Monday, July 16, 2012

MMGM: Natalie Babbitt and Sharon Creech

My reading diet has been sadly lacking in Middle-grade books lately, so I went on a browse in the children's section of the library and came home with a whole pile. So I'm making up for my absence from Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday with a three-for-one post! (Sorry I can't fit all the titles in Blogger's title space.)

Sharon Creech intimidates me a little because she's won the Newberry, and she's, you know, a Really Good Writer, so I tend to pass her on the library shelves saying, yes, yes, I'll definitely read more of her one of these days. I have to keep reminding myself that I love her books. 






Love That Dog makes me cry every time I read it; I think it's pretty much perfect in every way. So when I saw Hate That Cat, I almost didn't want to pick it up: how could she do again what she did in the first book? Would this book somehow diminish Love That Dog? No, it doesn't. It adds. We get more of Jack, more of Miss Stretchberry, more poetry, and it's just as real and touching and funny. If you're like me and hesitate to read a novel in poetry, don't. Sharon Creech is a wonderful poet, but she's also a wonderful storyteller, and these poems tell a story that compels you from page to page, even as you want to savour every poem for itself. Love That Dog and Hate That Cat make me want to be an elementary teacher just so I can use these two books to teach a unit on poetry. And if all my talk of poetry is turning you away from these books, please, please read them just to meet Jack. He's such a fun character, you just want to hug him. Trust me, you want Jack in your life.

The Unfinished Angel isn't written in poetry, but it might as well have been. Each little chapter is like a poem; every sentence is an image and a sound. The voice of the angel is astonishing, vivid and funny and brilliantly expressive. Just listen to a sample:
You won't believe this, but there are peoples who pay money to other peoples to wash their hairs and even to paint colours on their toes. Is really! And in the same world of peoples there are other peoples who have to crawl in the dirt scrounging for a measly piece of garbage to eat. I am not fabbagrating! Don't get me started.
At night I swish in the heads of the peoples with the clean hairs and feets, showing them the peoples crawling in the dirt, but in the morning when the clean peoples wake up they have already forgotten. I think maybe it is my fault that they forget so quick and so it is my fault that there are peoples who have to crawl in the dirt. I am not knowing enough. What are the other angels doing?

The unfinished angel tries to do the right thing but doesn't always know what that is. And then along comes colourful Zola who thinks she knows what the right thing is, and between them they turn the little Swiss village upside-down. It's a bit of a fable, there's definitely a moral, but it's so well-told and so true that you can't mind. It's about peoples and their flaws but it''s hopeful and sweet and funny. You see, don't get misled by Sharon Creech's Really Good Writer status: she's also a really funny writer. I like funny writers and I like poetry and I need to read more of Sharon Creech.

Natalie Babbitt is another Really Good Writer who writes spare, poetic truths about people. I read Tuck Everlasting more than twenty years ago and I still think it's one of the best books out there. I was so happy to see she has a new one out. The Moon over High Street is a bit fable-like, too, but Joe and Gran and Aunt Myra are real, round characters you care about right away. This is the story of Joe deciding what he wants to do with his life, and it will resonate with every kid who knows he has to make the same decision at some point. There's some gentle satire of Mr. Boulderwall, the millionaire who invented "swervits," and some contemplation of the American dream and what it might actually mean. It's a quietly humorous book that's deeper than it seems.

All three of these books are short and sweet. There's a tendency these days to write long books that might be good but they go on and on and they really don't need to. Good writers use as few words as possible and make every word count. (Have I mentioned that Natalie Babbitt and Sharon Creech are really good writers? But don't let that turn you off: it means they write short books!) These three little treasures are like a selection of chocolates from a fine chocolatier.

Shannon Messenger organizes MMGM and keeps the list of Marvelous Middle-Grade contributors, so be sure to visit her blog and check out all the other Marvelous books being featured this week!

14 comments:

  1. Kim, I love going to the library and discovering a good book! I've shied away from Sharon Creech too, because I thought I wouldn't like a novel written in verse. But I've read a couple of novels written like poetry lately, and I've enjoyed them. So I'll definitely check these out!!

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  2. I have not read any of these! So many wonderful books...

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  3. I love Sharon Creech! I have read a few books by her and thought Ruby Holler was out of this world. It looks long- but the chapters are short and the margins are big. I haven't read Love that Dog or Hate that Cat- but I will check them out. I love poetry!

    The Moon Over High Street sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
    ~Jess
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

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  4. The great thing about Love That Dog and Hate That Cat is that they'll take you literally 20 minutes to read. You could go to the library and stand in the aisle and finish them both!

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  5. Oh, I've been so behind on reading, but by the time I got to the end of that snippet of Unfinished Angel I HAVE to drop whatever else it is I've been reading/doing and read THAT one, now. We haven't got it in this library. Will have to remember to pick it up at the big library next week.

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    1. Unfinished Angel will only take you about an hour to read, so you won't have to drop everything else for very long! And yes, it is quite delightful.

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  6. Sharon Creech is amazing, isn't she? I love WALK TWO MOONS and RUBY HOLLER, and I've also read REPLAY and GRANNY TORELLI MAKES SOUP. Haven't read her dog and cat books yet, but I really should.

    The Natalie Babbitt book has been on our shelves at the bookstore tempting me since it pubbed, but I haven't read it yet. Glad to hear you liked it. I'm a big fan of TUCK EVERLASTING too.

    Nice comparison to fine chocolates. Yes, good books are just as delightful.

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  7. My library had Ruby Holler, so I think that will be my next Sharon Creech read.

    I would say The Moon Over High Street isn't quite as good as Tuck Everlasting, but it's got her style.

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  8. I have yet to read Love that Cat, but _loved_ Love that Dog and all her other books. Tuck Everlasting is one of my all time favorite books and think it is about time I re-read it. I'd recommend you read some of Karen Hesse's books too, Out of the Dust, if you haven't already and May B is another one. Talk about the power of story of a few words. Great post, thanks!

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    1. I'll definitely check out Karen Hesse; haven't read any of hers. Thanks!

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  9. Well, this is the most beautiful post, and I thank you for making my day/week/month. xx

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    1. squeee!

      (Just a little squee.)

      And you're welcome. :)

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  10. I, also, adored Love That Dog. And I was thrilled to be introduced to the poem Love That Boy by Walter Dean Myers that Creech included in the back of her book. I memorized a few lines because I loved the rhythm so much I never wanted to forget it. I will definitely check out Creech's cat book!

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  11. I got Love that Dog from the library- and you are right. It took 20 minutes to read. But I loved it! Yeah! Thanks to introducing me to another wonderful book by Creech. Next up- Hate that Cat!

    ~Jess

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