I love so many Newbery winners. From those time periods, there are, of course, the Little House and Marguerite Henry books. Roller Skates, Gone-Away Lake (honor) and Johnny Tremain are among my favorite books period. I really liked The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Rifles for Watie, the wonderful Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, The Wheel on the School, Miss Hickory, Strawberry Girl, Adam of the Road, Blue Willow (honor) and Caddie Woodlawn. I think most of those would be suitable for middle schoolers, except perhaps The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Rifles for Watie, mostly because they're about older teens and they have kissing in them.
Yeah, we're building a race of frog-people. It's a good time
Xander ,'Selfless'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Ginger - Feb 06, 2009 12:29:40 pm PST #8415 of 28431
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
megan walker - Feb 06, 2009 12:45:23 pm PST #8416 of 28431
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
I think most of those would be suitable for middle schoolers, except perhaps The Witch of Blackbird Pond
I know I read this well before high school. And that was back in the innocent days.
I was using a "Books for Girls" book as a reference for gift-giving to my niece and I gave Blackbird to her when she was 10 (based on whatever age range they had).
That was a good guide; I almost wish I hadn't given it away in the move.
Ginger - Feb 06, 2009 12:50:08 pm PST #8417 of 28431
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
I think I was 9 or 10 myself, but my reading was so eclectic that I don't really know what age group reads what.
Hil R. - Feb 06, 2009 1:18:25 pm PST #8418 of 28431
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
We read Witch of Blackbird Pond in school in sixth grade.
Amy - Feb 06, 2009 4:13:06 pm PST #8419 of 28431
Because books.
I STILL love The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Also Caddie Woodlawn and Roller Skates and Strawberry Girl.
Wow, now I wish I had all of my childhood books right here to page through.
Hil R. - Feb 06, 2009 4:23:33 pm PST #8420 of 28431
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
They're making a movie of Beezus and Ramona. [link] The girl playing Ramona is 9. Isn't she supposed to be about 5 in that book?
sj - Feb 06, 2009 8:00:16 pm PST #8421 of 28431
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
She's five in at least one of the books. I think I read every Beverly Cleary as a child.
Fay - Feb 06, 2009 10:31:47 pm PST #8422 of 28431
"Fuck Western ideologically-motivated gender identification!" Sulu gasped, and came.
I'm reading Ramona the Pest with one of my kids right now, and Ramona's just starting Kindergarten. fwiw.
Hil R. - Feb 07, 2009 5:29:56 am PST #8423 of 28431
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
OK, and Beezus and Ramona comes before Ramona the Pest. So yeah, totally wrong age. They also case Selena Gomez as Beezus, and she's about 15 or so, I think -- Beezus in that book should be maybe 12?
Jessica - Feb 07, 2009 6:42:47 am PST #8424 of 28431
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
With the youngest Fanning now in grade school, I suspect they just couldn't find a 5 year-old mature enough to carry a feature film.