(February, 2017)

Recently I began reading my way through the Newbery award winners. Each year the Association for Library Service to Children awards the Newbery Medal to

“…the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.”

This award began in 1922, with the first Newbery Medal winner, which was The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon.   I may check this one out, if it’s still in print. It sounds like a textbook, though, doesn’t it?

If you’re interested in finding out which books won this year, go to

http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/newberymedal/newberymedal

I read The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, a 2008 Newbery Honor Book (published by Scholastic).

Confession: I take life far too seriously. When I find a book that makes me laugh out loud, I consider it a treasure. The Wednesday Wars is funny. It’s also a little hard to believe, especially the part about the rats. Still, I love the voice of our hero, Holling Hoodhood, and his hilarious progression through seventh grade at Camillo Junior High on Long Island, N.Y.

All the kids in Holling’s class leave school early to go to religious studies. All except Holling, who is left alone with Mrs. Baker, his English teacher. She assigns Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice for Holling to read. What a surprise for Holling! He actually enjoys Shakespeare.

Schmidt cleverly weaves a story that includes the current events of 1967, including the Vietnam War, and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

This book is so good that I might even read it twice!

What are you reading? Send a comment and let me know.