SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Book Discussion
  • Heavy Medal Mock
  • Process

December 4, 2009 by Jonathan Hunt

War and Peace

December 4, 2009 by Jonathan Hunt   6 comments

War and peace are very much in the public consciousness nowadays and it’s no surprise, therefore, that many of the excellent books published this past year touch on these themes.  Here are some of the most prominent ones, organized thematically and viewed through the Newbery lens. 
 
THE CIVIL WAR
 
We’ve already mentioned A SAVAGE THUNDER by Jim Murphy, but RIOT by Walter Dean Myers takes us away from the madness of the battlefield to the festering civil unrest—the race and class tensions–in New York City that results in the Draft Riots.  The screenplay format will be challenging to child readers.  While I personally like this format, Julius Lester’s DAY OF TEARS sets the standard, and RIOT doesn’t quite approach that level of distinction. 
  
WORLD WAR I
 
Likewise, we’ve mentioned TRUCE by Jim Murphy, but not CROSSING STONES by Helen Frost, a verse novel with an ensemble cast which features one character who leaves to fight in the war and another who remains at home, outspoken in her opposition.  Like RIOT, this is a young adult novel with appeal to older children.  It‘s not a book that you’d typically associate with the Newbery, but then again neither was THE SURRENDER TREE.
 
LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld is a completely different treatment of World War I, an alternative history coupled with the antiquated and futuristic elements that define the steampunk subgenre of science fiction.  This book skews younger than Westerfeld’s typical YA fare, the writing and the world-building represent the author at his best, and this is the first book in the series.  All those favors work for the book.  What works against it is the slow beginning, the long page count, and the abrupt cliffhanger ending.     
 
WORLD WAR II
 
We‘ve already mentioned TROPICAL SECRETS, notable for its different perspective–Holocaust refugees in Cuba–if not for its literary distinction.  Another interesting WWII perspective that has escaped mention–and probably has a better shot at Newbery recognition–is WAR GAMES in which Audrey Couloumbis fictionalizes the boyhood story of her husband, Akila Couloumbis.  The setting–Nazi-occupied Greece during World War II–is fully realized while the family dynamic plays out against the backdrop of larger political events.   
 
THE VIETNAM WAR
 
In ALL THE BROKEN PIECES by Ann Burg, an adopted Vietnamese-American boy assimilates into American culture even as he is haunted by the war in his past: "We did not talk about / the American War, / how tanks lumbered / in the roads / like drunken elephants, / and bombs fell / from the sky / like dead crows."  Like CROSSING STONES and TROPICAL SECRETS, this is a verse novel—probably the one with the best chance of Newbery recognition.   
 
THE WAR IN IRAQ
 
Jacqueline Woodson is on quite a roll, earning three Newbery Honors in four years.  Lonnie is one of her more endearing characters and when he returns in PEACE, LOCOMOTION one of the things on his mind is his foster brother who has just returned home from the fighting in Iraq.
  
Brother, a sensitive young boy from the sheepherding country of eastern Oregon, also has family committed to the conflict in Iraq and it worries him just as much.  Rosanne Parry tells his story in the quiet, but memorable HEART OF A SHEPHERD.

None of the aformentioned books strike me as the Medal winner.  The one with the best chance at an Honor is HEART OF A SHEPHERD, but all of them are worthy of discussion, if not serious consideration.     

 
 
 
 

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt is the Coordinator of Library Media Services at the San Diego County Office of Education. He served on the 2006 Newbery committee, and has also judged the Caldecott Medal, the Printz Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. You can reach him at hunt_yellow@yahoo.com

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

January 2023

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Webcast Results

by Jonathan Hunt

December 2022

Calling all Mock Newbery Enthusiasts: Join the 2023 Heavy Medal Award Committee

by Jonathan Hunt

October 2022

Two More Titles: November Nomination Time

by Jonathan Hunt

September 2022

85 Books to Consider: Mock Newbery Suggestions Updated

by Jonathan Hunt

June 2022

Mock Newbery Update - Our List of First Half Suggestions

by Jonathan Hunt

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Your 2023 Caldecott Comment Card

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late? by Crockett Johnson

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Evil Secret Society of Cats | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Philosophy and/as/of Literature, a guest post by Amy Zhang

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Ringing in the Newbery (and Caldecott): An awards-trivia smackdown with Betsy Bird and Travis Jonker

2021 Youth Media Awards Winners

A Grateful Michaela Goade Makes Caldecott History

Children’s Publishing World Reacts to Michaela Goade's History-Making Caldecott Medal, Rest of the YMA Winners

Susan Cooper on her Wartime Childhood and How Writing Is "Fed by My Unconscious" | The Newbery at 100

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Doret says

    December 4, 2009 at 6:59 pm

    I enjoy a lot of Walter Dean Myers novels but Riot just didn’t work for me.

    I was excited when I heard Riot, since its only the second YA book that I know of that mentions the NYC Draft Riots.

    The first being A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott, which I loved.

    I was looking forward to comparing the two books as it relates to the Draft Riots.

    As far as the Newbery is concerned have you considered Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown. Its set during the Civil War.

    Not many people are talking about it. Though the little I’ve heard has all been praise.

    I am looking forward to reading Black Angels this week.

  2. Jonathan Hunt says

    December 5, 2009 at 8:10 am

    Doret, I, too, am a big Walter Dean Myers fan, but I likewise found RIOT a disappointment.

    I haven’t read BLACK ANGELS, but the description is interesting and the cover striking. Let us know what you think when you finish reading it.

    Have you read FLYGIRL by Sherri Smith? It’s the story of a young African American woman who passes as white to be a female pilot, therefore freeing up male pilots for WWII combat.

  3. Doret says

    December 5, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    Yes, I really enjoyed Flygirl.

    Read a wonderful biography this year – Sky High The true Story of Maggie Gee by Marissa Gee.

    Maggie Gee was one of only two Chinese Women to serve in WASP during WWII.

    Also, I loved Mare’s War by Tanita Davis. On a road trip, a grandmother tells her granddaughters about her time serving in Women’s Army Corp, during WWII

    I started Black Angels. So far so good. I really like the characters.

    I always believe that a character is only as young as their situation will allow them to be. A child growing up during a war must be more mature. All three of have a level of maturity but at the same time they are still children.

    Linda Beatrice Brown was interviewed earlier in the year at The Brown Bookshelf

  4. leslie c says

    December 7, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    Day of the Pelican by Paterson is another good war book to consider. A family in the Kosovo War, and it ties in to the aftermath of 9-1-1 too.

  5. the Brain Lair says

    December 9, 2009 at 6:09 pm

    Loved Crossing Stones and of the three verse novels I thought it was the best. The voices were vivid and realistic. I alternated between liking and disliking Day of the Pelican bcuz Paterson’s voice kept creeping into the narrative and distracting me. I thought Heart of a Shepherd was beautiful but predictable and Tropical Secrets voice changes was a little jarring.

    What about Born to Fly by Ferrari?

  6. Doret says

    December 10, 2009 at 10:42 am

    I finished Black Angels. The book has a great premise and I thought the beginning was good. Though it lost me early on.

    I thought Day of the Pelican was a good. Though I don’t think it stands out enough.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Other Mock Newbery Sites

    • Anderson’s Bookshops
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Reads Mock Newbery
    • Northport-East Northport PL
    • Rhode Island OLIS
  • Resources

    • Jen J's Starred Reviews Spreadsheet
    • Newbery Manual
    • Newbery Medal & Honor Books
    • Newbery Terms & Criteria
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023