The Courage of Sarah Noble 1955 Medal Winner ****

The Courage of Sarah Noble is about a young girl who is left behind to live with Indians while her father goes to bring back the rest of her family. She learns to be brave and discovers that the Indians are just as loving and kind as her own family.

This was a very short story that I listened to on tape. The beginning stated that the story was based on some historical facts, that a young girl was indeed left behind to live with a family of Indians in the new America. My girls were with me listening to the story and really enjoyed the tale. I think this would be a good book to read before talking about race relations and how we feel about others from other countries.

Johnny Tremain 1944 Medal Winner ***

Johnny Tremain is about a boy who lives in Boston just as the Revolutionary War beguns. A silversmith apprentice, he injures his hand and can no longer learn his trade. He meets rebels such as Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and others who speak of war to rid English rule. He is able to participate in the Boston Tea Party and attend meetings as the leaders try to figure out how to defeat the British.

From what I understand this book is supposed to be a classic. I was frankly disappointed and feel that I'm being very generous giving it three stars. First of all, Johnny Tremain is not a likeable character. His pride and ignorance really is frustrating to me as a reader. Just as I think that I really hate this guy, he has a sudden change of heart and decides to become a different person by losing his personality altogether. Now instead of hating Johnny, I don't care about him at all. I was really hoping this book would teach me about the events leading up to the Revolutionary War, but for some reason the author makes him crippled and he sleeps through the first battles. So he wakes up and gets to learn about what happened just as anyone would by reading a history book. Towards the end I felt that the author was just as bored with the story as I was and decided to just end it. And frankly, I was glad when it did.

Charlotte's Web 1953 Honor Book *****

Charlotte's Web is about a pig named Wilbur that is saved by Fern from certain death, only to discover that his days are numbered on Zuckerman's Farm. Charlotte, a common gray spider, comes to the rescue and his life is saved for a second time. Wilbur then learns that Charlotte's life is ending but he can't return the favor.

I listened to this book on tape read by the author E.B. White. At first it was distracting to hear about life on a farm read with a Boston accent, but soon I just settled in to listen to the story. It's such a sweet story but also powerful. What are we willing to do for a friend? This a great book to inspire children's imagination and to teach them about sacrifice and friendship. I think this book should be in everyone's personal library.

The Upstairs Room 1973 Honor Book *****

The Upstairs Room is based on the author's experiences hiding during World War II in Holland in the room upstairs with her sister.

I've always been interested in WWII and especially the Holocaust. Genocide is such a strange part of our human race. This book really helps a reader understand not only what it was like for the Jews who went into hiding, but what life was like for those brave Gentiles who hid them. No one knew how long the war would last, and many didn't truly understand what it was they were hiding from. These sisters thought it would just be for a few months that turned into years. After hearing this book on tape, I feel like I have a greater appreciation for the small things that I take advantage of almost daily, sunshine, being able to walk long distances, a wide selection of books that I can read any time I want, eating on a plate, being able to wave hello to strangers, and so many other things that I do without even thinking about it. I think this book would be a great way to introduce the horrors of WWII to young children. It can spark deeper discussions like, "Why were they hiding?", "Who was Hitler?", "What would have happened to the Gentiles if they had been caught?"

Because of Winn-Dixie 2001 Honor Book ****

Because of Winn-Dixie is about a girl name India Opal who moves with her father a preacher to a small town and finds a dog in the local Winn-Dixie. She able to make friends and have lots of adventures because of Winn-Dixie.

I really enjoyed the movie and the book is very close to the movie. It's so fun to listen to the stories, makes me wish I could go to Fanny's library and listen to her while sucking on lozenges. I wonder what my sorrow would taste like.

Hope Was Here 2001 Honor Book ****

Hope is a girl without a father and mother and raised by her aunt moving from place to place. They leave bustling New York to go to a rural town in Wisconsin to run a diner. There she waitresses and gets involved in city politice helping the diner's owner fight the corrupt mayor. She also must deal with her past and that she had a father who left and mother who wouldn't raise her. Spoiler: There is a death at the end.

I listened to Hope Was Here on CD and the cover said for 10 and up. Ummm.... I'm not so sure about that. I would probably say 14 and up. I don't know how much a 10 year old would be interested in teenage love, city politics and fighting leukemia. I did find the story intriguing and touching and liked the development of characters. I feel as though if I were to walk into Welcome Stairways I could sit right down and tell Flo that I'd like the meatloaf and apple pie which is Addie's speciality.

Sounder 1970 Medal Winner ****

Sounder is a story of a boy whose father and dog disappear the same day. His father is sent to jail for stealing a ham to feed his starving family and his dog is shot trying to prevent the white men from taking his dad. The boy must learn to adjust to life without the comfort of his father and search for his dog who he thinks has left to died in the woods.

This is probably the most beautifully written Newbery I've read so far. The imagery is akin to poetry. While the story was interesting (similar to Adam of the Road) it was written in a way that made reading a true pleasure. There were times I would reread a sentence or a paragraph just to marvel and his amazing way of explaining the simplest of scenes. When I get the chance I would love to find out what else this author has written.