Newbery Books discussion

It was fun to re-read this short little book about empathy and trust for young readers . . . but a little flummoxed about how it won the Newbery. Maybe because it was able to accomplish so much in so little for younger kids? It's true that there's not much real literature for 1st graders - Disney Princesses or Spongebob anyone? - so maybe that was it ?

There's adventure, history, and a moral here in a short story, but reading it out loud to young kids probably would have helped me enjoy it more.

I agree that it seems more like a short story format. I liked it fairly well, but I'm surprised that it's a Newbery, too. Good suggestion about reading aloud, Mom.