Comments on: Is the Newbery Award (gulp) a deterrent? http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/2008/12/16/is-the-newbery-award-gulp-a-deterrent/ by Kristin Fontichiaro Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:19:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Sherry Jasper http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/2008/12/16/is-the-newbery-award-gulp-a-deterrent/#comment-8570 Sherry Jasper Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:11:32 +0000 http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/2008/12/16/is-the-newbery-award-gulp-a-deterrent/#comment-8570 So glad to hear someone of "authority" voice this opinion. I haven't purchased the last 3 Newbery winners (not honor books) for the simple reason that I know my audience and I know they won't read them. My elementary school is in a blue collar neighborhood and I think The Tale of Despereaux was the last great Newbery winner that appealed to my students. Getting them to read a Newbery winner is like pulling teeth. The majority of the books simply do not "speak" to them. I think both the Newberry and Caldecott committee members are out of touch with what kids find interesting today. I know this is not the purpose of the awards but hey, who are they writing the books for anyway? Maybe if we had a few more active school librarians on the committee, the quality books with more appeal would be nominated. So glad to hear someone of “authority” voice this opinion. I haven’t purchased the last 3 Newbery winners (not honor books) for the simple reason that I know my audience and I know they won’t read them. My elementary school is in a blue collar neighborhood and I think The Tale of Despereaux was the last great Newbery winner that appealed to my students. Getting them to read a Newbery winner is like pulling teeth. The majority of the books simply do not “speak” to them.
I think both the Newberry and Caldecott committee members are out of touch with what kids find interesting today. I know this is not the purpose of the awards but hey, who are they writing the books for anyway? Maybe if we had a few more active school librarians on the committee, the quality books with more appeal would be nominated.

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