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1983

Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt (Atheneum, $13.60, sixth-grade level). ISBN: 0689309449.	The Medalist A 13-year-old girl acts as mother and father of her younger siblings until they find a home with their grandmother. This is a well-written book with tons of heartfelt emotion. Excellent characterizations of kids, especially the title character, who undergoes an array of coming-of-age trials. This is a good choice for kids who enjoy exploring interpersonal relationships; not one for the shoot-em-up crowd. If you're looking for a novel to pair it with, I suggest Jacob, Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson. This is the sequel to Homecoming, another fine novel by Voigt.
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley (William Morrow, $13.56, seventh-grade level). ISBN: 0689309449.	Honor Book A young woman with magical powers becomes embroiled in a battle royale between the forces of good and evil in a fantastic kingdom. After slogging through what appears to be a trite beginning about a misunderstood heroine and the mysterious man of the desert/hills, you realize that McKinley is quite a gifted writer. She has a remarkable eye for description and writes vivid action scenes. Fans of fantasy will see a correspondence to Dune, among other stories. In 1985, McKinley wins the Newbery Medal for Hero and the Crown, the prequel to this book.
Doctor DeSoto by William Steig (Farrar Straus & Giroux, $12.80, third-grade level). ISBN: 0374318034	Honor Book A mouse dentist fools a hungry fox who is a patient. I'm astonished that this would be even considered for a Newbery. The story is cute but mediocre. This is a picture book, and even thought the Newbery judges aim at the 0-14 crowd, they could have done so much better.
Graven Images by Paul Fleischman (Econo-Clad, $12.20, fifth-grade level). ISBN: 0613136179.	Honor Book A collection of three stories, macabre in nature. This is a fine collection of eerie stories that make light of human frailty. Young kids who have the capacity to read the words will miss most of the import.
Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz (Putnam, $12.79, fifth-grade level). ISBN: 0399209336.	Honor Book A look at two hectic years in the life of an American girl living through the political turmoil of China in the late 1920s. The story is laced with humor. It lacks great political insight because the story is told from the girl's limited viewpoint, but does evoke some emotion about the toll the civil war took on powerless humans. Teachers can extract lessons about nationalism, ethnocentrism, communism and, most certainly, imperialism. If teachers are looking for a Newbery match, try the 1935 gem, The Pageant of Chinese History by Elizabeth Seeger.
Secret Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton (Putnam, $19.99, seventh-grade level). ISBN: 0399208941.	A 15-year-old black girl learns about her family's tragic history from the ghost of her uncle, then loses her beloved brother to the same ailment. The strength of this book is the strong emotion conveyed by all characters, very real that they are, and Hamilton's sometimes obtuse, sometimes poetic writing style.

Copyright David Ross 2003