Well, the Oscars are still a week away and the media is awash with trophy predictions, red carpet fashions, and even tips and recipes to host your own Oscar party. I must confess that I do not really get all of the hoopla, but then I have never actually watched the Oscars start to finish. With the rest of the nation focused on the glitz and glam of Hollywood, I thought I would take a moment to write about the Oscar winner of Children's Literature this year.
Even if you are unfamiliar with the Newbery Medal, you have probably come across books with the bronze winner's medal or the silver honor medal on the front cover. The winning and honor books are chosen each year by a committee of children's librarians.Some past winners are
Bridge to Terabithia,
Sounder,
The Tale of Despereaux. Some past honors books are
Charlotte's Web,
Hatchet, and
My Side of the Mountain. If you are interested in learning how the medal came to be, all the specifics concerning the selection process, and a list of former winners and runner ups you can follow this link:
Newbery Medal.
The 2013 winner and runner ups of the Newbery medal was announced in Seattle, Washington on January 28th and you can watch an encore of the webcast here:
webcast. As a librarian, I love that I can watch the announcement of the winner live on the computer. This year it was particularly exciting to watch, because the book that won,
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, was my favorite book published in 2012.
The One and Only Ivan is actually inspired by the true story of a silver back gorilla that spent nearly thirty years alone in a cage before public outcry got him moved to Zoo Atlanta.
The real Ivan's story
The fictional Ivan has also spent years living in a glass cage at a decrepit tourist trap. Unlike the real Ivan, however, Applegate's fictional Ivan is not completely alone. Also living in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade is Stella, an elephant long past her prime; and Bob, a stray dog that loves to use Ivan's belly as a bed. In order to solicit more business the owner of the Big Top Mall purchases a baby elephant named Ruby. It is Ruby's innocence and youth that incite Stella and Ivan to pursue escape. When Stella dies it falls to Ivan to save Ruby from the dismal future that awaits her off Exit 8. It is through art that freedom is finally attained for both Ruby and Ivan. Julia, the young daughter of the mall custodian has frequently sneaked crayons and paper to Ivan, who finds solace in drawing the things in his limited world. When the public sees Ivan's art and learn of his mistreatment they demand his and Ruby's removal from the Big Top Mall. Just like the real Ivan, his fictional counterpart gets moved to a zoo with other gorillas and a natural habitat.
What makes Applegate's book so unique and brilliant is that the entire story is told in the sparse, beautiful, and completely believable voice of Ivan, the silverback gorilla. This is not your run of the mill talking animal story in which the characters think, talk, and act like people, though.
From Ivan's opening lines:
'hello
I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.
It is not as easy as it looks.
the reader is enthralled by the tragedy, love, wisdom, and grace that is distinctly Ivan. When I was reading The One and Only Ivan I never once questioned the authenticity of the narrator. The story is told by a gorilla with perceptions, feelings, and speech patterns that are completely inhuman and as a reader I was entranced by every word.
Now, I do recommend The One and Only Ivan for kids over the age of ten and possibly older if they are overly sensitive. I am an animal lover so I confess to crying while I read this book, but at least by the end they were happy tears.
Sadly, the real Ivan died in August, 2012 at the age of 50. He never got to return to the jungles of Africa, but Ivan did get to live in an open habitat with other gorillas for the final 16 years of his life. Children (and adults) who loved reading Applegate's book can watch a video of the real Ivan on the Zoo Atlanta website:
Ivan at Zoo Atlanta.
