Awards Books

What's in a name? The etymology of Melanie is "black or dark-skinned" and Galatea is "she who is milk-white." From these origins we have flesh made word in the text and page before us. Galatea, whether body or statue, casts the same dark shadow. In this case what lies in shadow is not evil, but truth--what Robert Graves must have had in mind by suggesting the myth depicts the overthrow of the matrilineal cult.

Challenger writes:

Strangeness comes to us all at the limits of Eros,
Where tenderness, by the gradual erosion
Of each small act of worship, mercerises the flesh
Of the love-feast, rendering the body revelational.

Like the palindrome, Eros saw I was sore, Romanticism is a vicious cycle that must be broken. You can't eat Hope. Tenderness has left us to chemically treat the body as if each pill were the small act of worship. Mercerise could also render a mercer out the tenderness as in legal tender--money is made of cotton. Mercerising increases the luster and affinity for dye. So what does that teach us about the body? We are born and given a birth certificate with a name on it to be bought and sold as a product--willingly or unwillingly. So what is revelational is not ecstacy, but a spiritual apocalypse in order to identify the body without giving it a name. It is a complete erosion of the self-constructed self and the socially-constructed self. To put it quite simply Challenger reminds us what it is to be human. Easier said than done, and she does it here.

Covered are 220 orders, decorations, and medals of 37 nations, well illustrated, with written descriptions, representative citations, a good ribbon chart, glossary, and other useful information. Several countries included cannot be found elsewhere. Events since publication have dated some of the entries but this does not detract from the overall worth of this well- researched and handy book.

This beautifully illustrated book is interesting and informative. I had purchased it for my 6 year old, who enjoyed looking at it, but prefers a fictional story to a non-fictional account. I believe it will be considered a treasure in a few years. I would recommend this book if you are interested in rainforests, the far north, or spirit bear, or if you just want a lovely book.

I read this book with a 5-year old starting school. George's story is very accessible, and the details of his life are so wonderfully and creatively silly, that both adult and child were sincerely giggling at every page. Chad Cameron's illustrations are artful and fanciful -- he has a profound visual sense of humor. This book would be wonderful for any kid, and especially those working through an adjustment to a new school (or home?) situation.

Subtitled "The Echoes of Courage and Cannons," this audio book follows the Gettysburg Campaign from the aftermath of Chancellorsville through Brandy Station and the journey to Gettysburg, the famous battle there, and Lee's retreat back to Virginia. Eyewitness accounts are dramatically read, separated with brief introductions and accompanied by sound effects and a little music.

The events leading to Gettysburg are clearly explained in this way. Once the battle narratives strart, audio has its limitations. I missed having maps and diagrams to clarify the chain of events. Still, the stories were vivid and often exciting. I recommend this tape for those who are already familiar with the action at Gettysburg or to listen to alongside a book that diagrams the various parts of the battle.

I read this book in 4th grade (a long time ago) and adored it! (I read Fourth Grade Celebrity before it, and was happy to find that this was a series!) Recently I dug this book up and reread it and still feel the same! Tracy dreads a boring summer in her little one-horse town. Lonely and insecure, she tries to win friends by acting like a pro at everything... pretty soon she is in a big jam... A great story, and a must read. Way to go, Patricia! Keep writing about Casey and Tracy!

You can call it giving in, but it's a mistake to think these poems are about defeat. You might expect them to be self-pitying, perhaps even forgive them for it, but they do not surrender. Instead, they open up like certain pine cones in a blazing forest, revealing insights about loss and salvation that help repopulate the burnt ground.

****Peter E. Murphy


This is a powerful collection. In the tragedy of losing everything in a fire the poet still finds hope that *the future must hold promise, or there*s no reason / to go on.* You will be drawn into the flame of Duffy's poetry and find peace in the midst of the fire. Excellent!
****Leah Maines

Going North, by Jane N. Harrington, is a book about a girl named Jesse and her family. They are going north from Alabama to Alaska. They have to go north so their parents can have a better job. When the mom tells Jesse it's time to go Jesse gets sad .She goes outside touches the dog, feels the dirt and gives a hug to Big Mama. She says farewell to everyone. Big Mama says to take care. Jesse says it back. They leave. Jesse looks out the window and looks at the boys and girls playing. She says good bye, good bye, good bye. After a couple of hours, the car needed gas but the only gas station didn't accept black people. They tried to look for another gas station. Before they knew it they had found a gas station that accepted them. After they had put gas they kept going north. That night they slept in the car. At sunrise they kept on going. After some hours they got there- they were in the city. They wondered how their lives were going to change in the north.

This book has beautiful language and is written like poetry. It has personification like "the road whispers the tires mumble.....good night , good night , good night," This book also has alliteration like " I hear the tires bumping, beating out good bye, good bye, good bye." It also has repetition like "Looking and looking until I finally see. Here is an other example of repetition: "Be brave, be brave, be brave we're together." The lesson I learned from this book was to stay together no matter what.

By Jennifer

A perfect story to read aloud to young children! With beautiful illustrations and a wonderful moral, The Golden Goose has the ability to captivate a young audience. Would recommend it to any storyteller!

Enid Blyton books are classics and it is unfortunate that young children are deprived of her wonderful adventure books. Growing up, I learnt to enjoy reading through her books from Noddy onwards through the Secret Seven ,Famous Five , Malory Towers etc. And now I would like my son to enjoy these books that would transport him into a wonderful world of childhood fantasy that is wholesome and brings strong values into his character. It's too bad that publishers see fit to discontinue her books.