I was very excited to see a diverse slate of books honored throughout the awards and I was especially thrilled that one of my tip top favorites, The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, came away with multiple awards (Schneider Family Book Award, Newbery Honor, and an Odyssey Award for the audiorecording).
The BIG SHOCK of the morning is that a picture book won the Newbery Medal!! It was a book I read back when it came out and didn't think too much more about, but I'm certainly glad the Newbery Committee was on it! As you may know, the age range for the Newbery Medal is 0-14, but it's been a long time since a picture book or easy reader was honored.
I came home to reread this book today and was delighted to find such sensory details as:
"The bus creaked to a stop in front of them. It sighed and sagged and the doors swung open."
Think for a minute about getting on a city bus. Isn't that exactly how it sounds?
I appreciate bits in the text that almost rhyme without becoming singsongy like:
"CJ looked around as he stepped off the bus. Crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded up stores."
No, this book is not a novel. It doesn't have to be. I think it's a perfect book for what it is - a story about a young child experiencing the sights and sounds of the city around him as he travels with his nana to the last stop on Market Street. As I reread this book tonight, it reminded me of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats for its colorful depiction of city life and that's another one that I love to read out loud.
I read it to Howie and he loved it, too.
What did you think of the award winners??
