Children's Books discussion

Come join us to discuss the Medal Winner,
Holes by Louis Sachar

and/or the Honor book:
A Long Way From Chicago: A Novel in Stories by Richard Peck

Only two books, both of which are popular enough they should be readily available in most libraries.

Note, also, that the November discussion is still open because I haven't had a chance to read those books.

Well, of course all threads are open. Older threads have been moved to the Newbery Archive folder but I'm always glad to see new comments and questions there!

I loved A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder on audio book during my commute to library school. Grandma Dowdel is hysterical. This series reminded me of the movie "A Christmas Story". I read A Season of Gifts too but it wasn't on audio.

I read both books way back in 1999. I LOVED A Long Way from Chicago, but only liked Holes. I would have preferred for Long Way to win the top award and Holes to be the Honor. But that's just me. I found A Long Way from Chicago to be hilarious. In fact, I read some parts of it to my grandmother (years ago) and she was laughing as hard as I have ever seen her laugh.

I also read Holes and A long Way from Chicago several months apart in 1999. I thought Holes was such an original novel for middle schoolers. It is still on my favorites list today. I recommended A Long Way From Chicago to two of my students who were 7th graders ( I taught middle school students who were temporarily at home because of health issues). They both loved it! I thought Holes might be a little too deep for them to understand the irony, even though it was wonderful to me.

Beverly wrote: "I read some parts of it to my grandmother (years ago) and she was laughing as hard as I have ever seen her laugh.."

That's a sweet story! I don't think my grandmother would enjoy this type of story but then she started reciting a poem about getting jackknifed in the outhouse, so maybe she would have liked the rural setting and quirky grandma. Too late now. She'll lose interest after 10 seconds and ask when she's going home, etc.

I can't believe these books are so old! Otoh, I honestly don't remember much about them, so I'm looking forward to the rereads.

I just found out my smaller local library doesn't own Holes. Did the book banners get to it? OKC metro has 6 copies, all checked out... I'll get in queue for the ebook.

I'm surprised your library doesn't have Holes. It was very popular and made into a movie. I haven't read it but I know a lot of kids and some adults really enjoyed it.

I'm surprised and dismayed.

Ok, my mom's library had the ebook available so I read it already... Reread it, actually. Still not sure what to think of it. I see by the new author's note that kids in the juvenile justice system like it, so that's good.

I've now read A Long Way from Chicago and am not enamored. I guess, it's historical fiction that isn't all gloomy & intense? And the message about finding creative ways to subtly Do Good is important? But it seems rather too slight, just like some from the previous year. I guess I want the Newbery books to be more substantial, enriching... and to have more in them that would prompt discussion.

What would a classroom, or even family, have to say about these books to each other? What concerns would prompt a conversation?

Ok, in Joey's story, Grandma feeds the hungry just outside the city limits. There are even now laws about feeding homeless people. I would definitely talk about that issue with kids; maybe they can come up with some ideas.