Miles researched the life cycle of a penguin. Each group of kindergarteners focused on a different aspect of penguins- the species of engines, habitat, diet, and even literary adaptations. A fantastic display from all the students that night!
paperplate fingerpaint
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
...And in our free time..
Morning Date at Modern Malt
Marcus is ready for Hollywood
Minecraft Me
Minecraft Daddy
Snow Fun
Snow BB8
Puppy sledding
Moonlight snowshoe at Beaver Lake Nature Center
30 seconds before it got knocked over
Thursday, February 4, 2016
A Theme Among Newbery Award Winning Books
Over the past 35 years I have had a the pleasure of reading about half of the Newbery Award winner books. The first one was probably Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, or maybe Rabbit Hill I'm not sure since it was so long ago now. The prestige of this award had a strong influence on my selections as a child. Third, fourth and fifth grade (1989-1992) being the years when I read most of these, the majority of titles I remember from this time were published in the 1970s. My favorite at this time was Dear Mr Henshaw. The rhythm of the book was entrancing as Leigh Botts pulled me into his world through unrequited letters in diary form. His anger, joy, and shame were palpable even though written through the pen of a ten year old boy. This one I must have read four or five times.
In college I studied children's reading intensely. Newer titles earning this same award were brought to my attention. Looking critically at these books gave me a new appreciation for this award. This was what would shape the minds of the next generation. I had the privilege of reading these as an adult and presenting excellent literature to my students. One piece that I have always wanted to share with my class is A Wrinkle in Time. The themes in this book are so relevant today it is hard to imagine what people might have thought of it in 1962 when it was published. Lightly orbiting the theory of relativity, a savant, and quantum physics this book details the activities of an unusual American Family. Writing of such behemoth concepts for juvenile comprehension is no small feat.
With my own children I encourage them to read for entertainment, understanding, and information by providing them with dozens of books at all times. I have yet to share a Newbery Award winning book with my children since they are still so young. However that has not stopped me from "pre-reading" some of the newer recipients of this award. Yes I still read children's literature, but in my opinion a good story is still a good story. My favorite of the most recent was Dead End in Norvelt which tells the story of a young man who spends his summers typing obituaries in his small town. Humorous and endearing this story warmed my heart.
Now for the theme I promised. Almost all of the books that have received this award over the last forty years have one thing in common: the loss of one or both parents. There is no mention of this in the criteria for the award. Acceptance is based on:
But the evidence of this theme is undeniable.
In college I studied children's reading intensely. Newer titles earning this same award were brought to my attention. Looking critically at these books gave me a new appreciation for this award. This was what would shape the minds of the next generation. I had the privilege of reading these as an adult and presenting excellent literature to my students. One piece that I have always wanted to share with my class is A Wrinkle in Time. The themes in this book are so relevant today it is hard to imagine what people might have thought of it in 1962 when it was published. Lightly orbiting the theory of relativity, a savant, and quantum physics this book details the activities of an unusual American Family. Writing of such behemoth concepts for juvenile comprehension is no small feat.
With my own children I encourage them to read for entertainment, understanding, and information by providing them with dozens of books at all times. I have yet to share a Newbery Award winning book with my children since they are still so young. However that has not stopped me from "pre-reading" some of the newer recipients of this award. Yes I still read children's literature, but in my opinion a good story is still a good story. My favorite of the most recent was Dead End in Norvelt which tells the story of a young man who spends his summers typing obituaries in his small town. Humorous and endearing this story warmed my heart.
Now for the theme I promised. Almost all of the books that have received this award over the last forty years have one thing in common: the loss of one or both parents. There is no mention of this in the criteria for the award. Acceptance is based on:
But the evidence of this theme is undeniable.
Witch of Blackbird Pond (1958): main character leaves parents
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960): main character orphan
The Bronze Bow (1961): father dies
A Wrinkle in Time (1962): the father is missing
Shadow of a Bull (1964): father dies
I, Juan de Pareja (1965): mother dies
Up a Road Slowly (1966): mother dies
From the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967): the children run away
The High King (1968): main character orphan
Sounder (1969): main character separated from family
Summer of the Swans (1970): mother dies
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (1971): father dies
Julie of the Wolves (1972): main character orphan
The Slave Dancer (1973): main character kidnapped
The Grey King (1975): boy sent away from family
A Gathering of Days (1979): mother dies
Jacob Have I Loved (1980): mother/ daughter discord
Dicey's Song (1982): parents abandon children
Dear Mr. Henshaw (1983): divorce
Sarah, Plain and Tall (1985): mother dies
The Whipping Boy (1986): main character orphan
The Hero and The Crown (1987): mother dies
Number the Stars (1989):character separated from family
Maniac Magee (1990): main character homeless orphan
Missing May (1992): Grandmother dies
The Giver (1993): child does not know his mother, runs away
Walk Two Moons (1994): Main character is orphan
The Midwife's Apprentice (1995): main character orphan
Out of the Dust (1997): mother dies
Holes (1998): children separated from parents
Bud, Not Buddy (1999): main character orphan
A Year Down Yonder (2000): child separated from parents
A Single Shard (2001): main character orphan
Crispin:The Cross of Lead (2002): main character "has no kin"
Higher Power of Lucky (2006): main character orphan
The Graveyard Book (2008): main character orphan
Moon Over Manifest (2010): girl sent away from father
Dead End in Norvelt (2011): divorce
The One and Only Ivan (2013): main character orphan
Flora and Ulysses (2014): divorce
Forty titles in 56 years. More than 70% orphans, dead mothers and fathers, child abandonment, and divorce saturate these award-winning stories. So what's with the American obsession with orphans? How about the 34 years before this theme appears when books were not focused on parental demise? Does this mean Newbery winners in the future will be subject to a standard of heartbreaking stories? This reader wonders.
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