November Read - Auma's Long Run, Lucky Broken Girl and Lemons

[Kristen]

Lemons by Melissa Savage
Auma's Long Run by Eucabeth A. Odhiambo
Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

There may be a three way tie from our poll last month but there is only one Newbery award. Read all three or just one.
Do you think any of these are "distinguished."

[Laura]

Every one of these titles is distinguished. This is going to be a hard year for the Newbery judges.

[Monica]

I'm so glad there was sufficient interest in Auma's Long Run for it to land here. This is a book I've been advocating for hard and frequently. It is one of the best middle grade works of fiction set in Africa and by someone of the culture that I know of. While there are a smattering of works set in the continent, they are almost always by someone not of the culture. This one is by someone who grew up in a village like the one central here and during the time period of the setting. Odhiambo's writing may be plain, but she is able to communicate with moving effectiveness the experiences of Auma, her family, friends, and community. I lived in a different part of Africa in an earlier time, but there were touches in this work that just rang so true --- the disciplinary methods at the school, the celebrations, the malnutrition, and more.

I think what Odhiambo does so well is paint a vivid and extraordinary picture of a real time and place from her ownvoices perspective in a way for American children to gain a sense and understanding of it. Especially a deeper sense of life in one Kenyan village of the 90s. This is a novel, but also a strong, strong, strong work of information, of knowledge, and a way to better know the world.

[Kim]

Loved "Lucky Girl" and want to read the other two as well. So many great books for kids that explore many sensitive subjects.

[Candice]

I've ordered Auma's Long Run and I'm looking forward to reading it based on the comments here on Goodreads!

I really enjoyed Lucky Broken Girl but I'm not sure it's extraordinary. The plot points all tie up very neatly and it's a little predictable. That said, while I don't think it's a Newbery, I am handing it out to students regularly.

I did not care for Lemons. The story is not extraordinary and SPOILER ALERT:


The end is creepy and a bit disturbing. His dad is homeless and living the woods right by his family?? All these years?? And the town thinks he's a Yeti??

[Caren]

I think "Lemons" is unique and fabulous!

[Czechgirl]

So far, I've only read Lucky Broken Girl. Lemons is right beside me on my TBR stack. Auma's Long Run is still at the store, but I am driving into the city today to get my haircut and Monica's comments convinced me to drive to the bookstore and read it before Lemons.

These are my thoughts on Lucky Broken Girl: Even before I read Behar's entry in the back of the book that reveals that this is based on a real experience in Behar's life, I thought, "Wow! I love the way this story is written." The child in this story is a recent immigrant from Cuba. Behar wrote the book just like an intelligent recent immigrant would tell her story. I love the writing style of this story so much. I love the story itself. I love the lessons learned from the story. Just a beautiful, beautiful story.

[Ana]

"When we lived in Cuba, I was smart. But when we got to Queens, in New York, in the United States of America, I became dumb, just because I couldn't speak English." This is how the book starts. The author ends up surviving her experiences as a refugee to accomplish a great deal! This is a book about keeping the faith, raising above your unfortunate circumstances and becoming whole again. I gave it 4 stars because, even though I enjoyed the book immensely, the writing style was not my favorite. I think the story is powerful, but I don’t see it getting the Newbery.

[Suzanne]

I liked "Lemons," and my son enjoyed it. However, I didn't love it. I thought there were many parts that needed a strong edit. My son said at one point, "This isn't really about bigfoots, is it? It's about grief." So he definitely got the point.

[Reving]

I really loved Lucky Broken Girl. It was just so different and I learned a great deal from it, too. Lovely story. Heart breaking and heart warming. https://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017...

[Reving]

Lemons just really didn't do it for me at all. It was okay, but it just didn't do it for me. http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017/...

[Czechgirl]

Reving wrote: "Lemons just really didn't do it for me at all. It was okay, but it just didn't do it for me. http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017/..."

Lemons didn't do it for you, Reving, so you gave it 3 stars. You loved Lucky Broken Girl, but also rated it three stars. Is this your accurate rating?

[Rachel]

Lemons was well written, enjoyable, and heartfelt, but not quite a contender for me either.

[Marcie]

Ana wrote: ""When we lived in Cuba, I was smart. But when we got to Queens, in New York, in the United States of America, I became dumb, just because I couldn't speak English." This is how the book starts. The..."

Couldn't have said it better. I can see some kids to recommend Lucky Broken Girl to. Especially kids who loved Peg Kheret's Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio (1998)

[Reving]

Auma’s Long Run was incredible.
Hands down my pick for the Newbery.
Incredible.

[Sarah]

Monica wrote: "I'm so glad there was sufficient interest in Auma's Long Run for it to land here. This is a book I've been advocating for hard and frequently. It is one of the best middle grade works of fiction se..."

I reviewed it for SLJ and gave it a starred review - I agree and am glad the book is getting some well deserved attention

[Reving]

Czechgirl wrote: "Reving wrote: "Lemons just really didn't do it for me at all. It was okay, but it just didn't do it for me. http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017/..."

Lemon..."

I think that it didn't do it for me as far as being a Newbery consideration is what I should have said...that said...I think it was good but not Newbery-ish, you know?
:)

[Reving]

Monica wrote: "I'm so glad there was sufficient interest in Auma's Long Run for it to land here. This is a book I've been advocating for hard and frequently. It is one of the best middle grade works of fiction se..."
I agree completely. My post will publish tonight, but man, man, man, this is THE ONE. Yes. yes. yes.

[Reving]

Czechgirl wrote: "Reving wrote: "Lemons just really didn't do it for me at all. It was okay, but it just didn't do it for me. http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017/..."

Lemon..."

Czechgirl wrote: "Reving wrote: "Lemons just really didn't do it for me at all. It was okay, but it just didn't do it for me. http://revingsblog.blogspot.com/2017/..."

Lemon..."

Oh yes, I did end up going back and changing Lucky Broken Girl to 5!

[Anna]

Lucky Broken Girl was amazing. I think the theme of overcoming such a trying adversity and regaining hope really made this book. Even more so when it's based on the author's own story.

This book deserves recognition. Even if it doesn't win Newbery, it should at least earn an honor.

[Alyx]

So much hope and optimism in Lucky Broken Girl. I really enjoyed that one. Waiting to make my way through the other two.

[Shari (Shira)]

I listened to LUCKY BROKEN GIRL rather than reading it. It was read by the author. The cadence of the language was different, somewhat awkward, making it the listening challenging. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I read it. For me, it is not a contender.

[Czechgirl]

I just finished Auma's Long Run. To be quite honest, I had not heard much about this book. However, this was a wonderful, wonderful read. I read it in two settings--not because it was short but because it was just so good. The protagonist has to endure the loss of both parents but yet is determined not to "take the easy road out" in order to find a better life for herself. I love the message that getting a good education is the answer. I love her determination. This is a Newbery contender.

[Phil]

I only have enough time to read one this month. I'm going with Lucky Broken Girl.

Here are my comments on the beginning of Lemons, and why I thought it was nothing special, especially compared to Train I Ride:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here are my comments on the beginning of Auma's Long Run, and why I slightly preferred the style of Lucky Broken Girl:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Josephine]

I'm about a third of the way through Lemons and don't know if I want to use my time to finish it. For one thing the narrator's voice is annoying. I'm listening on audible. I may try reading the book.

[Czechgirl]

I just finished reading Lemons. This book was good, not great, but good. I read it quickly and just when I was about to get bored of it towards the end, the story picked up quite nicely. Not a 2018 Newbery, though. I think many middle-grade readers will like this book.

Now, I have read all three books. The best read this month was Lucky Broken Girl. I also liked Auma's Long Run just not as much as Lucky Broken Girl. Lemons was meh.

[Phil]

Czechgirl wrote: "I also liked Auma's Long Run just not as much as Lucky Broken Girl."

How so? I ended up not liking the middle/end portions of LBG, and wish I'd focused on Auma's Long Run instead.

My harsh review of LBG:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Czechgirl]

Phil wrote: "Czechgirl wrote: "I also liked Auma's Long Run just not as much as Lucky Broken Girl."

How so? I ended up not liking the middle/end portions of LBG, and wish I'd focused on Auma's Long Run instead..."

I'm currently rereading it now. I remember loving the entire book while I was reading it. It was never dull to me. It was funny. I love how Ruth Behar wrote like Ruthie was at the time--a recent intelligent immigrant in grade 5. Maybe, since I, too, was just a silly girl with intelligence, I could laugh out loud at some of the things Ruthie was thinking. I read the book back when it came out, so I can't remember details. I just remember loving it. I am at the part where Ruthie has been back home for a few days from the hospital and her homebound teacher has just arrived.

[Suzanne]

I thought Lucky Broken Girl was okay, but not really extraordinary. What I liked most about it was the look at Cuban refugees who were Jewish.

I really liked Auma's Long Run, though. The end made me sad (though I know it was supposed to be hopeful) - Auma choosing work rather than schooling. However, I thought it was a very realistic ending.

[Virginia]

Shari wrote: "I listened to LUCKY BROKEN GIRL rather than reading it. It was read by the author. The cadence of the language was different, somewhat awkward, making it the listening challenging. Perhaps I would ..."

Shari, I am right with you. I made myself consider how that book would read if the narration had been better, and feel like it is truly worthy of a nod from the Newbery committee. Unfortunately, this was a case where the author should not have read her own work for the audiobook. Yikes!

[LS]

Virginia wrote: "Shari wrote: "I listened to LUCKY BROKEN GIRL rather than reading it. It was read by the author. The cadence of the language was different, somewhat awkward, making it the listening challenging. Pe..."

I also listened to it as an audio book. But I accepted the author's reading of it because I thought that was probably how she intended it to be read. Rather than be frustrated by it, I just accepted it as part of the whole context of the story.

[Stephanie]

I just finished Lemons, the audible version. Didn't really keep my interest.

[Christine]

Because of all the discussion of AIDS, Auma’s attempted rape, and the STD discussion I am curious what everyone’s thoughts are on what age range is the target for this book. Thanks for your thoughts!

[Josephine]

SLJ says grade 5 + Junior Library Guild says 6+