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WINNER OF THE 2011 BATTLE OF THE KIDS’ BOOKS

THE RING OF SOLOMON BY JONATHAN STROUD

published by Hyperion Books

Posted in 2011, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Big Kahuna Round

The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud Hyperion A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner Greenwillow/HarperCollins Keeper by Kathi Appelt Atheneum/Simon & Schuster Judged by Richard Peck

Kahuna Kudos

Her Ladyship, Katherine Paterson, said last year she found herself in a pickle over three fine finalists.  It appears to be an annual issue, and this year the pickle’s on my plate.

On the evidence of these three winning reads, we have moved past the hard and gritty edges of the Printz winners and the conventions of the old-line Young Adult novel: that photographic realism, that plot told in a straight line.

We seem to have awakened into a new era–A.R. (After Rowling) in richly blended melanges of fact and fantasy, looping plotlines, shifting viewpoints, and, often enough, thick tomes in series.  A lot of good reading to keep us occupied until the summer debut of the final Harry Potter movie.

Fiction–stories–are alternate worlds that question the readers’ real ones.  And here before us we have three worlds that are alternate indeed: (1) a completely fabricated sub-continent of warring city states (2) a prosaic stretch of the Gulf-of-Mexico shoreline woven with myth in a child’s mind and (3) ancient Israel revised by a vast cast of supernatural beings.

In short: magus, mermaid, marid. I don’t know about you, but I feel turned every way but loose.

But these books all reach for young readers, and so they are on the Great American Theme: Coming of Age, being …

» Continue Reading: Big Kahuna Round

Posted in 2011, Big Kahuna | 15 Comments »

April 2nd Peanut Gallery

Here’s what we’ve come across this week. Let us know what we’ve missed in the comments.

Here’s Book Nut on Week Two. Mr. H is sad. Sondy’s thoughts on Round Two and Round Two. Josephine Cameron is catching up (and finding new books to read). Gail Gauthier is pleased with Bartimaeus’ progress and has some thoughts about the battle here. Eva tuned in briefly. Liz B keeps is keeping on top of ALL the matches here! Dalton BookBlogger c17rg on how he’d have decided Round 2 Match 4,  final predictions, and a response. The Sounis folk are gloating. Here’s another take on the undead winner. Kara Schaff Dean on the final three. educating alice (one half of the Battle Commander) reflects on all the matches to date.

Posted in 2011, Peanut Gallery | 1 Comment »

Winner of the 2011 Undead Poll

As the voting opened, A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS raced to a huge lead, commanding nearly half of the votes.  As the days went by, however, that lead was whittled down to 18%, still good enough to win, but never in doubt.  A TALE DARK AND GRIMM, THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE KKK, and WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON all pulled in just over 10% of the vote.  So there’s your final three: KEEPER vs. THE RING OF SOLOMON vs. A CONSPIRACY OF KINGS.  Place your bets!

– Commentator Jonathan Hunt

Posted in 2011, General | 17 Comments »