Children's Books discussion

Come join us to discuss the Medal Winner,
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

and/or the Honor books:
Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel by Avi (again)
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman (again)

I am looking forward to all three of these!

I read Shiloh in school years ago. I remember it was sad and it wasn't as good as Sounder. I will grab Avi's book at the library. It's on the challenged lists so I've been meaning to finally read it. I've only read his girl books and the ones set in Providence.

Great!

Ok, I'm home now and was set to order these from my local library. Turns out they have none of them! I'll have to check for archived copies on openlibrary.org.

I couldn't get Avi's book on the spot so I requested it. I've not been a huge fan of his writing style but I'll give it a try. I don't think I want to reread Shiloh unless it's not what I think I remember.

I'll report on it as soon as I can.

I read Shiloh on Overdrive/Libby. It's short, so wasn't difficult for me as an ebook. It's a provocative story of a boy who has to figure out what is right and wrong, when to save the life of the dog would be right according to the boy's understanding of what feels right, and what would Jesus do, etc., and wrong according to the law, because the dog does not belong to him.

It's a contemporary and historical story both, in that the people who live up in the mountains are bound by tradition, isolated, poor... but there are people in town who are much better off (one friend's family even has a computer).

All the contrasts of right/wrong, rich/poor, traditional/modern, gentle/strict, etc., would lead to excellent discussions in a classroom or homeschooling family. They're laid out naturally all through the story as our boy has to negotiate through them.

And then the end reveals how things are never quite that simple. It's not a matter of this or that, but rather this *and* that.(view spoiler)[Judd isn't purely wicked. The family turns out not to be quite so poor that they can't find scraps for a dog. The town boy loves visiting the mountain home of our family. Etc. (hide spoiler)]

I gave Nothing But the Truth (Scholastic Gold): A Documentary Novel four stars. Actually would've been 4.5.

Masterfully shows all the different points of view. There are no bad guys here. The AP is, almost, but he certainly wouldn't have thought of himself as such. The kid is kind of a brat, but he's 14, just trying to figure things out... and nobody is actually listening to him, hearing him out, giving him a chance to sort through what's happening.

The digital edition that I read on overdrive/Libby has plenty of notes to help the reader get more out of the story. I would add, were I teaching this Newbery book, that students consider what happens next. Pick a character, [perhaps I'd choose Philip's dad (poor man, telling his son to stick up for himself, living his dream of athleticism through his son)], and write another chapter about the repercussions of the whole affair for them.

Honestly, I have no idea why this book is sometimes challenged. It is, after all, very patriotic, and so should appeal to the conservatives. And liberals must appreciate the provocative ideas that a few of the characters come close to expressing. I thought it was wonderfully thoughtful and rich the first time I read it, decades ago, and still believe so. And it's still relevant.

Cheryl wrote: "Honestly, I have no idea why this book is sometimes challenged. It is, after all, very patriotic, and so should appeal to the conservatives. And liberals must appreciate the provocative ideas that a few of the characters come close to expressing. I thought it was wonderfully thoughtful and rich the first time I read it, decades ago, and still believe so. And it's still relevant.."

I can't find any reason why and only found it on one list so far. It hasn't been banned or challenged recently.

Oh good. Thanks!

Russell Freedman's The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane gets four stars from me.

Ok, it must be worthy of its Newbery Honor designation. Otherwise, why would I read every word in just one afternoon, when I have piles of other books waiting for me from the same library haul? I'm not even interested in aviation. I love that it was both about the inspirational, hard-working young men (and their mother, sister, and the rest of the family), and about the technical challenges & accomplishments. A youngster reading this, who is interested in aviation, would likely be thrilled. The photos and backmatter make it worthy of being kept in libraries even if the kids aren't currently interested.

This is an interesting and very timely book. I was 13 and in junior high across the river from Avi enjoying reading Jack London (I like White Fang better) and the classics but I'm pretty sure I was one of the only kids who did.

This story is told from so many different points of view, I don't think we ever learn what really happened. I do not think Philip was singing in a "loud, raucaus voice" because the other kids would have noticed and laughed. I do think the second time he was trying to get himself in trouble and out of Miss Narwin's home room.

The villain is the radio host, Rush Limbaugh type, who stirred the pot on purpose and stoked the fire for the American values people.

The homeroom teacher, the jokester, is also partly to blame because HE didn't model appropriate behavior.

I think the real villain is the time period when today Philip might be diagnosed with ADHD. It seemed that way to me at first anyway.

Do you think the last line of the book is true and if so, what the teacher said was wrong and what the media reported was wrong too. (view spoiler)[Philip claims he doesn't know the words to the Star Spangled Banner. (hide spoiler)]

Nothing But the Truth is definitely still interesting and timely.

He absolutely was not singing in a loud raucous voice, that was the teacher (iirc?) stubbornly making the case against Philip stronger. But, yes, a lot of adults contributed to this mess.

ADHD was being diagnosed readily in the early 90s. Too readily, by the late 90s. I don't think that diagnosis would fit Philip, myself. Children aren't supposed to be quiet little automatons, especially if it takes drugs to make them that way.

I certainly do think the last line of the book is true. I cried in empathy.

I'm glad you read this, and thank you for reporting back. Was it difficult to find in your library, because of being a target of book banners?

Cheryl wrote: "Nothing But the Truth is definitely still interesting and timely.

He absolutely was not singing in a loud raucous voice, that was the teacher (iirc?) stubbornly making the case again..."

The idea of someone actually getting suspended or expelled for singing the Star Spangled Banner or not being in favour of it really makes me livid but I am not surprised.

At my school, while we had to stand for Oh Canada, my teachers actually gave me the option not to sing with the other students because they knew that as a person of German background national anthems and standing up and singing them made me uncomfortable.

Cheryl wrote: "
I'm glad you read this, and thank you for reporting back. Was it difficult to find in your library, because of being a target of book banners?
."

No not at all. Avi wrote the book while he lived in the neighborhood. It takes place in NH so he may have moved by then. It hasn't been challenged recently. We ignore book banners around here.

It was an older book that had to be requested from the stacks at another library. I forgot I had it until I returned my other books to the library and unearthed it on my night stand! I read the whole thing in one night.

I did not like Philip or his parents. I sympathized with Miss Narwin who was trying to help him with whatever his problem was. Kids don't easily appreciate those kinds of teachers. I didn't until I went to college and majored in literature. OMG that was a eye opening experience!

QNPoohBear wrote: "Cheryl wrote: "
I'm glad you read this, and thank you for reporting back. Was it difficult to find in your library, because of being a target of book banners?
."

No not at all. Avi wrote the book ..."

For me, university was also an eye-opening experience but totally for the better. At school, I had to take math and other courses that always pulled my marks down, at university, majoring in German and French and NO longer needing to take math, PE, modern dance, physics etc., my marks really skyrocketed.

My university professors were golden compared to my nasty and opinionated high school physics, PE and math teachers.