I recently read the 2006 Newbery Medal winner. Winner is exactly right! It is an absolutely charming book.
Ten-year-old Lucky's mom is dead, and her dad has nothing to do with her. In fact, when Lucky's mom dies, he invites his first wife to come to California from France to take care of the child -- just until a suitable guardian can be found, or so he says. Brigitte has been wanting to come to America for a long time and this seems like the perfect opportunity. Unfortunately for Brigitte, Lucky lives in the Mojave Desert, so it's not really the America/California shown on French television.
Hence Lucky's concern that Brigitte will give up and go back to France. Lucky knows from listening in on a variety of 12-step meetings that a Higher Power can help, even when you've hit bottom, so surely He? She? It? can help her keep Brigitte from abandoning her.
This is a beautiful story about love and family and the importance of punctuation. I'm eager to hear what the rest of you think!
Reading Rants Redux!
3 months ago
7 comments:
But Lindi, what about the controversy surrounding this book?
Should have mentioned: this book is suitable for 3rd graders and up. It would be a lovely read-aloud for families or classes.
IMHO the controversy surrounding this book is completely unwarranted. For those of you who don't know about it, the book has been in the news because on the first page, Lucky overhears the word "scrotum" and some people think that word doesn't belong in a children's book. To them I say, read the book. Lucky is a budding scientist, so it's not at all surprising that she would recognize a technical-sounding word and wonder what it means. Kids hear much worse, and how teachers and parents respond is what's important, not some notion that kids must be protected from . . . what exactly? The correct term for a body part? I stand by my statement about the age appropriateness of this wonderful book.
Hmmm, it'll be good when some students start commenting, but we just started this yesterday... Anyway, what the heck is wrong with people? Words are powerful, but good grief. Next thing you know, somebody will get all bent out of shape about the word 'navel' or maybe 'cheek', 'cause after all, there are two different kinds of cheeks...
I also want to mention my book recommendation coup of the week. Drum roll, please. I got a 5th grade student to check out Donna Jo Napoli's Breath, a novel that elaborates on the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. She is known for her novelizations of folk tales (Zel is my favorite). This one is one of the most bizarre stories I've read in a long time. I recommend reading the postscript before diving into the novel, otherwise you might have a hard time figuring out what she's trying to describe. Let's hear it for the intrepid student who was willing to read this weird, yet oddly intriguing, book.
I deleted my last comment, which was the same as this, because there was a typo in it and it was driving me NUTS.
I read this book last night and loved it. It is said that fiction readers are generally drawn to one of four qualities in a book: plot, characters, setting or language. I like beautiful writing and unusual settings. This book has both of those qualities (plus wonderfully-drawn characters for such a short book). I love the Mojave desert setting, not the California that most of us are familiar with. Words are so carefully chosen, sentences beautifully crafted, yet it's not self-consciously literary. The story is not terribly original, but it doesn't have to be because it's one that moves us all-- someone finding a place to belong.
And the drawings, sigh. Lovely.
Keep up the good work.
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