The Newbery books are tough for me. It is not often that these stories appeal to a broader kid audience, and really, my blog is about finding books that most kids will devour. However, they do represent the best of kid's literature, and kids who read these books are being exposed to some extremely talented writing, whether they appreciate it or not!
Therefore, I try to look for the contenders that I feel are the most kid worthy. Some of the contenders I just couldn't imagine a child getting lost in, so I decided not to include those. Even if they win in January, your child will probably not pick them up unless under duress.
So, this is my first set of books in the running. So far this has been a fairly lean year. Last year I couldn't wait to share a plethora of contenders who were able to branch between note worthy and kid worthy. This year the pickings are quite a bit slimmer, but we will see what the rest of the year holds. Fingers crossed!
To see all my Newbery contenders, visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com
Title: Navigating Early
Author: Clare Vanderpool
Target: Grades 4-8
Series: No
What this book is about:
Our main character Jack has just lost his mother. His father, who is in the Navy, sends Jack to boarding school where he meets an unusual classmate, Early Auden. Early is a genius with numbers and actually sees shapes and stories in their configuration. As Jack deals with the loss of his mother, and Early with the loss of his brother in WWII, they go on an adventure along the Appalachian Trail with leads them to pirates, treasures, and the search for the Great Appalachian Bear.
Why I love this book:
Wow, this book was amazing. The beginning of the story moves at a slower pace especially with Early’s own recounting of the folktale of the number Pi. Vanderpool builds in this mythological story alongside the actual story which loosely bears a resemblance to the boy’s own journey. It takes a little while for the story of Pi and the story of the boys to gel, but when it does the book really clicks.
I loved the characters Vanderpool has created. In some vague ways they reminded me of John Irving, but it has been so long since I have read Irving, I hope my memory is not too sloppy. While the book starts out as a bit of realistic fiction, it quickly moves to quite an adventure with over the top characters and action.
Who this book is for:
The mythological element of the story of Pi, makes this story a better fit for the thinking child. While there is lots of action and fun and quirky characters, the interplay of two stories could throw off a younger reader. I have a feeling that kids who enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will enjoy this book.
Final thoughts:
Navigating Early was one of those books that thoroughly surprised me, in a wonderful way.
