Penny from Heaven

I recently decided that I am going to read (or attempt to read) all of the Newbery Award and Newbery Honor books. Not just for 2008, but for 2007, 2006, 2005...all the way to the beginning. I decided to start with 2008 because the first book that won the award, frankly, did not sound that appealing.

The beginning is 1922! Yikes! I know this is a great task, but I believe I will experience so many great types of stories and that excites me. The Newbery acknowledges great children's literature (not to be confused with the Caldecott Award for illustrations).

I know I should have started sooner in the summer because this fall I will be so busy. But, I will make time to read whether at night or on the weekends. So far I have read: Elijah of Buxton, The Wednesday Wars, and Feathers. The best one (in my beginner's opinion) out of these three is Elijah of Buxton. This book takes place during the slavery era in Canada and it will have you laughing at many points, pondering at others, and even crying toward the end. It is very well done. Christopher Paul Curtis is such an amazing writer, and he is from Michigan! The other two books take place in middle schools during the 1960's and 1970's and are also very good.

So three books down, many, many, many to go. It is going to be a fun literary journey. Let me now of any you have read and your opinion on them.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend! (Currently I am reading Penny from Heaven.)