What is the best book YOU read this year? Who/What are you rooting for??? I love to talk about this every year, but seems like it's been pretty quiet and no one is talking much.
I have heard lots of chatter about Sherman Alexie's THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN which I haven't gotten to yet. I didn't even make his talk/booksigning in Albuquerque a couple of months ago. Right in my own backyard. I had another commitment that evening, but I've heard he's hilarious and the book superb, but I've gotten the impression it's a book more for YA's so maybe he's really in the Prinz category.
Here are the books I finished the year 2007 off with (read between Thanksgiving and New Year's.):
CHILDREN'S/YA:
THE AURORA COUNTY ALL-STARS by Deborah Wiles - This is definitely a Newbery contender. Loved it!
A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban - Another definite Newbery in the running. I adored it and, amazingly, I think I liked it even better than Wiles book even though I've been one of her fans since Ruby Lavender. Maybe it's because I grew up with an organ playing mother and I play myself, but I DID get to play the piano too and ended up a piano major in college.
CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY by Ally Carter
HOW TO RUIN A SUMMER VACATION by Simone Elkeles
TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS by Tina Ferraro
HOW TO TAKE THE EX OUT OF BOYFRIEND by Janette Rallison
ADULT BOOKS:
THE HIPPOPOTAMUS MARSH
THE OASIS ROAD
THE HORUS ROAD
All by Pauline Gedge - a trilogy of ancient Egypt, my research passion of the last three years or so
NEFERTITI: A NOVEL by Michelle Moran - another, um, Egypt book in case you couldn't tell, but Gedge's books are much better. Nefertiti was just annoying in this book and the characters were pretty one-dimensional.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO MORE DAYS BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
GIVE ME YOUR LOVES AND HATES AND HOPEFUL WINNERS!
GIVE ME YOUR LOVES AND HATES AND HOPEFUL WINNERS!
4 comments:
I read the beginning of a book by Angela Woolfe called Avril Crump and her Amazing Clones. Just at the beginning, it immediately struck me as Newberry-ish.
But....I'm not sure if it's from this year or not! But I liked the beginning.
I never pick the Newberrys. In fact if I love the book, there is no way it will every be nominated. Ah well.
How to Take the Ex Out of Boyfriend by Janette Rallison has my vote.
Hey Kaleb, I'll have to go find Avril Crump and Her Amazing Clones. What a great title! Sounds quirky and fun.
Janette - you sound like me. Everything I like never gets picked. Another wonderful book I read this year that got lots of buzz was MISS SPITFIRE about Annie Sullivan. A first novel that was terrific.
Candace - I agree, Janette's book was great! I love her YA romances! She is so funny and the characters so real. Too bad YA *girl* books never win. Pooh! Frankly, I think there should be a new awards category of award for that genre. I swear there are categories for everything else.
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