A Real Contender

The reviews written in advance of this book’s debut were certainly eye-catching. One independent bookstore’s newsletter (57th Street Books in Chicago’s Hyde Park) proclaimed it was “the best middle grade novel of the year” even though it is just July. It came up again on my radar and I noticed it was getting starred reviews–from everyone. So I ordered it last week to see for myself.

It is the real deal.
The book is “When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead. I was just finishing Neal Shusterman’s ”The Schwa Was Here” when the book arrived and I thought this new book had better be good. I enjoyed SCHWA–it was imaginative and humorous–exactly what I like in a middle grade novel.

Then I read Stead’s book. Whooaaa.

I finished it last night and I’m still thinking about it. The main character, Miranda, is a fan of “A Wrinkle in Time” and the book weaves that story into its storyline. WRINKLE must have come out when I was in my WWII books phase in grade school because I do not remember reading it then. Of course, now I’ll have to go and read it now, like right today.

So is WHEN YOU REACH ME the Newbery Award winner for the year? We’ll have to wait and see, but in my book, it’s a real contender.

The Evolution of a Bestseller

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh!

I get genuinely excited when I see new books by my friends, and today I got really excited. (I’m kinda like a book groupie.)

In the January WIRED magazine, there’s a round-up of upcoming books celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. And right smack dab in the middle of 1,000-page books from Harvard Press and other adult-type books, is friend Alice McGinty’s book Darwin. Yay! Here’s what Zelda Roland had to say about Alice’s book for 6 to 9 year olds:

“Darwin is a surprisingly sophisticated biography, incorporating verbatim excerpts from the naturalist’s own letters and diaries.

WHY CHARLIE WOULD LIKE IT: It’s a concise, compelling children’s introduction to a tricky and difficult subject. With meticulous source notes and an extensive bibliography, this is no Everyone Poops.”

Whoa! She gave the book a rating of 7 out of 10 (the ratings icons are evolutionary men). This is just the beginning of great reviews for Alice’s work, which isn’t out until April. Alice is the author of over 40 books, is a great writer and teacher, and I can’t wait to see this!!

And I almost forgot to mention that the book was illustrated by Mary Azarian, winner of the Caldecott Medal for Snowflake Bentley, which I love.

The inclusion of Alice’s picture book in this list of heavyweights is part of the emerging recognition by the world outside of kid lit for the excellence of children’s literature. Thank goodness people are starting to pay attention.