The Washington Post has an article about how the Newbery Award could even discourage children from reading!  Now, yes, I am a critic of recent choices by the Newbery committee.  I feel that in recent years we could have seen some of the fabulous AND kid-friendly titles win the big prize.  It seems that instead they are relegated to the Honor row. 

But the Newbery dampening reading?  I don’t know about that.  Yes, if teachers use the Newbery prize list as a unit the recent winners would probably sit lonely on the shelves passed over for older winners with more kid appeal.  But most kids do not spontaneously head out to the library looking for books with that large gold seal on the front.  So I can’t see it dampening reading much at all.

Could the Newbery start to stand for both quality and a book that children will want to read perhaps even talk about with friends and promote themselves because it is sooo good?  Yes.  But I have to believe that the relationship between children and books is healthy, resilient and constantly questing for the next great read.  To do any less would be to despair over children and reading.  And that ain’t happening!

Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith, illustrated by E. B. Lewis.

At 13, CJ has gotten used to shouldering a lot of responsibility for his mother and little sister.  Now his father has returned and CJ is just plain angry.  How can his father returning feel even worse than when he was gone?  CJ has to work through his complex emotions before he is willing to give his father another chance to be part of the family.  Told through poems, this book reveals (as only poetry can) one boy’s inner emotional landscape amid those of others in his family.  Through her poetry, Smith has created a book that will speak to teens going through similar situations and also any teen who has had to deal with difficult family situations.

There is tension, sorrow, joy, pain and jealousy here that is revealed without flinching.  This book rings with truth.  The illustrations add to the feeling of reality as Lewis’ paintings feature portraits of this family on a stark white background, illuminating the inner feelings again. 

Here is one of my favorite passages from the end of the very first poem in the book:

After dinner, I wash dishes.

When Grandmomma comes in

to make a cup of tea, I say,

"This is a mess."

Grandmomma knows right away

I’m not talking about the dishes.

She hugs me and says.

"No, this is a family."

That passage sums up this book beautifully as people struggle to figure out what a family is.  This brief book should be placed in the hands of reluctant readers who will find themselves here.  Highly recommended for ages 11-15.