The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

1984 Newbery Honor

Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills.

Comments by Ms. Lacson's 5th grade class
Travis B., Madison W., Meridith C., Angela, Emily U., Victoria, Codie S., Bayleigh B., Dean M., Emily G., Kalley L., Tristan M., Tadd W., Taylor M., Megan E., Maddy C., Emily S.. Parker K., Ben A., Jacob C., Alexis S., Logan B., Laney T., Sarah S., Jacob C., Ryan A-W., Tevin W., Lauren, Sidney W., Olivia T., Zimri, Kyle C., Conner R., Caroline C., Sam C., Sean G., Hannah S., Travis O., Alexander A., Kaitlyn S., Summer F., Abigail W., Madi A., Caroline C., Kaden, Nick L., Josh S., Claire E., Jamie T., Kaitlyn W., Josh, Robert L., Grace F., and Rylie R.

1929 Newbery Honor

Amazon.com Review

Millions of Cats is a wonderful tale of vanity versus humility, written and illustrated by Wanda Gag. An old man and his wife decide to get a cat, so the old man goes out in search of the prettiest cat of all. When he is forced to choose from "hundreds, thousands, millions and billions and trillions" of cats, he (naturally) brings them all home. When the wife points out their inability to support the legion of felines, it is left to the cats to decide who among them is the prettiest. Anyone who has ever owned more than a single cat can tell you what happens next.

Gag's simple black ink drawings are perfect for the story, somehow capturing at least the idea of millions of cats in a single page. Repeated lines and the sing-song title refrain make this a read-aloud natural.

Comments by Emily G., Emily S., Caroline C. & Emily U., 5th grade

The Cat Who Went To Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth

1931 Newbery Medal


In ancient Japan, a struggling artist is angered when his housekeeper brings home a tiny white cat he can barely afford to feed. But when the village's head priest commissions a painting of the Buddha for a healthy sum, the artist softens toward the animal he believes has brought him luck.
According to legend, the proud and haughty cat was denied the Buddha's blessing for refusing to accept his teachings and pay him homage. So when the artist, moved by compassion for his pet, includes the cat in his painting, the priest rejects the work and decrees that it must be destroyed. It seems the artist's life is ruined as well -- until he is rewarded for his act of love by a Buddhist miracle (Amazon.com).

Comments by Hannah M., 4th grade and Jordan S., 3rd grade

Holes by Louis Sachar

1999 Newbery Medal

As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

Comment below posted by Claire E., Caroline C., & Hannah S., 5th grade and Stone K., 6th grade

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

1984 Newbery Medal Winner

In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

Comments by Sarah S., Hannah S., Caroline C., Claire E., Emily U., Hannah M., Emily S., Maddy C.,; 5th grade students
Stone K., and Brad S.; 6th grade
Hannah M. and Anna C., 4th grade students