Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Big Sky

by Kirby Larson (2006)

Newbery Honor Book

Having a soft spot for Laura Ingalls Wilder, this book fits right in, minus Michael Landon as Pa. A girl on her own on a Montana homestead facing extreme weather, diabolical neighbors, stubborn animals, poor baking skills, and the struggle to fence and farm her land in order to meet the claim.

Hattie is definitely independent and capable, but needs and helps her neighbors as they face the harshness of frontier life. The story also deals with the fears of "The Great War" as friends and family are in Europe fighting and the pressure put on German townsfolk to prove their patriotism. A lot of outside issues to explore with this book: WWI, propaganda, farm life, even baseball.

Jacob Have I Loved

Jacob Have I Loved 

Katherine Paterson
Newbery Medal 1981 

I might have personally liked this book better if I was a girl, especially a girl with a sister. But I'm not, so I don't think some of the elements rang as deep with me -- jealous of her sister, romantic feelings, family role confusion. But there is a lot to still connect with for any reader -- finding one's place in the world, family dynamics and differences in siblings, friendship, strange grandmothers, hard work to achieve a goal.

Some interesting characters come and go in the story, and some stories are touched on but not explained thoroughly, but overall an excellent story. Lots of Geography (East Coast, Chesapeake, crabs and oysters) and History (WWII, German-Americans).

Is there a sequel? The last chapter rang a bell, like I've read that part before or it's part of the next book...?

 

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink (1936)

Newbery Medal 1936

History Dudes

By Odin's Eye, a caption!

Jim the Boy

Jim the Boy

by Tony Earley (2000)

Loved it.

A boy whose father died before he was born, but is very much present in his and his mother's life*, grows up in small town America with trains, Ty Cobb, the coming of electric lights, and his 3 uncles to show him the way.  Good balance between the lighter county fair and school yard chapters and those that deal with Polio, a dead father, and a scary grandfather.  Captures the confusion and perspective of a young boy well.

*Probably some of the "eternal love" stuff is above a 10 yr old, but even if the boys just skim through those parts there's a lot good in the book.

Sarah Bishop

Sarah Bishop

by Scott O'Dell (1980)

Somehow I don't think a girl on the run from the Redcoats, a lecherous trapper, an amorous Quaker, and a hungry bear, sharing a cave with bats and a crippled badger, grieving the deaths of her father and brother, would look as good as Sarah does on this cover.

But I wouldn't be surprised, because she is one tough, independent heroine who makes her own way through the Revolutionary War issues between Patriot and Tory. The last chapters with the witch trial were a little awkward, but I like how they were different from the standard girl-in-peril story.

connections: Paulsen's Hatchet books, Johnny Tremain and Brother Sam Is Dead, My Side of the Mountain...

My Last Skirt

My Last Skirt
The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier

by  Lynda Durrant (2006)

An Irish girl poses as a boy to get a job, comes to America and works as a boy, then fights in the Civil War as a boy.  The true story of a "petticoat soldier" told as fiction from the girl's pov with elements of immigration, women's rights, war, evolution, and a wee touch of romance.

The ending was a bit odd, our hero/heroine turned from a teen soldier into a grumpy old man, but overall an excellent book. The issues she faces becoming a he are dealt with maturely and realistically, and right from the beginning I saw her as a person, an Irish immigrant then a soldier, rather than a girl impersonating a boy.

Found these other Civil war books to add to the TBR stack.

confession: I stole this book.  Well, just borrowed it really from the teacher I subbed for yesterday, but it's okay since it was my son's class and because I just read The Book Thief.  I'll sneak it into his backpack after he goes to bed.

Crushing on Miss Hickory

... that is, until she had her head eaten and, while it was being eaten, she "went right on thinking... aloud!!!" *

Miss Hickory

Carolyn Sherwin Baily

Newbery Medal 1947

Interesting book, at times a cute anthropomorphic nature/animal story, then a lesson on manners, with a Christmas mystery/miracle tossed in.  And through it all is sweet little Miss Hickory, a twig lady with a nut head, learning to live on her own one winter.  She's sassy, bossy, a touch grumpy, but cuts a fine figure in both fall and spring colors!  She meets a surprising and grisly end at the hands of a hungry squirrel, but lives on after joining her headless self to an apple tree... (yes, you read that right).  She is selfish and hard on her friends in the forest, but has a happy ending reincarnated (?) as an apple branch.

I liked it as a funny book, interesting to read in regards to the seasons changing or when studying apple trees?

*I'm quite sure this violates goes against my Violence Boycott!

connections: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, The Bubble

R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH

R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIHM

by Jane Leslie Conly (1990)

No wonder I couldn't find any sequels to Mrs. Frisby... on the "O" shelf: the next two books were written by Robert O'Brien's daughter.  Not sure why after a Newbery winning book and successful (albeit altered) Disney movie he didn't write more himself?

While not as charming as the original, this book uses many familiar characters and situations, while focusing mainly on the human aspect: grouchy, lazy, overweight Margaret and her troubled little brother are lost in the woods, found and helped by the super-smart talking rats.  With multiple references to pop culture it's a bit dated, and after the kids leave the rodents (why did the rats let them stay all summer?) and have to deal with family and reporters it's not as interesting, but still a good story for lessons on dealing with adversity, peer pressure, helping others, ethical dilemmas...

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

by Robert C. O'Brien

Newbery Medal Winner (1972)

Genetically altered vermin developing their own agricultural society-- Run! Run for the hills!  Actually no, stay away from the hills, since that's where the genius immortal super-sized rats are!

Mrs. Frisby is a widowed country mouse with a sick mouse-child who discovers the neighborhood rats are not all they seem; after chemical/brain testing by scientists the rats (and a few mice) escape the lab and learn how to use electricity.  Some rats come to somewhat gruesome ends, but most of the story is positive and entertaining.

Did they ever tell us what "NIMH" stood for? And is there a sequel?

By The Great Horn Spoon!

By The Great Horn Spoon!

by Sid Fleischman  (1963)

A rip-roarin' adventure with a happy ending!

and as far as exactly who or what is a horn spoon, great or otherwise, I'm not sure this explanation helps...

The Matchlock Gun

The Matchlock Gun

by Walter D. Edmonds

Newbery Medal 1942

A boy must help his mother protect the family while his father is away during the French and Indian War; bravery, responsibility, self-sacrifice, following instructions and remaining cool under fire (figuratively and literally). Probably not 21st century PC depiction of the Native Americans, but it wasn't derogatory either.

connections: the Little House books (is it the art?), Johnny Tremain, Winter Danger

My Side of the Mountain

My Side of the Mountain

Jean Craighead George

Newbery Honor Book 1960

After reading Paulsen's Hatchet books, it's tempting to lable this as "fantasy" -- c'mon, the kid's camping in the back yard talking to Disney animals compared to Brian's ordeal. ; )

Fun read, great ideas for budding wilderness challengers, if at times a bit farfetched and simplistic.

Farmer Boy

Farmer Boy

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1933/1971)

I have a soft spot for the Little House books; I received the set for my 8th birthday (still one of the top 3 birthdays of my life -- these books and a baseball glove & bat, all of which I still have around. Sentimental or Pathetic?) and read along with my teacher when she read them aloud to the class, plus my mom probably read them when she was growing up as well.

Anyway, I only have one son left to pass the treasured stories on to, the first 2 have rejected them soundly (without really giving the books a chance, I believe) due to lack of lasers, monsters, or appearance of any magic wands. Their loss.

I love this book in part for the food: pies, breads, ice cream, turkey, sausage, ribs, fresh berries... Almanzo is a hard-working growing frontier boy, and he appreciates his meals! I wonder if my boys have noticed I've stepped up their chores and duties since reading of the dawn to dusk work it takes to run a farm...

Charley Skedaddle

Charley Skedaddle

Patricia Beatty (1996)

Winter Danger

Winter Danger

William O. Steele (1954)

A boy and his father live the "woodsy" life, sleeping in hollow trees and hunting for food, until a extremely hard winter forces the father to leave the boy with relatives; the solitary, independent boy learns about family, community, depending on and helping others. Plus he has a cool battle with wolves.

connections: LHontheP, Hatchet

Guts

Guts: The True Stories Behind "Hatchet" and the Brian Books

by Gary Paulsen (2002)

Paulsen's childhood and adult adventures in the wilderness, focused mainly on hunting and flying; interesting, and good for students to see how real (and dangerous) some seemingly fun "adventures" can be, and also to point how important it can be to "write what you know" -- inspiration for those that can't think of anything to write...

Possible compare/contrast the true accounts and the fictionalized versions from his books.

While reading it, I did feel a little guilty whining when our temps here dropped below 60... brrrrr!

Brian's Winter

Brian's Winter

by Gary Paulsen (1996)

The hero of Hatchet gets a re-imagined adventure of not being rescued before winter... mostly deals with hunting, the cold, and survival techniques, but doesn't go very deep and personal as in the previous book. The ending seems quickly added once a certain number of were hit.

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

by Betty G.* Birney (2005)

A boy who wants to travel and see the world, or at least get off the farm and ride a train, looks around his small town for "wonders" and finds how special his family and neighbors really are. Well done characters, humor, strength of family and community, but also following your dreams, looking out into the wide world.

*are there a lot of other Betty Birneys out there she might get confused with?

Thimble Summer

Thimble Summer

by Elizabeth Enright

Newbery Medal 1938

Whoa, didn't realize this one was from so long ago... I've been trying to avoid some of the older books, (unnecessarily?) worrying about relevance and dated references, etc.... tales of a farm girl's constant mishaps -- she seems quite disrespectful, running off quite often with no apparent disciplinary consequences, but in the end she learns a little lesson...

connections: Little House...; Sarah, Plain and Tall; farm life