed the wind. His pink nose trembled."
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I just checked, and the beginning seems to be the 1954 version.
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It kind of makes one ask if one is truly reading the Caldecott Honor book on Justin Morgan if it has been so much altered.
Newbery honor, but yes, exactly. Interestingly, the Rand McNally editions I have seen do NOT carry that little silver sticker. Not even their paperbacks from the 1980s, nor the Simon & Schuster paperbacks from the 1980s. It's the Aladdin paperbacks from the 1990s where this seems to start. Now it's on the Simon & Schuster hardcovers. I think it is kind of dishonest, but probably not intentionally so. Likely just ignorance on the part of some greenhorn.
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Oops, was just reading a bunch of Caldecott books, ha.
The Moved-Outers is an interesting book, not least because of when it was published. It tells the story of a Japanese American family in California sent to an internment camp after the start of WWII. Apparently at the time of publication (February 1945), the camps were still around. Means was known as an author sympathetic to minorities, though some will likely criticize her outsider status. She does a good job of getting across the idea that these people considered themselves Americans and wanted to be patriotic and supportive. Their treatment was unjust, but they made the best of it and tried to be understanding about how things work during wartime. Again, I imagine some will find fault. One thing didn't sit right with me, which was the glowing manner in which the Baptist church was portrayed. I can't help but think that the fact that Means's father was a Baptist minister had undue influence on that. But maybe that's just coincidence.Were this book written shortly after the war, I think it would be quite different, and perhaps not as compelling. The unresolved ending presents many possibilities. It seems likely to me that the book was recognized because of its (at the time) unique subject matter and the timeliness of its publication. It's well written and a good read, but I think for most young readers it has lost quite a bit of its relevance. I loved the 1940s family life aspects, but I would think too many kids would not be able to connect. (Though an excellent case could be made for exactly the opposite view - change a few details, and it is as current as today's headlines.)
I ended up reading both editions of Justin Morgan Had a Horse, and I'm glad I did. The original version has more charm, and the illustrations are better. The later expanded one suffers a bit from "second take" syndrome. When you get it right the first time, being asked to do it again can result in a product that is less than inspired. I think the illustrations in the later version are routine, and I wonder whether Dennis was frustrated by the fact that none of his earlier images could be reused. The original edition is really remarkable - there are some very clever design techniques employed. The basic images themselves also seem to be more vivid.
The text of the later edition adds several chapters which kind of dilute the impact of the original tale. Judging by the bibliography (there was none for the first edition), these additions took some research work to produce. They are interesting, but one gets the sense that they are, to some degree, filler.
I like both books, but not for the same reasons. I wish more people would have the opportunity to see the book as originally presented so they could make up their own minds.
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I find it *very* interesting that there was a children's book about the internment while it was still going on.
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I just reread (?) the 1954 edition and it was *not* the book I remembered. So, maybe when I was a child I was fortunate enough to read the original 1945 edition, the one that is about 1/2 the length the more available one? Maybe I focused on what I saw as the strengths of the book, based on my enjoyment of other books by Henry & Dennis? I am going to try to find an original to compare the two for myself. I'd be willing to bet the older is better. Even the artwork of this newer book seems coarser, more hurried, than I remember Dennis's work to usually be.
And the publisher lies! The back flap claims that 1947's *Misty* is Henry's first book for children, and still puts the (1946) silver sticker on the front cover of JMH!
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Wow, I think I will have to get the orignal somehow. I have never read the Justin Morgan book, and downloaded it on my Kindle for reading ease (and lack of shelf space), but it is definitely the 1954 version, and I am not enjoying it all that much. Whenever I reread Misty, Sea Star, Stormy and King of the Wind, I usually read straight through and without distraction, but with Justin Morgan, I seem to be stuck in the middle, mildly bored and with not much will to carry on even. From your memory of the orignal 1947 book, was there as much nationalism as there seems to be in the 1954 version? It kind of is making me gag a bit.
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I never thought to check Ebay, might do that, but still debating.
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No way of verifying Jeremy's report on Means, but no reason to doubt it, either.
......
Here's Means' entry in Children's Books and Their Creators, edited by Anita Silvey: https://books.google.com/books?id=gra......
It makes me want to read the Silvey book, and more books by Means. One of Means' books, Across the Fruited Plain, is avl on Project Gutenberg. I peeked at it, and see charming illustrations.
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No way of verifying Jeremy's report on M..."
They are expensive and hard to get, but Dusky Day: A College Story and The Singing Wood (two related college stories) are lovely.
I also liked the Emmy books, Emmy and the Blue Door and Knock At the Door, Emmy, and That Girl Andy: One Girl's Year at College.
A Candle in the Mist I have not read this but it looks like a "pioneer" type of historical fiction type of novel.
I happened to come across a Scholastic paperback copy of Justin Morgan today and had a peek - what a difference! It's the 1954 text (with the misleading Newbery on the cover), but the illustrations are totally butchered. There are only one or two per chapter, and some of the best ones are entirely absent. I'd forgotten I own a copy of Means's Carvers' George: a biography of George Washington Carver. Will have to get around to that one of these days.
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Scholastic seems to have a thing for republishing books with rather large changes and abridgements. They often either remove dated content (or content they consider dated) or they add modern 21st century technology like cell phones, computers and the like to storylines that are clearly 70s and 80s (really annoying).
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Pretty lame. How in the world did the boys get away without a hue & cry? Didn't David ever get the least bit homesick? Or even sunburned? And when splashing in a pool, one 'dunks' one's friends, rather than 'ducks' them. I guess it was a fantasy adventure back in the day... and it did tell us something of India (but for that, I prefer Gay Neck: The Story of a Pigeon, an earlier Newbery Medal winner).
There was one bit of overt moralizing, spoken by a minor character, that may also have influenced the committee: '"The truth is we are all animals, but these [wild elephants and etc.], being innocent, are nearer God than we are."'
Very interesting discussion above, regarding Justin Morgan Had a Horse. I read the longer version. It does have the silver Newberry medal and it says "A Newberry Honor Book".It is interesting that it is so different from the 1945 version . . . I guess use of the medal on this later edition is a tad misleading! I see that the text for the version I read is copyrighted 1954, too, which is 8 years after the original text got the Newberry honor.
I did enjoy the book a lot, however. I liked the illustrations . . . and as far as the actual story, I loved the theme of the devotion Joel had to this first Morgan horse through all the circumstances of his young life. Sometimes there really is a deep bond between a man or woman and a "critter" as my grandfather used to call his farm animals. I thought the author did a great job writing about one such relationship.
After seeing Michael's fascinating posts above (thank you, Michael!), however, I do wish the original were more readily available. I would love to see that. My library system carries only the 1954 version.
I read The Moved-Outers, finishing it this morning. I mostly agree with Michael's comments above. But I think there is relevance in today's world. How is our government treating people of Arabic descent? Despite the forbidden nature of "racial profiling", don't you think more scrutiny is made of Muslim believers than the bulk of society?POSSIBLE SPOILERS ahead . . .
With respect to this book, what I found most interesting (other than the timeliness of its publication) was that the author showed the diversity of opinion within the Japanese community. Some of the Japanese who were loyal Americans were themselves suspicious of their Japanese neighbors. There were different levels of social status in the interred Japanese community, but over time and circumstance, that all started to level out.
I was also surprised to learn that several were allowed to leave the camps to pursue an education, serve in the military, and perhaps even employment (if I understood what the author was writing) after having been in the camps for a while and after having had all family members "cleared" by the FBI.
I found the book overall to be an interesting look at a point in time. I should probably look more into the history of these internment camps because now I have a lot of questions about them. I do remember reading Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment when I was a teen-ager, but that was many years ago!
I think when it was written and published, the crucial aspect of The Moved-Outers was its realism: that this was really happening at that time in America. But for today's kids who can't possibly share that sense of currency, I wonder if it would have more appeal if it were entirely "fictionalized," with all the names changed. Then you put in an author's note at the end to shock (and educate) them after they've been entertained. I wonder if kids can connect and empathize more with fictional characters who are outside of a real place and time than with fictional characters who are based in history, with all the associated context that seems too distant. Might such works have a longer shelf life for kids?
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But to think that it was current at the time it was written, and that it didn't win the Newbery Medal... *I* think it's the best and most important book of the year.
Consider the details, the subtleties. As Karol points out, consider the class & generational differences among the Japanese themselves, for example. To think that, for some, the barracks offered *more* physical comfort than their former homes. And Kim expresses frustration:
"If I scowl, they say, 'Look at the Jap, mad at being given a soft living, when his own country's freezing prisoners' feet off and starving them to death.' And if I smile, they say, "See the insolent, sneering Jap.' And if I try to hide my feelings, they say, 'There's no safety with folks that can hide their thoughts like that.'"
And the descriptions... I always knew Joshua trees were bizarre looking, but I was never before able to realize that they're "like rheumatic giants carrying petrified feather dusters."
Very good book.
Another book on the same topic was published in 1971, just before Manzanar (1973): Journey to Topaz: A Story of the Japanese-American Evacuation. I have not read.
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Damned if you do, damned if you don't, and defending yourself would just be seen as justifying the attitudes present (that was a bit the case for me when we moved to Canada from Germany in 1976).
Okay, after reading all of your comments about the Moved-Outers, I am going to try to get it through ILL. I've read multiple books about the internment camps over the past several months and am interested to see how this compares.
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I just ended up putting in an ILL request as well.
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These are Japanese Internment books on my to-read list:
CANADA
Torn Apart: The Internment Diary of Mary Kobayashi
Naomi's Road (the children's literature version of Obasan)
Naomi's Tree
USA
Dust of Eden
Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky
Weedflower
Paper Wishes
Children's fiction:Dust of Eden. Very short novel in verse. Quite good.
Echo. This is not directly about the internment camps but they do come into the story a little bit at one point and I LOVE this book.
Under the Blood-Red Sun read several years ago.
Children's nonfiction:
Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese Americans during World War II. Had information that I didn't read anywhere else.
The Children of Topaz: The Story of a Japanese-American Internment Camp: Based on a Classroom Diary. I actually read this years ago...it was my first introduction to the internment and was written by my Children's lit college professor.
I am an American: A True Story of Japanese Internment. I read this years ago as well. I remember it includes many photos.
Adult titles:
The Magic of Ordinary Days fiction. So-so.
Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment. Nonfiction/photography
Colors of Confinement: Rare Kodachrome Photographs of Japanese American Incarceration in World War II. Photography with several essays. One was especially interesting because it examined both positive and negative views of the internment...the idea that to get a clear view and understanding of the internment and its effects, social scientists and historians need to recognize both the positive and negative aspects of the camps.
Silver Like Dust: One Family's Story of America's Japanese Internment. Memoir.
This is a true story of the author's grandparents internment. She spends time interviewing her grandmother and getting her to talk about her experiences in the camps. I was particularly interested in her explanation of shikataganai...the belief that when bad things happen, you accept them and make the best of them. And her eventual realization that this allowed those interned to not only survive the ordeal but to improve their situation when possible and to remain compassionate and human rather than becoming bitter and angry and shriveled.
Here is a Listopia on the topic:https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
And one that isn't just YA and Middle Grade fiction
There are also a few picture books on the topic. But I'll have to do a bit of searching to add them.
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You're welcome. And I guess I didn't put the link to the listopia that doesn't focus solely on children's/YA lit, so here it is: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
One more comment. In July, I hosted the real life book club I belong to. Typically, we all read the same book but occasionally we have a topic and all read different books on that topic and discuss. In July, we read about internment camps and the concept of shikataganai came up in a couple of the books that people read. Many, perhaps even most, Japanese (particularly the Issei) went willingly to the camps as a way to show their loyalty and because of this Japanese belief that you just accept what happens to you and make the best of it. It seems so foreign to our way of viewing things...we would want to fight the injustice and complain and resist...and some internees did those things...but according to a couple of books that was not the norm. It's not that they felt this was just but this was how you dealt with setbacks. Really interesting to me.
Gundula, I am going to see if I can get any of the titles you listed that are set in Canada. I'd be really interested to read that perspective as well.
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You should read Obasan, but it is devinitely not a children's book. I am sure there are other books set in Canada than my list. One thing to remember is that while in the USA, at least some of the internees had their property restored after the war, this was generally NOT the case in Canada.
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Home of the Brave (other topics)Justin Morgan Had a Horse (other topics)
The Moved-Outers (other topics)
The Moved-Outers (other topics)
Obasan (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anita Silvey (other topics)Marguerite Henry (other topics)
Florence Crannell Means (other topics)
Christine Weston (other topics)
Katherine Binney Shippen (other topics)
The Moved-Outers by Florence Crannell Means
Bhimsa, The Dancing Bear by Christine Weston
New Found World by Katherine Binney Shippen