Onward to the 1960s! I was passingly familiar with half of these books before ever even thinking about reading all the Newbery Award Winners.
Books that I read longer ago I may wish to give a different number of stars to because in the early days I had a tendency to give books 5 stars no matter if I liked them or adored them.
Another really good decade - the first with 2 books in the top ten list, a feat also achieved by the 90s and 00s. I'm inclined to believe that this due to the fact that I consumed a lot of media from the 1960s since that was my parents childhood.
A Wrinkle in Time (1963) - 5 Stars - Not only my favorite Newbery book but one of my favorite books ever.
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1961) - 5 Stars - A really great read by an author that has an amazing repertoire. I can read this book over and over again. There are a couple historic notes that would be worth including in notes in the book.
The High King (1969) - 5 Stars - Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and Chronicles of Prydain are such a great series - this book only rates so-so as a stand-alone, but as a conclusion it is great!
The Bronze Bow (1962) - 4 Stars - Like a spin-off episode of Bible - the Show. This was a really nice read with a great Christian message.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1968) - 4 Stars - One of those classics that is very nearly timeless. You can really tell that Konigsburg was a very popular and beloved author to many, she and her works are often referenced by name in current literature.
Onion John (1960) - 3 Stars - Most of this book was a little slow (hence three stars) but the ending father-son moment. *Chef's Kiss*
I, Juan de Pareja (1966) - 4 Stars - Another school book that I liked better now than when I was actually in school. Skirts dangerously close to the same troubles that Amos Fortune does regarding slavery - saved primarily through an author's note concerning the Civil Rights Movement.
Shadow of a Bull (1965) - 3 Stars - Easy enough read, explains one boy's dilemma about legacy vs dreams in the different context of bullfighting.
It's Like This, Cat (1964) - 2 Stars - A really weak story that fails to have any satisfying conclusions.
Up a Road Slowly (1967) - 2 Stars - Slow being a great descriptor here.
Recommendation of the Decade
A Wrinkle in Time is an absolute classic and with good reason. I think it is just as good today as it was when it was first published. I've read it multiple times and it never fails to disappoint. It works great both as a stand-alone and as part of a larger series. It also seems to defy classification into a genre: it could fit into fantasy or sci-fi obviously - but it has great themes of growing-up, family, love, creativity, knowledge, and so much more! Please just take my advice and read it! It seems to be one of those classically unfilm-able books. Showing either film to someone that has read the books is likely to elicit a series of - "that wasn't in the book"; show the film to someone that hasn't read the book and be prepared for lots of confusion.
No comments:
Post a Comment