As we were saying last Saturday . . . you just can’t predict what the Newbery committee is going to do. Trends have been toward diversity, disability, and difficulty; books that show children in adverse, even desperate circumstances often get Newbery nods. (That’s why I was so sure The Thing about Jellyfish would be on the list.) But this year’s top winner is sunny, optimistic, even Christian in outlook. That might be because it’s a picture book for 3-6 year-olds!
Last Stop on Market Street opens with CJ (apparently of Hispanic heritage) and his grandma walking to
Technically, the Newbery is awarded to “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”—it doesn’t indicate the age of the children. Still, there are unwritten boundaries that peg the Newbery for readers in the middle-grade range, and the Caldecott medal for preschoolers and early readers. This year, Last Stop scored in both categories, sweeping up a Caldecott honor medal as well as Newbery gold. The only other time this happened was in 1982, with A Visit to William Blake’s Inn. But in that case, the text was better suited to middle readers than lap-sitters.
What does it mean? I can think of two possibilities, one not so good and the other very good. First, I’m a little uncomfortable about the ALA award committees, especially for the two highest-profile awards, disregarding tradition and age distinctions. Last year the Caldecott committee chose six honor books, including a graphic novel called This One Summer, which I would classify as YA even though the main characters are thirteen years old. This One Summer has some positive attributes, but it took on issues like lesbianism, adolescent sexuality, suicide, and unwed pregnancy with a relativistic worldview and foul language. Again, the award description did not technically disqualify it, but the selection raises havoc with general perception and tradition. Is crossing unspoken boundaries a new trend?
But at the same time, the Last Stop on Market Street pick makes me wonder if we’re getting just a little weary of relentless negativism in children’s literature. For the last many decades, Newbery committees have favored sad stories or “problem” stories: parent problems, disability problems, social-issue problems, etc. Most have some sort of happy or at least positive ending, but “excellence” is usually associated with “serious.” (Even last year’s winner, which we liked a lot for its exuberant language and strong family ties, featured the death of a parent.) Might Last Stop on Market Street indicate a tentative step back toward simple happiness? Not that we’re out of the dark woods by any means, but pendulums only swing so far.
Megan made a stab at predicting the Caldecott winners, and scored with Waiting and Last Stop on
Winners of the Prinz list, given for YA literature, are often crammed with controversial titles and socially-relevant themes. This year, not so much. Out of Darkness, set in 1930s East Texas, is straight-up historical fiction that takes on racial and ethnic prejudice with a real-life disaster as centerpiece. The Ghosts of Heaven is hard to classify—like Echo, it weaves separate stories together but spreads out over all of recorded history. This years’ winner, Bone Gap, is rather remarkable for having little that’s objectionable by way or language or content. Though it centers around a young girl’s abduction, with some threatening (but not explicit) sexual themes, it rounds off to a positive conclusion.
Once the awards are announced, libraries rush to buy all the titles they’ve neglected so far and chances are you’ll see them prominently displayed. The good news is, none of these books should cause serious concern.
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I was shocked with the Newbery pick and wondered what it meant too. I hadn’t even heard of it since I teach 7th grade and it wasn’t on my radar. Like you, I’d like to believe that the shift is moving from “serious issues” to good stories. We must remember that children don’t read books like adults. They bring less experience to what they read. The fact that big issue books have been winning awards over the past years often flies over kid’s heads and those books languish on the shelves. Although last years win is really popular once I booktalk it to students; until then no students know about it.
Another thought I’ve been kicking around since last year is the fact that awards seem to be going to non-traditional books. Last year the three awards were given to 2 verse novels and a graphic novel. This year it was a picture book and a graphic novel. What is this trend saying about reading and young people?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Beth,
You make some great points here! I think the growth in graphic fiction and nonfiction is just beginning, so we’ll see more graphic titles showing up on award lists. I agree with you about the Newbery “problem” books–either the kids don’t relate, or they don’t want to be depressed any further! Humor scores big with them, but not so much with the award committees. A humorous novel that still has literary value and wholesome themes would ring all my bells, and Roller Girl comes close. Though I wouldn’t have picked a picture book for the Newbery (still scratching my head over that one) I’m pleased Last Stop on Market Street won in several categories. But then, I wonder if today’s Newbery committees are trying too hard to think outside the box.