Caldecott and Newbery Medals 1993

Caldecott Medal, 1993

Mirette On the High Wire was written and illustrated by popular artist Emily Arnold McCully. It is the story of Mirette who learns tightrope walking from Monsieur Bellini, a guest in her mother’s boardinghouse. The illustrations convey the height of Mirette crossing the courtyard and Bellini crossing Niagara Falls. It is the story of a young girl who learns from a master and how she, the student, gave him the courage he lost during one of his tightrope accidents.



Newbery Medal, 1993

Missing May was written by Cynthia Rylant. The illustrated cover conveys so well what happens in this story. May and Ob are an elderly couple who live in a trailer and adopt Summer when she is six years old. After another six years May dies while tending her garden. The cover shows May and Ob and a friend Cletus looking toward the sky. They are looking for a sign from May who has meant so much to both Ob and Summer. Will May somehow send a message to them? This is a sad, lovely book with a happy ending.

Book Reviews by Susan Berry

Caldecott and Newbery Medals 1988

Caldecott Medal, 1988

Owl Moon was written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr and for those pictures it was given the Caldecott Medal. This is a quiet story – for as Pa says, “If you go owling you have to be quiet” – about a walk in the woods on a cold, “snowy white night.” The words convey quiet and respect which the watercolor illustrations support beautifully. This is a special book, a classic really, and ought to be in every child’s library. Hint: Read this book in the dark with a flashlight.


Newbery Medal, 1988

Lincoln: A Photobiography was written by Russell Fieldman and is a short (131 pages) story of Abraham Lincoln’s life. Nearly half of the pages in this book are filled with photos and illustrations about Lincoln’s life. This is a very readable history/biography book that tells and shows how Lincoln grew and changed. The photos that show the assassination and the crowds during all the funeral services are especially poignant. This is a fascinating way to introduce history to young readers.

Book Reviews by Susan Berry

Caldecott and Newbery Medals 1984

Caldecott Medal, 1984

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blerot was written by Alice and Martin Provensen. This true story happened in 1909 – eighteen years before Lindbergh’s flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Told with vivid illustrations and lots of humor this book tells how Louis Bleriot learned to fly a glider, then an aeroplane across the English channel in just thirty-seven minutes. A sweet story!



Newbery Medal, 1984

Dear Mr. Henshaw is another popular book by Beverly Cleary. This is a book of letters (one letter per page) written by a boy named Leigh whose truck-driver
Dad left his family. Mr. Henshaw and Leigh are both writers (Mr. Henshaw is a published author whose books Leigh has read.) who become friends as they write to one another. Quick read – Leigh is in middle school but even third graders would enjoy this book.

Book Reviews by Susan Berry

June is Netsafety Month

As the school year winds down and kids begin their summer vacation, they tend to spend more time online. The month of June is National Internet Safety Month, when educators and parents can learn how to keep kids safe online and teach how to use online technology responsibly.

To learn more, visit these web sites.

This web site from NEA's Health Information Network (HIN), in partnership with Sprint, provides tools for adults to help kids connect safely. Educators and parents also can subscribe to the bimonthly e-newsletter offering the latest news and resources on Internet safety.

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Sprint opens the lines of communication about Internet safety. The program was created in partnership with NEA's Health Information Network (HIN).

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Caldecott and Newbery Medals 2012

Caldecott Medal, 2012

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka is the 2012 Caldecott winner. This delightful, wordless picture book shows Daisy the dog playing happily with her bright red ball with her friend – another dog. Then the ball pops. The ending is sweet and is a true glimpse into the friendship of two dogs – maybe all of us. I “read” this book to a class of four-year olds. They were fascinated. Me too!



Newbery Medal, 2012

Dead-End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos is this year’s Newberry winner. This young adult book is set in the small town of Norvelt. It is a story of old people dying, and eccentric Miss Volker writing their obituaries. Jack is the narrator, who loves to read and loves to help Miss Volker by typing all those obituaries. This feels like a book for a middle-school student.

Book Reviews by Susan Berry

Parents Across America Action Alert

This, from Parents Across America...

PAA Action Alert

Tell your congresspeople: Parent "choice" is not parent voice

On Wednesday of this week, a House education subcommittee held a hearing, supposedly on parent engagement. It is clear, though, that House leaders narrowly define parent engagement as choice using charters, parent trigger laws and vouchers.

You can read PAA's response here. We sent letters detailing our concerns to subcommittee chair Rep. Duncan Hunter and members of the House and Senate education committees.

PAA believes (and polls agree) that most parents want better schools in their own communities, not more school closings and privatization. But our voices need to be heard in Washington, D.C., where they "choose" to listen to charter operators and other corporate reformers, not parents.

So, we're asking you to e-mail your U.S. representative and senators with a quick message. Put "Parent choice is not parent voice" in the subject line and, for the message, write something like this: "As a parent, I do not choose privatization, charter schools, vouchers, or trigger laws. I expect you, my representative in Congress, to fight for a quality education for every child and high-quality neighborhood schools where I have a real voice in school policies and programs, and my child has experienced teachers, small class sizes, quality preschool and kindergarten programs, a rich curriculum with fewer tests, and a safe, healthy environment."

A phone call to their local office would be even better! Let us know how they respond!

Join Massachusetts parents and others in standing up against Stand for Children

PAA Oregon member Susan Barrett wrote a ground-breaking post for PAA's blog last July, exposing the way a formerly grass-roots group had been taken over by corporate reformers with an agenda very different from the group's original purpose.

The same thing has now happened in Massachusetts, where 39 former Stand for Children activists have posted a letterand a petitionagainst a SFC ballot measure that promotes a corporate reform agenda: "Venture capitalists and deep-pocketed corporate foundations, such as Bain Capital and the Walton Family Foundation, are moving aggressively to remake MA public schools based on their right-wing ideology. They are funding "Stand for Children" to sell a ballot initiative that would undermine our children's learning environment and sharply restrict teacher job protections. Don't let them do in Massachusetts what they did to Illinois!"

Let's support our fellow activists! Sign the MA petition!

Caldecott and Newbery Medals 2011

Caldecott Medal, 2011

A Sick Day for Amos McGee was written by Philip Stead and illustrated by Erin Stead. This 2011 Caldecott winner is the story of sweet Amos the zookeeper and all his animal friends. But one day Amos gets a cold and misses a day of work at the zoo. Who will take care of Amos? Read and see! This is one of my most favorite picture books ever – for any age.



Newbery Medal, 2011

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool is a compilation of many of the stories the author heard as a young girl. These stories are woven into the life of twelve-year old Abilene whose father Gideon sends her to live with his old friend Shady. And then enters Miss Sadie, the best storyteller of all, who gives clues about this small town’s little mysteries to Abilene and her friends. This story has delightful stories and seems appropriate for middle schoolers.

Book Reviews by Susan Berry