Caddie Woodlawn Synopsis: Retold by her granddaughter, Caddie Woodlawn recounts the tomboy activities of a young red-headed girl and her brothers as they explored the woods, got in and out of scrapes, and grew up in 1860's Wisconsin.
Citation: Brink, Carol Ryrie. Caddie Woodlawn. (1973). Illust. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Simon & Schuster.
My thoughts: Caddie makes me wish I were born in a different time. I've always loved the story with its humor and gentle lessons, its unexpected heroes and sweet rememberings. When I was old enough to realize that Caddie's granddaughter had written it, I was thrilled.
Library usage: It would be truly wonderful to see a grandparent/child day with scenes from this book shared as a prompt to get grandparents telling their stories to their family and youngsters. It would be a great historical tie-in too with the Civil War, Lincoln's assassination, and pioneer days such as quilting.
Reviews:
At age 11, Caddie Woodlawn is the despair of her mother and the pride of her father: a clock-fixing tomboy running wild in the woods of Wisconsin. In 1864, this is a bit much for her Boston-bred mother to bear, but Caddie and her brothers are happy with the status quo. Written in 1935 about Carol Ryrie Brink's grandmother's childhood, the adventures of Caddie and her brothers are still exciting over 60 years later. With each chapter comes another ever-more exciting adventure: a midnight gallop on her horse across a frozen river to warn her American Indian friends of the white men's plan to attack; a prairie fire approaching the school house; and a letter from England that may change the family's life forever. This Newbery Medal-winning book bursts at the seams with Caddie's irrepressible spirit. In spite of her mother's misgivings, Caddie is a perfect role model for any girl--or boy, for that matter. She's big-hearted, she's brave, and she's mechanically inclined! (Ages 9 to 12) --Amazon.com Review
Caddie Woodlawn, which has been captivating young readers since 1935, was awarded the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Now it is in a brand-new edition with lively illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman. In her new foreword, Carol Ryrie Brink lovingly recalls the real Caddie, who was her grandmother, and tells how she often "sat spellbound, listening, listening!" as Caddie told stories of her pioneer childhood. Children everywhere will love redheaded Caddie with her penchant for pranks. Scarcely out of one scrape before she is into another, she refuses to be a "lady," preferring instead to run the woods with her brothers. Whether she is crossing the lake on a raft, visiting an Indian camp, or listening to the tales of the circuit rider, Caddie's adventures provide an exciting and authentic picture of life on the Wisconsin frontier in the 1860s. And readers will discover, as Caddie learns what growing up truly means, that it is not so very different today. --Simon & Schuster
Award: Newbery Medal, 1935
The Witch of Blackbird PondSynopsis: Growing up in sunny Barbados, orphaned Kit Tyler is unprepared for the cold, harsh life led by her Puritan relatives. Befriended by a fellow community outcast, a Quaker woman who lives by Blackbird Pond, Kit eventually finds her place in this unknown world.
Citation: Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. (1973). New York: Dell.
My thoughts: I was expecting a witch, so it was a bit disconcerting to realize that this book, so famous, doesn't have any. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. It is very well written. I really liked Kit and felt that she would be easy for me and other readers to relate to because she is faily universal: a misfit longing for acceptance.
Library usage: Would be a good tie-in for religious tolerance. Could also be used to discuss stereotypes and the Puritan/colonial way of life.
Review:
(Of Audiobook) Gr. 6-8. Hurt masterfully reads this Newbery award winner, set in seventeenth-century Puritan New England. Orphan Kit Tyler sails to the Connecticut colony to live with her aunt and uncle, but despite earnest attempts to belong, her behavior is unacceptable by Puritan standards. Criticized by the community, Kit seeks solace with a kindly old Quaker woman. Hurt's youthful voice and soft New England accent perfectly match Kit's buoyant personality and well-meaning antics. Hurt's perception of the story enables her to shift seamlessly among characters, and she ably portrays everyone, including Kit's soft-spoken aunt and her terse, unforgiving uncle. The villager's talk of heresy is thick with suspicion, and Hurt's capable reading accentuates this sense of foreboding.
Rich, Anna. "The Witch of Blackbird Pond." Booklist 1 Nov. 2002: 518. Literature Resource Center. Web.
Gr 5-8-Mary Beth Hurt gives an excellent performance in this reading of the Newbery Award-winning novel by Elizabeth George Speare (HM, 1958). The setting is the Colony of Connecticut in 1687 amid the political and religious conflicts of that day. Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler unexpectedly arrives at her aunt and uncle's doorstep and is unprepared for the new world which awaits her. Having been raised by her grandfather in Barbados, she doesn't understand the conflict between those loyal to the king and those who defend the Connecticut Charter. Unprepared for the religious intolerance and rigidity of the Puritan community, she is constantly astounding her aunt, uncle, and cousins with her dress, behavior, and ideas. She takes comfort in her secret friendship with the widow, Hannah Tupper, who has been expelled from Massachusetts because she is a Quaker and suspected of being a witch. When a deathly sickness strikes the village, first Hannah and then Kit are accused of being witches. Through these conflicts and experiences, Kit comes to know and accept herself. She learns not to make hasty judgments about people, and that there are always two sides to every conflict. There are several minor plots as well, including three romances, which help to bring this time and place to life. Hurt's use of vocal inflection and expression make this an excellent choice for listening whether as an enrichment to the social studies curriculum or purely for pleasure.-Maureen Cash Moffet, St. Anne's Catholic School, Bristol, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. School Library Journal
Award: Newbery Medal, 1973
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