Things That Make the Term 'Award Winning' Synonymous with Boring.Things That are Intentionally Pretentious.
How many ways can I describe the award winning book When You Reach Me?
Well, that's not fair. I suppose this book is fantastic for folks who are nostalgic for Dick Clark's $20,000 Pyramid. Or fans of, as one reviewer enthusiastically wrote:
Set in New York City in 1979, the story takes its cue from beloved Manhattan tales for middle graders like E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy, and Norma Klein's Mom the Wolfman and Me.
Now if you read that a book is in the same league as Mom, the Wolfman and Me, it really makes you want to go out and get the book, doesn't it?
I think maybe all the people on the Newbery Committee that year are of the same age and came of age in the 70s or else maybe they are still living in the 70s. Or else maybe they participated in a lot of mind and judgement-altering activities as they came of age.
There really is no other explanation for why anyone would even remotely enjoy this book let alone declare it a winner.
Ha, yeah, I totally agree with you. It was ok, nothing special if you ask me. Maybe I didn't get it because I was born in the 80's. Totally not worth all the hype or the Newbery Award.
ReplyDeleteP.S. - I tried to post this earlier and it refused so I hope you don't get this twice.
P.P.S.- I think you might enjoy "I am not a Serial Killer" by Dan Wells. Some libraries have it as YA but others have it in Adult so I don't know if it would work for your challenge. But it's a serial killer murder mystery with a weird fantasy twist.