I never figured Neil Gaiman for a Newbery Medal winner. Apparently, neither did he. I just read an article in which he says:

For the most part, I ignore stories about animals. I don't mean stories in which a character owns a dog or works in a pet store or takes her children to the zoo. I mean books narrated by animals or books in which animals are the main characters. However, I figured a book that has won a Newbery Award, garnered countless glowing reviews and inspired a movie my kids loved, might just be an enjoyable exception. And guess what? Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux charmed the socks off me. You still won't find me borrowing stacks of animal books from the library, but you will find me reading more of DiCamillo's books (even if they do involve animals).

The Tale of Despereaux reads like a fairy tale (although a bit of a dark one). It's the story of a mouse named Despereaux Tilling, who is unlike any other mouse in the castle. For one thing, he's tiny. Well, except for his ears - they're huge. For another, he entered the world with his eyes open, a thing unheard of in the mouse world. As if those things aren't enough to brand him an outsider, Despereaux just can't seem to do the things mice do. Instead of just hearing the sound of crumbs dropping, the little mouse can smell them, too. Instead of nibbling the glue from books in the castle library, Despereaux actually reads them. His worst offense, however, is the one that dooms him to the dungeon - he speaks to a human.

Poor Despereaux really can't help himself. The human in question is the lovely Princess Pea, who looks at him adoringly and even compliments his large ears. He's smitten. How can he not speak to his beloved as the knights in the fairy tales do? Since he refuses to renounce his actions, Despereaux is soon carted off to the stinking depths of the castle. A red thread is looped around his neck, marking him for death at the hands (well, teeth) of the bloodthirsty castle rats. The mouse soon learns just how vicious the rats can be - not only do they plan to kill him, but they are also plotting against the Princess. Like the heroes in his storybooks, Despereaux swallows his fear and vows to save the girl he loves. There's only one problem (well, okay about 4) - (1) He's stuck in a dungeon; (2) The rats want revenge - they aren't about to let a mouse get in their way; (3) Despereaux has to get through the kitchen to warn the king about the rats' plan; and (4) Making it through the kitchen involves dodging the mouse-hating cook and her knife-wielding serving girl. Clearly, he will need all of his courage and cunning to save the Princess he loves.

The Tale of Despereaux offers enough heart-pounding action to keep young readers engaged, but also offers valuable lessons about love, bravery and fighting against all odds for that in which you believe. It also delights with rich, but subtle language that will make you smile. Anyone who has ever felt like an outcast (and who hasn't?) will enjoy cheering this loveable mouse on his gallant quest. I'm probably the last person on Earth to read this book, but just in case I'm not, let me suggest you head to the nearest library and pick up this utterly charming tale. Right. Now.

Grade: A

Imagine a world in which all of your choices were made for you, from your daily wardrobe to your family members to your career to your spouse. Think of a world in which you were entirely safe, where you were permitted to take no risks, and where physical pain could be erased with a single dose of medicine. Picture dwelling in a whitewashed world where everyone lives and thinks in exactly the same way, and questioning the rules leads to public chastisement and even "Release" from the community.

Jonas, star of Lois Lowry's The Giver, lives in just such a community. For 12 years, he has dwelt within its borders, attending school, mingling with friends and abiding by the strict rules that make his town the peaceful place it always is. Like all of his classmates, Jonas is looking forward to the December Ceremony when he will receive his "Assignment." This will be his career, which could be anything from Laborer to Doctor to Road Crew Maintainer. To his shock, Jonas learns he will be the new Receiver. The position comes with great honor, but even greater secrecy. Jonas receives a list of rules that will govern his training period, which allow him to do two things which are strictly prohibited in his community: to ask questions of anyone and to lie. Disconcerted, Jonas begins his training with The Giver, an elder who sags under the weight of his responsibilities. The Giver explains Jonas' new responsibilites: he must carry all the memories of the world - from sunshine, to sledding, to war, to starvation - so that his community will be free to live their peaceful, doubtless lives. In essence, he will feel all their emotions for them. As The Giver transfers his memories into his new apprentice's being, Jonas' dull world explodes into a dazzling array of color, sensation and emotion. Some of the memories Jonas receives are terrifying - war, loneliness, abandonment - but others are so powerful - love, family, warmth - that he realizes how empty his real life is. Now that he is able to ask questions freely, Jonas finds himself questioning the life he has been leading - why is he not allowed to have choices? Why can't families have more than the 2 children allowed by the Elders? And what does it really mean when someone is "Released" from the community?

As Jonas ingests this new knowledge, he knows that he can never again be satisfied with his dull, flavorless life. Together, he and The Giver hatch a plan to open the peoples' eyes. When their plans go horribly awry, Jonas suddenly finds himself on a terrifying journey to find "Elsewhere," a place that may or may not exist. Without the promised memories of courage to bind him up, Jonas must rely on his own wits and bravery to save himself, his future and the one person he truly loves.

That's the story in a nutshell, but this book isn't really about the main story. As one reviewer put it, "The simplicity and directness of Lowry's writing force readers to grapple with their own thoughts" (Booklist, Starred Review). Lowry's story is so unadorned that it provides the perfect canvas for infinte thoughts, opinions and analyses. Lowry, herself, says,

...The Giver is many things to many different people. People
bring to it their own complicated beliefs and hopes and dreams and fears and all
that.

At the very least, it's a story about what it means to be human. To me, its message is that without choices, experience, risk and passion, we are not fully human.

I don't know if Lowry meant for the book to have any religious applications, but to me The Giver symbolizes Jesus Christ, at least to some degree. When he accepts memories for other people, he swallows some of their pain, leaving them comforted. Their pain still exists, but only dimly. This is what Christ does for us. Our suffering weighed on Christ (as it does on The Giver), as evidenced by his tortured cry, "O my Father...let this cup pass from me" (Matthew 26:39, KJV) in Gethsamane, but He knew His duty and thus carried our burdens for us. Like Christ, The Giver desires that all men have their agency so they can learn wisdom through their choices. And like Jesus, The Giver knows he must help his people through the pain that knowledge and agency can bring. Like Lowry said, we bring our own convictions to the book and this is the interpretation to which I kept returning.

The one issue I had with this book is the very ambiguous ending. I'm a reading simpleton, who loves endings which neatly wrap up all of the story's loose ends. Paradoxically, I hate predictable endings. Anyway, The Giver ends in a way that leaves it VERY open to interpretation. Lowry calls it an "optimistic ending," but insists that the true ending exists only in the mind of the reader. As aggravating as that is for a neat-endings-junkie, it's also a sign of a truly great novel - one that makes you think long after you've closed the book.

Grade: A+

Set in Medieval England, Crispin: Cross of Lead tells the story of a 13-year-old peasant boy - called Asta's Son - who becomes orphaned when his mother dies. He has no kin and few friends in his village, where he and his mother were always treated as outsiders. Distraught, he hides in the woods, where he overhears a disturbing conversation between his cruel feudal master Lord Aycliffe and a stranger. Although the words exchanged make little sense to Asta's Son, he senses the men are discussing his own situation. When the feudal lord spies the boy, a chase ensues, and Asta's Son narrowly escapes. After spending a night in the forest, the boy creeps back to his hut, only to see soldiers burning it to the ground. Stunned, Asta's Boy cannot understand what is happening. At nightfall, he creeps to the town church to seek help from the only friend he has left - Father Quinlen. The priest presents Asta's Boy with a leaden cross, which belonged to his mother. On the cross is printed words the boy can't read - Father Quinlen promises to read to decipher the writing later. The priest also gives the boy another gift, the name with which he was christened - Crispin. Father Quinlen further explains to Crispin that he has been declared a "wolf's head" - a wanted criminal, who is to be shot on sight - by Lord Aycliffe. The charge is thievery, although Crispin has done nothing. Mystified, Crispin creeps back into the woods, promising to meet Father Quinlen the next night, when the priest will help him escape the village. Crispin keeps the appointment, only to find his friend dead. In abject terror, Crispin flees, heeding the priest's warnings to run for his life. Lost and hungry, the boy wanders into a deserted village where he encounters a huge, red-headed juggler named Bear. The man commands Crispin to be his servant, but the boy soon realizes that he is freer with Bear than he has ever been. Still, Lord Aycliffe pursues the boy, and Crispin cannot be wholly certain Bear will not betray him for a reward. As Bear and Crispin travel to Great Wexley for a grand festival, they attempt to make sense of Crispin's mystifying situation. The solution appears to be connected to the writing on Crispin's lead cross, writing which remains undeciphered. Once in Great Wexley, Bear and Crispin find themselves in more danger than they could have possibly imagined. As they close in on the truth, they must risk their necks to save their lives. Although I won't give away the ending, I will say that Crispin survives to continue his adventures in Crispin at The Edge of the World (which I haven't read yet).

This Newbery Award winner gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the bleak world of 14th Century England; its old-fashioned, formal tone just adds to the period detail. I think younger readers may be put off by the tone of the novel, but they will certainly be pulled in by the non-stop action. It's truly a grand adventure with a brave and admirable hero on a quest to find the most important thing in the world - his true identity.

I just heard about The Newbery Project, and thought, "How much fun is that?" It's an open-ended challenge to read all the Newbery Award winners. Some of these I've read recently, some I haven't read since I was a kid and some of them I've never even heard of! I'm posting the list with those I have read in red, those I have never read will remain black and those I've read, but plan to re-read in green:

2007: The Higher Power of Lucky - Susan Patron
2006: Criss Cross - Lynn Rae Perkins
2005: Kira-Kira - Cynthia Kadohata
2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread - Kate DiCamillo
2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead - Avi
2002: A Single Shard - Linda Sue Park
2001: A Year Down Yonder - Richard Peck
2000: Bud, Not Buddy - Christopher Paul Curtis
1999: Holes - Louis Sachar
1998: Out of the Dust - Karen Hesse
1997: The View From Saturday - E.L. Konisburg
1996: The Midwife's Apprentice - Karen Cushman
1995: Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech
1994: The Giver - Lois Lowry
1993: Missing May - Cynthia Rylant
1992: Shiloh - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
1991: Maniac Magee - Jerry Spinelli
1990: Number the Stars - Lois Lowry
1989: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices - Paul Fleischman
1988: Lincoln: A Photobiography - Russell Freedman
1987: The Whipping Boy - Sid Fleischman
1986: Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLachlan
1985: The Hero and the Crown - Robin McKinley
1984: Dear Mr. Henshaw - Beverly Cleary
1983: Dicey's Song - Cynthia Voigt
1982: A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers - Nancy Willard
1981: Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson
1980: A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832 - Joan W. Blos
1979: The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
1978: Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
1977: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Mildred D. Taylor
1976: The Grey King - Susan Cooper
1975: M.C. Higgins, the Great - Virginia Hamilton
1974: The Slave Dancer - Paula Fox
1973: Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George
1972: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - Robert C. O'Brien
1971: Summer of the Swans - Betsy Byars
1970: Sounder - William H. Armstrong
1969: The High King - Lloyd Alexander
1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
1967: Up A Road Slowly - Irene Hunt
1966: I, Juan de Pareja - Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
1965: Shadow of A Bull - Maia Wojciechowska
1964: It's Like This, Cat - Emily Neville
1963: A Wrinkle in Time - Madeliene L'Engle
1962: The Bronze Bow - Elizabeth George Speare
1961: Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell
1960: Onion John - Joseph Krumgold
1959: The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare
1958: Rifles for Watie - Harold Keith
1957: Miracles on Maple Hill - Virginia Sorenson
1956: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch - Jean Lee Latham
1955: The Wheel on the School - Meindert DeJong
1954: ...And Now Miguel - Joseph Krumgold
1953: Secret of the Andes - Ann Nolan Clark
1952: Ginger Pye - Eleanor Estes
1951: Amos Fortune, Free Man - Elizabeth Yates
1950: The Door in the Wall - Marguerite de Angeli
1949: King of the Wind - Marguerite Henry
1948: The Twenty-One Balloons - William Pene du Bois
1947: Miss Hickory - Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
1946: Strawberry Girl - Lois Lenski
1945: Rabbit Hill - Robert Lawson
1944: Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes
1943: Adam of the Road - Elizabeth Janet Grey
1942: The Matchlock Gun - Walter Edmonds
1941: Call It Courage - Armstrong Sperry
1940: Daniel Boone - James Dougherty
1939: Thimble Summer - Elizabeth Enright
1938: The White Stag - Kate Seredy
1937: Roller Skates - Ruth Sawyer
1936: Caddie Woodlawn - Carol Ryrie Brink
1935: Dobry - Monica Shannon
1934: Invincible Louisa: The Story of the Author of Little Women - Cornelia Meigs
1933: Young Foo of the Upper Yangtze - Elizabeth Lewis
1932: Waterless Mountain - Laura Adams Armer
1931: The Cat Who Went to Heaven - Elizabeth Coatsworth
1930: Hitty, Her First Hundred Years - Rachel Field
1929: The Trumpeter of Krakow - Eric P. Kelly
1928: Gay Neck, The Story of a Pigeon - Dhan Gopal Mukerji
1927: Smoky, The Cowhorse - Will James
1926: Shen of the Sea - Arthur Bowie Chrisman
1925: Tales from Silver Lands - Charles Finger
1924: The Dark Frigate - Charles Hawes
1923: The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle - Hugh Lofting
1922: The Story of Mankind - Hendrik Willem van Loon

Wow, it's amazing how many of these I haven't read. I've got my work cut out for me!