Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Newbery controversy goes mainstream

The Washington Post offers this article, which essentially comments on and rehashes Anita Silvey's School Library Journal article.

This quote make me snort:

"I can't help but believe that thousands, even millions, more children would grow up reading if the Newbery committee aimed to spotlight books that are deep and beautiful and irresistible to kids," said Lucy Calkins, founding director of the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University's Teachers College and a professor of children's literature.

Oh, so now the Newbery Award is being blamed for turning millions of kids off reading? Puh-lease.

2 comments:

  1. And here I remember Lucy Calkins recommending that incredibly-popular-with-kids-Newbery-winner, Missing May.

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  2. She doesn't have the grounds to work up her point. I can recommend nine books any day from the Newbery Award winners or by plumbing the shortlist. Genie

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