Review: "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

"Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool is a coming of age story, a mystery, and a history lesson all rolled into one. Abilene is a girl without a home. She doesn't mind, though.  That's how things have always been--just her and Gideon, her father, hopping train cars and travelling from place to place. Home is wherever they're together. But when Gideon sends her away to life in Manifest, Kansas, with no notion of when he'll come to get her again, Abilene truly feels adrift. Seh searches the town and its stories for signs of her father and the childhood he had there, but Gideon's past proves elusive. What she finds instead are new friends and a decades old town mystery. By listening to the stories of townsfolk and a little bit of snooping, Abilene learns all about a boy named Jinx, his friend Ned, and the town that Manifest used to be long before the Depression. Along the way, she also learns a lot about her father and herself.

Clare Vanderpool ingeniously weaves together two stories from two different pivotal periods in American History to educate the reader about both the Great War and the Great Depression. "Moon Over Manifest" also deals with issues surrounding immigration, racial inequality and prejudice, death, loss, and poverty. The multiple mysteries help keep the reader interested. Listening to the audiobook, it's easy to keep the storylines straight as the production used three separate voice actors, enabling the listening experience to better mirror the use of distinct font and styling to separate voices in the print version. School Library Journal recommends this book for grades five to eight, but I would recommend it to teens and adults as well.

--Madeline B., Mid County

Author Spotlight: Kate DiCamillo

You may have heard the news that Kate DiCamillo won the 2014 Newbery for "Flora and Ulysses: the illuminated adventures."  This is her second Newbury; she won for "The Tale of Despereaux" in 2004.  Last month, Kate was chosen as the National Ambassador of Young People's Literature.  Her task in that position is to raise awareness of the importance of children's literature.  “When we read together, we connect. Together, we see the world. Together, we see each other.”  Congratulations to Kate on her continued success!
If you haven't yet, request a copy of her newest book, or check out some of her others.

 The Bink & Gollie and Mercy Watson series are great for young readers.

 

 Two of her books were made into feature films!

 
--Angie RH, Headquarters

Award Book Week

Today was a huge day for authors, illustrators, librarians and book lovers! The annual Youth Media Awards were announced. We will link you to the winners and honor books over the next few days. Take a look and see if you agree with the choices.

First, the Newbery!

The Newbery Medal honors the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

WINNER: “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate

When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

HONOR BOOKS:

“Splendors and Glooms” by Laura Amy Schlitz . When Clara vanishes after the puppeteer Grisini and two orphaned assistants were at her twelfth birthday party, suspicion of kidnapping chases the trio away from London and soon the two orphans are caught in a trap set by Grisini's ancient rival, a witch with a deadly inheritance to shed before it is too late.

“Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon” by Steve Sheinkin.  Recounts the scientific discoveries that enabled atom splitting, the military intelligence operations that occurred in rival countries, and the work of brilliant scientists hidden at Los Alamos.

“Three Times Lucky” by Sheila Turnage.  Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.

And now, the Caldecott!

The Randolph Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

WINNER: “This is Not My Hat” by Jon Klassen .  

A tiny minnow wearing a pale blue bowler hat has a thing or two up his fins in this underwater light-on-dark chase scene.

HONOR BOOKS:

“Creepy Carrots” pictures by Peter Brown, words by Aaron Reynolds. The carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around and Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing and seeing creepy carrots wherever he goes.

“Extra Yarn” pictures by Jon Klassen, words by Mac Barnett . With a supply of yarn that never runs out, Annabelle knits for everyone and everything in town until an evil archduke decides he wants the yarn for himself.

“Green”  words and pictures by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.  Illustrations and simple, rhyming text explore the many shades of the color green.

“One Cool Friend” pictures by David Small, words by Toni Buzzeo. Elliot, a very proper young man, feels a kinship with the penguins at the aquarium and wants to take one home with him.

“Sleep Like a Tiger” pictures by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Mary Logue.  At bedtime a young girl asks "Does everything in the world go to sleep?"

Check in with us tomorrow for more awards.

--Desiree S., HQ 

2012 Award Winners have been announced

The 2012 Award winners have been announced. If you would like more information about these awards and many more, visit this website for more information. Are any of these your favorites?


John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:
Winner:

 “Dead End in Norvelt” 
  written by Jack Gantos












Newbery Honor Books:

"Inside Outside and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai

















"Breaking Stalin's Nose" written by Eugene Yelchin





Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:
Winner:

 “A Ball for Daisy"
 illustrated and written by Chris Raschka












Caldecott Honor Books:

  
"Blackout" written by John Rocco

"Grandpa Green" written by Lane Smith

"Me...Jane" written by Patrick McDonnell








Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults:
Winner:

"Heart and Soul: the Story of America and African Americans" written by Kadir Nelson








Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books:

"The Great Migration: Journey to the North" written by Eloise Greenfield








Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award:
Winner:

 “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom” 
written and illustrated by Shane W. Evans












King Illustrator Honor Book:

  “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans”
 written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson