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1964

Editor's Note: Many of the books are out of print. The header information will be as complete as I can make it.

It's Like This, Cat by Emily Cheney Neville (HarperCollins, $15.95, fifth-grade level). ISBN: 0060243902.	The Medalist A boy begins his journey to manhood amid the chaos of New York City, developing friendships with a wide variety of people, understanding his parents more fully, and coming to love a stray cat. City kids will certainly identify with the boy's experiences, which thankfully lack the exposure to violence that's endemic to modern portrayals. The novel has a charming sense of humor, but it's real strength lies in the characters that Neville develops. Note: I came back to this book a few years later after first reading it and found something I hadn't noticed before. To me, it marks a boundary between the "old" Newberys, which seem to dwell on America's rural, agrarian roots, and the "new" Newberys, which turn a focus on America's urban life.
Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era by Sterling North (Puffin, fifth-grade level). ISBN: 0140344454. Note: 1990 reprint.	Honor Book A boy who lives a carefree life with his father becomes friends with a raccoon kitten he captures. This is a funny story, buy the humor is understated. Would pair well with Gary Paulsen's Harris and Me.
The Loner by Ester Wier (Scholastic, $11.70, fifth-grade level). ISBN: 0590443526. Note: 1992 reprint.	Honor Book A family-less boy who works as a fruit picker finds a home on the range working with a woman who guards her flock of sheep. Exciting story about a friendless boy who survives on his own until he learns the value of belonging.

Copyright David Ross 2003