2017 Reading Challenge discussion

It was interesting to read a Newbery Award book that I had not read (there are many), and I don't know how to put myself into the minds of my readers for this one. Certainly, they could relate to the divorce situation and feelings of loneliness. However, I felt that the fact that the book was one-sided (the character talked about the letters he received from his favorite author, but we never did) was an interesting vehicle for moving the book along. I guess I found something dissatisfying about the book...and I don't know why. Maybe it was the flip between diary/letter (which I guess was necessary if the author in the book kept telling the main character Leigh that he was a busy person...I dunno. It left me wondering more about what the panelists saw in this particular piece that made it an award winner (no offense to Mrs. Cleary is intended...she brought me great joy as a young reader). I suppose that Strider, which is the second book with Leigh as a character, might make me feel more satisfied with Leigh's situation. After all, the world isn't full of happy endings, even though the one in Dear Mr. Henshaw was a reasonable one, although not a happy one.